8th Grade Florida History

Miami During The Treaty of Paris

Essential Question

What effects did the signing of the Treaty of Paris1763 and 1783 have on life in Miami?

Miami during the Treaty of Paris

Florida Literacy Standards Alignment:

LAFS.68.WHST.1.2Write informative/explanatory texts, including the narration of historical events, scientific procedures/ experiments, or technical processes.

Introduce a topic clearly, previewing what is.

LAFS.68.WHST.3.9Draw evidence from informational texts to support analysis reflection, and research.

NGSSS -Social Science Standards Alignment:

SS.8.A.2.1Compare the relationships among the British, French, Spanish, and Dutch in their struggle for colonization of North America.

SS.8.A.2.5Discuss the impact of colonial settlement on Native American populations.


Topic: Miami during the Treaty of Paris

Essential Question

What effects did the signing of the Treaty of Paris have on life in Miami?

Learning Goals

  1. The students will be able to explain the transfer of Florida control during the 18th century
  2. The students will be able to utilize timelines to sequence key events in Miami’s history.

Overview

Students will demonstrate an understanding of the transfer of Florida control during the 18th century.

Background Information

Control of Florida has changed several times during its history. Three different European countries have controlled the area at one time or another. Spain’s control of Florida started in 1513. Then, France was in Florida between 1562 and 1565. After the Spanish destroyed Fort Caroline, Spain regained control.Another European country, England, also had an interest in Florida.

Students will read about the local residents during this time in history. As they read, students should think about how the actions of the different groups of people affecteach other.

Materials

  • “Control of Florida/Miami” Reading Passage
  • Teacher Timeline Answer Sheet
  • Student Timeline Template

Activity Sequence

Introduction (3 minutes)

  1. Ask students “What if you have a visitor who came to visit you a few times and at first you didn’t know them very well so it was a little awkward. Then the two of you learned to shared things and worked together. You had a great time while they were with you but by the time they left they hurt your feelings and left you feeling really badly. (1 minute)
  2. Ask the students to take two minutes to write if they think this was a positive experience or a negative experience. (2 minute)

Activity (10 minutes)

  1. Students will read “Control of Florida/Miami” passage(3minutes)
  2. The teacher introduces students to the concept of a timeline by showing several examples,

and by modeling one as a whole group activity.

  1. The teacher assigns a text to be read.
  2. The teacher instructs students to create a timeline using the dates and information given in

the text. Drawing paper and rulers will be needed. This activity can be done in cooperative

groups, or individually.

  1. The students share and discuss their work.
  2. The students may wish to add illustrations.

5th Grade or Higher

Students can create a Cause and Effect Essay detailing the effects of signing of the Treaty of Paris on Local History and the inhabitants of Miami.

Closure (2 minutes)

Based on what we have read effects did the signing of the Treaty of Paris have on life in Miami?

Optional Extension Activities

Play a game of “I Have, You Have".

  • Prepare a stack of about 25 (depending on the # of kids in the class) basic facts about the Local History related to the Treaty of Paris. One card is passed out randomly to each student. The person who gets the card that says START begins.
  • It goes like this:

DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL SCIENCES

  • "I have the person who received the first land grant on the Miami River. You have.
  • Next person says "I have Samuel Touchett. You have ….."
  • The game continues through all the cards. The last card says STOP.
  • If you play using a timer, interest is kept through many practices. Kids try to beat their previous time. This also practices listening skills as we don't repeat the question. We just add time to the timer.

References for links

DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL SCIENCES

“Control of Florida/Miami” Reading PassagePeace Treaty of Paris

There were two important peace treaties, that were signed in Paris, that had a significant effect on the history of America, Florida, and Miami during the 18th century (1700's):

  • The Peace Treaty of Paris 1763 ended the French Indian War (aka the Seven Years War)
  • The Peace Treaty of Paris 1783 formally ended the War for Independence

British Rule

In 1763, France, Britain, and Spain signed the Treaty of Paris at the end of the French and Indian War. As part of the treaty, France gave up almost all of its land in North America and Spain gave up Florida. During the French and Indian War, Britain had captured Havana, Spain’s busiest port. In exchange for Havana, the Spanish traded Florida to Britain. The British then divided Florida into two territories: East Florida and West Florida. This time is known as the British Period.

In an attempt to bring settlers to East Florida, the British offered land grants to settlers who would come to farm and defend the new British territory. The first governor of East Florida was James Grant. Grant did more to increase the population of East Florida than anyone else. He remained friends with the Seminole Indians and traded goods with them.

In 1766, Samuel Touchett received a land grant from the British government of 20,000 acres (81 km2) in the Miami area. The grant was surveyed by Bernard Romans in 1772. A condition for making the grant permanent was that at least one white settler had to live on the grant for every 100 acres (0.4 km2) of land. While Touchett wanted to place a plantation on the grant, he was having financial problems and was never able to develop it.

Spanish Rule

The British did not rule Florida for long. Unlike the northern colonies, Florida did not have problems with Britain. In fact, many of the English settlers that lived in East Florida invited Loyalists from South Carolina and Georgia to move to Florida once the war broke out.Although, most of the war took place far north of Florida, Florida suffered occasional raids. In 1779, Spain invaded West Florida. By 1781, Britain had lost West Florida to Spain. At the end of the American Revolution, Spain regained the rest of Florida. On September 3, 1783, another Treaty of Paris was signed ending the American Revolution. It was at this time that Britain recognized the independence of the United States.

After the Treaty of Paris/Miami’s First Settlers

The first permanent white settlers in the Miami area arrived around 1800. Pedro Fornells moved to Key Biscayne to meet the terms of his Royal Grant for the island. Although he returned with his family to St. Augustine after six months, he left a caretaker behind on the island.

Source: University of South Florida

DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL SCIENCES

Miami during the two Treaties of Paris
Treaty / Miami / British Rule / Spanish Rule / Miami
1763 / 1763 / 1766 / 1783 / 1800
British Received Florida as part of the Treaty of Paris at the end of the French and Indian War. Attempted to populate the state with settlers / Spanish Missionary built in Miami- Biscayne Bay / Samuel Touchett received a land grant from the British government of 20,000 acres (81 km2) in the Miami area / Received Florida as a benefit of helping the Americans defeat the British in the American Revolution of 1776 / First Permanent White Settlers,
Pedro Fornells and his family.

Teacher Timeline Answer Sheet

DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL SCIENCES

Student Timeline Template

Miami during the two Treaties of Paris

DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL SCIENCES