On this day in 1837, Africans and Native Americans who had formed Florida’s Seminole Nation decisively defeated an invading U.S. force more than twice their size, led by slaveowner and future U.S. president Zachary Taylor.

Since the founding of the U.S., escaped African slaves had settled in modern-day Florida. At the same time, Seminoles suffering under Creek rule in Alabama and Georgia were fleeing south to seek independence. There, the two groups formed an alliance, sharing cultivation techniques and putting up armed resistance against colonization and slaver forces.

The U.S. repeatedly invaded territory controlled by this alliance, and, on Christmas Day in 1837, 380 to 480 Seminole fighters gathered on the northeast corner of Florida’s Lake Okeechobee ready to halt the armies of Colonel Zachary Taylor, a Louisiana slaveholder and future U.S. president.

Seminole riflemen waited for the soldiers in trees, firing on them from above. The battle was a decisive defeat for U.S. forces, however Taylor falsely claimed a victory when returning to Fort Gardner.

Dec. 26, 1835: Second Seminole War, Largest Uprising of the Enslaved amerikkka

Christmas day freedom fighters: hidden history of the Seminole anticolonial struggle - William Katz left-unity-2

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  • Frogmanfromlake [none/use name]@hexbear.netEnglish
    24·
    11 months ago

    Triple posting to say the best part about this megathread is that it’s where you can shoot the shit and have fun without the rapid speed of a chat room. I can post about my life or whatever is on my mind here and then treat the news megathread for more political/effort posts.

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    It’s been nice to see this place grow from what it was three years ago as Chapo Chat. Even seeing it become the boogeyman of Lemmy warms my heart to know that Hexbear is carrying the old subs legacy.