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Record Group Number: 900000
Series/Collection Number: N2013- 6
Creator: Republic of East Florida (1812).
Title, Dates: Patriot Constitution, 1812.
Amount: .25 cubic ft. (66 pages) : 18 x 23 cm
Medium Included: Electronic records (digital records).
Organization/Arrangement:
Restrictions:
Terms Governing Use: *****The Florida Historical Society must be credited as the custodian of the original records in any use of the records by the State Archives of Florida.*****
Biographical/Historical:     In March 1812, a group of Georgia settlers known as the Patriot Army, with de facto support from the U.S. government, invaded Spanish East Florida. The Patriots hoped to convince the inhabitants of Spanish East Florida to join their cause and proclaim independence from Spain, after which they planned to transfer control of the territory to the United States.

    The Patriots seized control of Fernandina without firing a shot but could not convince the government at St. Augustine to surrender. By July 1812, the "invasion" had reached a stalemate, with the Patriots encamped at Fort Mose and the Spanish government firmly in control of St. Augustine and Castillo de San Marcos. Over the next several months, the Patriots fought a series of skirmishes against the Spanish and their Seminole and free Black allies. The most significant fighting took place when the Patriots attempted to penetrate the strongholds of the Seminoles and their Black allies near the Alachua Prairie.

    The Patriots eventually lost their tenuous support from the U.S. government and abandoned the Florida project in early 1813. During their time in control of Fernandina, the Patriots formed a temporary government and drafted a constitution to govern their territory. The Florida Historical Society (FHS) maintains a handwritten copy of that document, along with other miscellaneous items related to the Republic of East Florida. The location of the original, or any other copies, is unknown.
Summary:     This collection consists of digital scans of the Florida Historical Society's handwritten copy of the 1812 Patriot Constitution of the Republic of East Florida, along with scans of miscellaneous documents related to the Patriot Rebellion of 1812 to 1813. A transcription of the Patriot Constitution is also available.
Finding Aids:
Additional Physical Form: This collection has been digitized and is available on the Florida Memory web site: https://www.floridamemory.com/items/show/264067
Reproduction Note:
Location of Originals/Duplicates: Florida Historical Society 435 Brevard Avenue Cocoa, Florida 32922 FHS owns the paper originals of this electronic collection. FHS loaned the paper originals to the Archives for digitization in 2013.
Associated Materials:
Language Notes:
Ownership/Custodial History:
Publication Note:
General Note:
Electronic Records Access: https://www.floridamemory.com/items/show/264067
Subject Access Fields: Republic of East Florida (1812). Patriot Army.
Constitutions. aat
East Florida.
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