Florida: Difference between revisions

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=== The Everglades War and Floridian Independence ===
[[File:RTL Florida Independence War.png|thumb|444x444px|The Floridan Independence War]]
Since the 1850 Dutch-Spanish, war class and ethnic tensions had been growing in Spanish Florida with western Floridians feeling increasingly marginalized by the consolidated economic and political power with in the hands of the criollo and mixed race elites of San Agustin. In addition the system of sharecropping in western and central Florida created a poor quality of life for many low class Floridians.
 
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# Stop cruel labor practices and establish a labor rights law
 
It is notable that at this point Floridan rebels weren't actively republican, but instead were focused on improving their quality of life and with issues of economics and labor relations. The Dominion government in San Agustin completely rejected these demands. In fact, Floridian governor Fernando Macías stated "If they are hungry let them eat lead". The Floridian Dominion forces struck back at the rebels with increasing hostility which in turn led to further discontentment against Dominion rule and by the winter of 1923 the rebellion spread to central Florida and the peninsula. Fearing that the Dominion didn't have the ability to effectively deal with the rebels, the Spanish crown sent in troops to help suppress the rebellion and on Dec 27th 1923 they retook the city of Tahensa from rebel forces. During the next year of fighting the rebels became increasingly a guerilla force that sought to wage a protracted war of attrition using hit and run tactics, their popularity with the countryfolk and knowledge of the local terrain to great effect. During the summer of 1924, the recently formed Mexican Republic (along with [[South Tussenland]]) started to build ties with the rebels and push them towards ideological republicanism. In January of 1925, the government of [[New Netherland]] declared support for the Dominion government (fearing a Mexican puppet state in Florida) and started to give support in form of aerial scouting (using newly invented aircraft) and economic funding to the Dominion war effort. The aerial scouting missions during the war garnered massive interest in the American northeast due to the use of aircraft and stories of the pilots (along with special forces and Amerikaener mercenaries) were widely publicized. The battle of Amarillo in the Floridan everglades was in fact so widely publicized for it's stories of daring aircraft pilots and Amerikaener and Spanish forces fighting guerillas side by side that in most of the western world the war instead is known as "The Everglades War" even though most of the war took place outside the everglades in western Florida. Additionally fame during this battle led to the rise of New Netherland's longest serving House of Burgher member Timmothy "Ace" Warwyck party.
 
During the next year of fighting the rebels became increasingly a guerilla force that sought to wage a protracted war of attrition using hit and run tactics, their popularity with the countryfolk and knowledge of the local terrain to great effect. During the summer of 1924, the recently formed Mexican Republic (along with [[South Tussenland]]) started to build ties with the rebels and push them towards ideological republicanism. In January of 1925, the government of [[New Netherland]] declared support for the Dominion government (fearing a Mexican puppet state in Florida) and started to give support in form of aerial scouting (using newly invented aircraft) and economic funding to the Dominion war effort. The aerial scouting missions during the war garnered massive interest in the American northeast due to the use of aircraft and stories of the pilots (along with special forces and Amerikaener mercenaries) were widely publicized. The battle of Amarillo in the Floridan everglades was in fact so widely publicized for it's stories of daring aircraft pilots and Amerikaener and Spanish forces fighting guerillas side by side that in most of the western world the war instead is known as "The Everglades War" even though most of the war took place outside the everglades in western Florida. Additionally fame during this battle led to the rise of New Netherland's longest serving House of Burgher member Timmothy "Ace" Warwyck party.
 
In the last year of the war from 1926 to 1927, the Spanish economy was on a downturn and public attitudes in New Netherland lost interest in the war with it being seen more of a distraction than anything to commit regular troops to. On March 9th 1927 after the historic port city of Santa Cruz fell to the rebels, the government of New Netherland turned against the war and pressured the Spanish to organize a peace summit. After weeks of negotiation on April 12st 1927, the Spanish withdrew from Florida and the Republic of Florida was declared. This peace deal was controversial and after 2 years of political deadlock, including a period of time where two separate rival legislatures declared themselves to be the official government of the nation, the constitution was rewritten on August 1st 1929.
 
== See also ==
 
* [[Spain]]
 
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