Population Surge
After the United States acquired Florida as a result of the Adams-Onis Treaty, pioneers headed south in the hopes of settling in the warm, sunny climate. Florida during the early 1800s was another example of a population surge, but this situation was a bit different. Although many of the settlers that came to Florida were white, they brought along with them their slaves. Many freed slaves also headed to Florida, since the Northwest Ordinance of 1787 specifically stated that freed slaves could dwell in this area. The former slaves also flocked to the region as a result of legislation that had been passed with the territories north of Ohio. The problem was that the white settlers viewed the African Americans as competition, both for jobs and land. As a result, many states passed laws requiring African Americans to pay ridiculous sums of money before they could even purchase land. These laws were similar to laws that slaves would have to adhere to while trying to gain their freedom before the onset of the Civil War.