Local History
5th Grade Florida History
Miami During The Treaty of Paris
Essential Question
What effects did the signing of the Treaty of Paris1763 and 1783 have on life in Miami?
DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL SCIENCES
Local History
Miami during the Treaty of Paris
Florida Literacy Standards Alignment:
LAFS.5.RI.1.3 Explain the relationships or interactions between two or more individuals, events, ideas, or concepts in a
historical, scientific, or technical text based on specific information in the text.
NGSSS - Social Science Standards Alignment:
SS.5.A.1.2 Utilize timelines to identify and discuss American History time periods.
SS.5.A.3.3 Describe interactions among Native Americans, Africans, English, French, Dutch, and Spanish for control of
North America.
SS.5.A.5.6 Identify the contributions of foreign alliances and individuals to the outcome of the Revolution.
Please note: The reading(s) associated with this lesson is for both teacher content knowledge and student content knowledge development. Teachers are
encouraged to use the readings in their entirety and/or select portions of the reading to best fit the needs and reading levels of their particular students. It
is highly suggested that teachers review the reading(s) thoroughly and adapt the reading(s) and plan instruction using appropriate instructional strategies in
order to maximize student understanding according to their particular students’ abilities.
DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL SCIENCES
Local History
Topic: Miami during the Treaty of Paris
Essential Question
What effects did the signing of the Treaty of Paris have on life in Miami?
Learning Goals
1. The students will be able to explain the transfer of Florida control during the 18th century
2. The students will be able to utilize timelines to sequence key events in Miami’s history.
Overview
Students will demonstrate an understanding of the transfer of Florida control during the 18th century.
Background Information
Control of Florida has changed several times during its history. Three different European countries have controlled the
area at one time or another. Spain’s control of Florida started in 1513. Then, France was in Florida between 1562 and
1565. After the Spanish destroyed Fort Caroline, Spain regained control. Another European country, England, also had an
interest in Florida.
Students will read about the local residents during this time in history. As they read, students should think about how the
actions of the different groups of people affect each other.
Materials



“Control of Florida/Miami” Reading Passage
Teacher Timeline Answer Sheet
Student Timeline Template
Activity Sequence
DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL SCIENCES
Local History
Introduction (3 minutes)
1. Ask students “What if you have a visitor who came to visit you a few times and at first you didn’t know them very
well so it was a little awkward. Then the two of you learned to shared things and worked together. You had a great
time while they were with you but by the time they left they hurt your feelings and left you feeling really badly. (1
minute)
2. Ask the students to take two minutes to write if they think this was a positive experience or a negative experience.
(2 minute)
Activity (10 minutes)
1. Students will read “Control of Florida/Miami” passage (3minutes)
2. The teacher introduces students to the concept of a timeline by showing several examples,
and by modeling one as a whole group activity.
3. The teacher assigns a text to be read.
4. The teacher instructs students to create a timeline using the dates and information given in
the text. Drawing paper and rulers will be needed. This activity can be done in cooperative
groups, or individually.
5. The students share and discuss their work.
6. The students may wish to add illustrations.
5th Grade or Higher
Students can create a Cause and Effect Essay detailing the effects of signing of the Treaty of Paris on Local History and
the inhabitants of Miami.
Closure (2 minutes)
Based on what we have read effects did the signing of the Treaty of Paris have on life in Miami?
DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL SCIENCES
Local History
Optional Extension Activities
Play a game of “I Have, You Have".
o Prepare a stack of about 25 (depending on the # of kids in the class) basic facts about the Local History
related to the Treaty of Paris. One card is passed out randomly to each student. The person who gets the
card that says START begins.
o It goes like this:
o "I have the person who received the first land grant on the Miami River. You have.
o Next person says "I have Samuel Touchett. You have ….."
o The game continues through all the cards. The last card says STOP.
o If you play using a timer, interest is kept through many practices. Kids try to beat their previous time. This
also practices listening skills as we don't repeat the question. We just add time to the timer.
References for links
http://fcit.usf.edu/florida/lessons/trnsfer/trnsfer6.pdf
DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL SCIENCES
Local History
“Control of Florida/Miami” Reading Passage
Peace
Treaty of Paris
There were two important peace treaties, that were signed in
Paris, that had a significant effect on the history of America,
Florida, and Miami during the 18th century (1700's):


The Peace Treaty of Paris 1763 ended the French
Indian War (aka the Seven Years War)
The Peace Treaty of Paris 1783 formally ended the
War for Independence
British Rule
In 1763, France, Britain, and Spain signed the Treaty
of Paris at the end of the French and Indian War. As part of
the treaty, France gave up almost all of its land in North
America and Spain gave up Florida. During the French and
Indian War, Britain had captured Havana, Spain’s busiest port.
In exchange for Havana, the Spanish traded Florida to Britain.
The British then divided Florida into two territories: East
Florida and West Florida. This time is known as the British
Period.
In an attempt to bring settlers to East Florida, the
British offered land grants to settlers who would come to farm
and defend the new British territory. The first governor of East
Florida was James Grant. Grant did more to increase the
population of East Florida than anyone else. He remained
friends with the Seminole Indians and traded goods with them.
In 1766, Samuel Touchett received a land grant from
the British government of 20,000 acres (81 km2) in the Miami
area. The grant was
surveyed by Bernard
Romans in 1772. A
condition for making
the grant permanent
was that at least one
white settler had to live
on the grant for every
100 acres (0.4 km2) of
land. While Touchett
wanted to place a
plantation on the grant,
he was having financial
problems and was
never able to develop
it.
Spanish
Rule
The British did not rule Florida for long. Unlike the
northern colonies, Florida did not have problems with Britain.
In fact, many of the English settlers that lived in East Florida
invited Loyalists from South Carolina and Georgia to move to
Florida once the war broke out .Although, most of the war took
place far north of Florida, Florida suffered occasional raids. In
1779, Spain invaded West Florida. By 1781, Britain had lost
West Florida to Spain. At the end of the American Revolution,
Spain regained the rest of Florida. On September 3, 1783,
another Treaty of Paris was signed ending the American
Revolution. It was at this time that Britain recognized the
independence of the United States.
DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL SCIENCES
Local History
After the
Treaty of
Paris/Miami’
s First
Settlers
of his Royal Grant for the island. Although he returned with his
family to St. Augustine after six months, he left a caretaker
behind on the island.
Source: University of South Florida
http://fcit.usf.edu/florida/lessons/trnsfer/trnsfer6.pdf
The first permanent white
settlers in the Miami area
arrived around 1800. Pedro
Fornells moved to Key
Biscayne to meet the terms
DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL SCIENCES
Local History
Teacher Timeline Answer Sheet
Miami during the two Treaties of Paris
Treaty
Miami
British Rule
1763
1763
1766
British
Received
Florida as part
of the Treaty
of Paris at
the end of the
French and
Indian War.
Attempted to
populate the
state with
settlers
Spanish
Missionary
built in
MiamiBiscayne Bay
Samuel Touchett received a land grant from the British government of 20,000 acres (81
km2) in the Miami area
DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL SCIENCES
Spanish Rule
1783
Received
Florida as a
benefit of
helping the
Americans
defeat the
British in the
American
Revolution of
1776
Miami
1800
First
Permanent
White
Settlers,
Pedro Fornells
and his family.
Local History
Student Timeline Template
Miami during the two Treaties of Paris
DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL SCIENCES