Fort Mose Essay

Fort Mose
Gracia Real de Santa Teresa de Mose known present day as Fort Mose was established in 1738 by a Spanish governor, Manuel de Montiano, in St. Augustine. The leader of this fort was a slave by the name of Francisco Mendez, who helped in the defense of British in 1727, and was captured by the Spanish and was later given an unconditional freedom and freed. It was the first town to house free black slaves in the United States of America who came from Carolina plantations with the help of the Indians. In return for the slaves freedom, the Spanish had to convert their religion to Catholic as well as servicing the king as he sees fit.
The formation of Fort Mose consisted of fifteen women seven boys and eight girls, as well as thirty-seven

men that were housed in twenty-two huts. From looking at the remains of Fort Mose, Archaeologist describes the fort with moat walls covered in clay with wooden forts within. The people of Fort Mose attended Mass in a church made of wood, which was also the priest’s home. While the men of Mose were on lookout for the Fort to ensure that they weren’t under any attack, the rest of the people were in charge of farming the land.
Fort Mose became the first line of defense for the North between the English.

In 1740, Oglethorpe from the colony of Georgia raided Florida and Fort Mose was captured. The demolished fort caused Oglethorpe of the Britsh to back down to Georgia. the Spainards and a hist of free black soldiers made a surprise attack on the English and claimed Fort Mose. The Spanish that stayed behind in St. Augustine rebuilt Fort Mose in 1752? Seven years later, Spain gave up power over Florida to the British. The ex slaves who occupied the space at Mose relocated and settled out in Cuba. The fact of living under British thumb wasn’t an aption for them because they had become accustomed to having their freedom. By the time the ex slaves relocated further down South, the population of blacks in St. Augustine was around three thousand, of which only half was free.
Besides the fact that Fort Mose played a key role in the development of colonial North America, the site of Fort Mose is also a national historic landmark in Florida and is said to be the precursor to the Underground Railroad, with the exception that this railroad headed South and not North. Besides the fact that the fort was the main forceof defense, they also tried to seize the plantation econmy. By doing so, this would give free black slaves a way to have a refuge from the British and be able to have a life of being

free.