I came upon this cute tit-bit about our Republic tonight. I used to know this I think. 'may have been mentioned in some lecture or or other at school,..but like so much I've forgotten about it.
...from Yahoo Newz.
"It is the most dramatic event in Louisiana history that has been so little recognized," said Sam Hyde, director of the Center for Southeast Louisiana Studies at Southeastern Louisiana University.
"We have been lost to all the Cajuns and the debauchery of New Orleans, but it is a unique event that had a lasting effect on this area and others."
(The Bonnie Blue, also used later by Confederates.)
In the early morning hours of Sept. 23, 1810, 75 armed rebels slipped into the Spanish fort at Baton Rouge, and in what was described as a "sharp and bloody firefight," subdued the garrison.
They lowered the Spanish flag and raised the Bonnie Blue Flag — a single white star on a blue field — that had been adopted for the new nation they called West Florida.
Three days later the rebels signed a declaration of independence and set up a government for the new nation that historians say included about 4,000 people.
The republic was one of three nations that joined with the United States as it expanded west during the 19th century. The others were the republics of Texas and California.
West Florida achieved its goal — annexation by the United States — 74 days after independence, said archivist Betty Tucker of Zachary, La.
Historians generally agree the republic included 8 Louisiana parishes still known as the Florida Parishes, and those completed what became the state of Louisiana in 1812.
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(14 Star flag of the early Republic.)
This being still such a young nation I'm always glad when some weirdness of our founding turns up. Makes for a more interesting story. Like for example there were actually "14" original colonies, the fourteenth being the lost state of Franklyn.
Franklyn was eventually eaten by Tennessee. Just as New York State tried to eat Vermont. However that one didn't pan out too well for the Crooks in Albany. Vermont handed their butts to them on a plate.
...sliced, and steaming.
This was one of them post Independence border wars that they mostly never told us about at school. ...that stuff was kind'a like what happened in Africa in the 1960's when the Brits, and French skipped out.
So we shouldn't feel all that superior to them folks over there.
...but I digress.
Did yo know that Washington was in fact the "7th" President of the United States, some guy named Peyton Randolph was elected first,..all true.
There was a Congress 'before' there was an Executive. So Uncle George had six predecessors before him when he got the job.
4 comments:
Guten Tag!
Another little-known fact of American history is that the US might have become bilingual in 1795. On January 13, 1795, by one vote Congress rejected a proposal to debate translating and publishing all government proceedings in German, as a recognition of the massive numbers of German-speakers in the new country, particularly in Virginia, Pennsylvania and western New York. OK, it wasn't a proposal to make German an official language – English has ever been 'official' either – but who knows where things might have gone if that one vote had gone the other way.
Auf Wiedersehen!
The mind boggles. The "Frankfurter" might have been called the "Pittsburger!"
The Hitlers may have emigrated to Alabama. A certain descendant may have entered politics, and become the Governor in the 1950's.
...humm, not much change there.
On the other hand our Army Air Corp would have had the Messerschmidt's,...vast 'improvement' there!
That, and the Wandervögel may have been founded here, and survived.
This would have been a blessing to my grim'n lonely kiddhood. That, and Stonewall might have happened a generation earlier with them cats around.
PS, Spanish 'is' our unofficial second language. Although given the current xenophobia that grips this, and most other nations it may not become 'official' till the middle or late part of this century.
Change comes by out-waiting, and out-babying the assorted racist bastards.
Btw,..I added a few more words to the post.
Them post Independence borders wars'n such.
I think if we had it to do again I'd vote in New Orleans as capitol and make the country French-speaking: better cuisine and a lot less Puritan uptightness.
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