Unearthing Florida

The Spanish Exodus

WUWF | By Dr. Judy Bense

Published May 17, 2024 at 5:00 PM CDT

France in the Seven Years War. The Victory of Montcalm's Troops at Carillon. Early 20th century painting by Henry Alexander Ogden (1854 1936). — France in the Seven Years War. *The Victory of Montcalm's Troops at Carillon*. Early 20th century painting by Henry Alexander Ogden (1854 1936).

Spain joined France against the British in the Seven Years War —but it was the wrong side.

British aggression increased during the 18^th century in eastern North America and took much of the land claimed there by both France and Spain. But the British military was too strong and as a result, the treaty ending the hostilities gave all of Spanish Florida, including St. Augustine and Pensacola, to Britain in 1763. When the British took over they evacuated all the Spanish, people of mixed race, and Catholic Indians to either Spain, Cuba, or Mexico.

Archaeologically, this abrupt transition of nationalities is quite visible. While there was a lot of British material in Spanish households prior to 1763, afterward there are almost no Spanish artifacts and almost all are British. Gone are the colorful majolicas, large olive jars, and Catholic religious items. In abundance are British-made ceramics, weapons, and ammunition, along with a wave of construction of homes and forts. Florida had lost its Spanish heritage and it never recovered.

Spanish devotional venera made of jet from St. Augustine.

British gentlemen (and officers) wore cloaks and long coats adorned with elegant silver buttons like these, which were excavated from the St. Francis barracks site.

Unearthing Florida is a project of WUWF Public Media, the Florida Public Archaeology Network(FPAN), and its founder, Dr. Judith Bense, since 1998. FPAN's Michael Thomin is a contributor to the program. WUWF's Sandra Averhart is the executive producer.