Florida: Difference between revisions
→Spanish Florida during the Communard Wars
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=== Spanish Florida during the Communard Wars ===
Between 1872-1878 western Europe was wracked by the devastating communard wars in which French, Belgique, German, Italian and Spanish radicals rose up in revolution. Between 1877 and 1878 Spain itself was occupied by Communard forces and the Spanish King was ruling the empire in exile from Mexico City, New Spain. During this period many connected Spanish peninsular elites fled to the colonies and in particular eastern Florida was seen as a prestige designation
After the deposition of the communard government in Spain and the return of the King, viceroys of New Spain and Peru declared independence (due to numerous growing political and economic differences as well as colonial elite anger at the King's reforms while in Mexico) as the Kingdoms of Mexico and Peru, respectively. This led to panic within the Spanish Empire and after numerous failed attempts to retrieve the rebellious viceroys (in which Florida was used as base of operation) the Spanish government recognized the independence of their former colonies. Loosing their richest and most profitable colonies created a profound shift in Spanish internal policy towards empire and in their remaining American colonies (Cuba, Puerto Rico, Florida) the Spanish allowed for a greater degree of self governance, but also started to crack down on rebellious or seditionist actively through the creation of a royal secret police force. On June 28th, 1887 Cuba, Puerto Rico and Florida were granted popular sovereignty as royal dominions of Spain. This change in colonial status was perceived and ennact very differently amongst the colonies due to each royal Dominionship charter being created jointly with the governors of the colonies. In Puerto Rico 1887 marched the beginning of democracy and mostly free elections while in Cuba not much changed in governance and in 1890 the long and bloody Cuban war of independence kicked off. In Florida much of the charter was written in order to favor the eastern San Agustin elites and their interests. In fact many of the poorer classes remarked that life was better and the government less harsh pre-charter; the last decade of the 19th century in Florida was marked by increasing class and regional tensions within society.{{Nations of the World}}
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