On this day, 22 February 1819, Spain officially agreed to cede Florida to the United States as part of the Adams-Onís Treaty. The treaty, negotiated by US Secretary of State John Quincy Adams and Spanish diplomat Luis de Onís, marked a pivotal moment in US territorial expansion.
Under the agreement, the United States acquired Florida and settled boundary disputes between the two nations. In exchange, the US assumed $5 million in claims by American citizens against Spain and relinquished claims to Texas, recognizing it as Spanish territory.
The treaty, signed in Washington, DC, solidified US control over Florida and established clear borders between the United States and New Spain (modern-day Mexico). Spain’s decision to sell Florida was influenced by internal challenges, including colonial uprisings in Latin America, which diverted its resources and attention.
