Drifitng to War

Aside from Burr and Robinson's schemes, the West had other problems.  Ohio had entered the Union in 1803   Along with representatives from Kentucky and Tennessee, there was a vocal presence in Congress for the Northwest Territories.  Young Henry Clay from Kentucky lead the race for internal improvements at federal expense, protection from the Indians, and territorial expansion.  Talk of war was everywhere in the west.

Along with the southern frontier -- Tennessee and the Mississippi/Alabama territory - the enemy was Spain.  Spain's hold on the Gulf Coast was a threat to prosperity of inland farmers whose direct access to the sea was in jeopardy. 

September 1810 - the Americans struck, overrunning Baton Rouge, forming their own government and applied to the US for annexation.  President James Monroe annexed western Florida, citing it was part of the Louisiana Purchase.  (Not really!)  All of eastern Florida and much of the Gulf Coast remained in Spain's hands. 

Next time - British Trouble...
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Today in Pioneer History:  On February 8, 1887, President Grover Cleveland signs an act to end tribal control of reservations and divide their land into individual holdings.  The Dawes Severalty Act reversed the long-standing American policy of allowing Indian tribes to maintain their traditional practice of communal use and control of their lands. Instead, the Dawes Act gave the president the power to divide Indian reservations into individual, privately owned plots.