Spanish Florida/Timelines

Timeline for Spanish Florida

A sequence of significant events in the history of Florida under Spain.

1513: Juan Ponce de León names Florida and claims it for Spain. 1521: Ponce de León attempts to colonize southwest coast of Florida peninsula, is mortally wounded and driven off by Calusas. 1528: Pánfilo de Narváez leads expedition from Tampa Bay to Apalachee Bay, dies in attempt to sail to Mexico. 1539-1542: Hernando de Soto leads expedition from Tampa Bay to the Appalachian Mountains and then across the Mississippi River. 1559: Tristán de Luna y Arellano establishes colony at Ochuse (Pensacola Bay), mounts expeditions as far inland as Tennessee; Ochuse abandoned in 1561. 1562: French establish Charlesfort on what is now Parris Island, South Carolina; garrison abandons site and moves to Fort Caroline in 1564. 1564: French establish Fort Caroline near present day Jacksonville, Florida. 1565: Pedro Menéndez de Avilés founds St. Augustine, destroys Fort Caroline. 1566: Santa Elena founded on what is now Parris Island, South Carolina; Juan Pardo leads two expeditions (1566-7 and 1567-8) from Santa Elena as far as eastern Tennessee, establishes six temporary forts in interior. 1567: Jesuits begin establishing missions to Indians, but withdraw from la Florida in 1572. 1573: Franciscans assume responsibility for missions to Indians, eventually operating more than 100 missions to the Guale, Timucua and Apalachee tribes. 1586: St. Augustine attacked and burned by Francis Drake. 1587: Santa Elena abandoned. 1656: Timucua Indians rebel, disrupting Spanish missions, ranches and food supplies. 1680-1707: English soldiers from the Province of Carolina and their Indian allies repeatedly attack Spanish mission villages and St. Augustine, burning missions and killing and enslaving Indians. By 1707 the few surviving Indians are resettled around St. Augustine. 1696: Foundation of Pensacola near the former site of Ochuse. 1763: Florida transferred from Spain to Britain, divided into East Florida and West Florida. 1784: The Floridas returned to Spanish rule. 1810-1816: Parts of West Florida occupied and annexed by United States; 'Patriot Army' of U.S. volunteers temporarily seizes Fernandina. 1817-1818: First Seminole War; Andrew Jackson leads United States troops into the Floridas, captures St. Marks and Pensacola. 1821: The Floridas transferred from Spain to the United States.