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Jan 1, 1501
spanish settlers bring african slaves to the new world.
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Jan 1, 1513
free african juan garrido and juan gonzalez leon accompany pounce de leon in his exploration of la florida.
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Jan 1, 1526
first enslaved africans brought to north america by lucas vazquez de allyon expedition established settlement of san miguel de gualdape in present day florida this is the first european settlement in the geographic united states.
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Jan 1, 1528
panfilo narvaez attempts to settle area near tampa bay with 600 people,including slaves. lack of supplies and hurricanes doom venture.
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Jan 1, 1536
four survivors of the doomed tampa bay settlement end up in gulf coast after walking through wilderness for eight years. estevanico, an african slave, ensures their survival by learning to communicate with natives along the way.
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Jan 1, 1539
hernando de soto explores florida and much of the present day southeastern united states with the aid of free and enslaves africans.
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Jan 1, 1565
st. augustine the oldest permanent city in the USA, established by spain. it is home to over 600 people, including 50 african slaves. some of these slaves immediately escape into the surrounding wilderness.
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spanish goverment in florida grants freedom to all runaway slaves from english colonies to the north if slaves agree to con vert to roman catholicism
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hundreds of slaves from georgia and the corolinas escape to florida as a result of spanish goverment decision.
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francisco menedez, an escaped slave from the carolinas, agrees to help defend florida from the british in exchange for freedom. establishes fort mose, the first free black settlement in the present-day USA, two miles north of st-augustine.
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english invaders capture fort mose; blacks and spaniards recapture it a few.
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spain trades florida to english in exchange for havana, cuba, which spain had lost during the seven years war; as a result, large rice and indigo plantations pop up along the st.johns river in east florida; thousands of slaves are imported from africa or