 spanish colonial period 17801811  spanish colonial period 17801811 ray sun 4112010 2128  1780 on march 14 1780 general galvez captured fort charlotte and the city of mobile alabama the mississippi gulf coast became a part of spanish west florida  1781  in may 1781 the english at pensacola florida surrendered to spanish forces led by general galvez  1783 american revolutionary war ends with great britain the signing of the treaty of paris america is now bounded on the north by canada east by atlantic ocean south by spanish west florida and west by the mississippi river  1790 jeanbaptiste carquotte carco settles on biloxi peninsula american state papers vol 3 p 38  1793 louis fayard angelique ladner fayard the widow fayard and jacques mathurin ladner settle biloxi peninsula american state papers vol 3 p 38  1797 the mississippi territory was organized on april 7 1798 from territory ceded by georgia and south carolina it was later twice expanded to include disputed territory claimed by both the us and spain land was purchased generally through unequal treaties from native american tribes from 1800 to about 1830  1803 the louisiana purchase was the acquisition by the united states of approximately 530 million acres 828000 sq mi or 2100000 km² of french territory on april 30 1803 at the cost of about 3 per acre 7 per ha totaling 15 million or 80 million french francs including interest america finally paid 23213568 for the louisiana territory 1 the land purchased contained all of presentday arkansas missouri iowa oklahoma kansas nebraska minnesota south of mississippi river much of north dakota nearly all of south dakota northeastern new mexico northern texas the portions of montana wyoming and colorado east of the continental divide and louisiana on both sides of the mississippi river including the city of new orleans the oklahoma panhandle and southwestern portions of kansas and louisiana were still claimed by spain at the time of the purchase in addition the purchase contained small portions of land that would eventually become part of the canadian provinces of alberta and saskatchewan the land included in the purchase comprises around 23 of the territory of the modern united states 1 the purchase was an important moment in the presidency of thomas jefferson at the time it faced domestic opposition as being possibly unconstitutional although he felt that the constitution did not contain any provisions for acquiring territory jefferson decided to purchase louisiana because he felt uneasy about france and spain having the power to block american traders access to the port of new orleans  1807  valentine dorsette richard settle on biloxi peninsula american state papers vol 3 p 38    1810 the republic of west florida was declared independent of spain in september at st francisville louisiana it lasted only fortyfive days    1811 when dr william fat doctor flood the representative of governor claiborne of the orleans territory was dispatched to the mississippi coast to hoist the flag of the united states in january 1811 he found the population between the pearl river and biloxi to be about four hundred people chiefly french and creoles dr flood in his report to governor claiborne wrote proceeded to the bay of biloxi where i found mr ladnier jacques and gave him the commission justice of the peace he is a man of excellent sense but can neither read or write nor can any inhabitants of the bay of biloxi that i can hear of they are all along this beautiful coast a primitive people of mixed origin retaining the gaiety and politeness of the french blended with the abstemiousness and indolence of the indian they plant a little rice and a few roots and vegetables but depend on subsistence chiefly on game and fish i left with all these appointees copies of the laws ordinances etc but few laws will be wanted here the people are universally honest there are no crimes the father of the family or the oldest inhabitant settles all disputes a more innocent and inoffensive people may not be found they seem to desire only the simple necessities of life and to be let alone in their tranquility i am greatly impressed with the beauty and value of this coast the high sandy lands heavily timbered with pine and the lovely bays and rivers from pearl river to mobile will furnish new orleans with a rich commerce and with a delightful summer resort for a cantonment or military post in consideration of the health of the troops this whole coast is admirably fitted 535 views  