Mapping the 14th Colony

The American Revolution helped shape a new nation, but Florida’s role in that story is often overlooked. While the original 13 American British colonies joined the fight for independence, East Florida and West Florida remained loyal to the British crown.

In “Mapping the 14th Colony: British Florida and the American Revolution,” visitors can explore the history of the British Floridas from their transfer from Spain to Great Britain in 1763 through the Revolution and their return to Spain under the 1783 Treaty of Paris.

Featuring dozens of original maps and charts, this exhibit offers a fresh look for America250 at a surprising chapter of history and reveals the place of the Florida colonies in the nation’s founding story. From loyalists in St. Augustine to the capture of Mobile and Pensacola by the Spanish in support of the revolutionary cause, Florida’s role during the American Revolution is a fascinating, if often overlooked, part of the story.

Visit the Tampa Bay History Center’s Touchton Map Library to see this exhibit from July 3 through Oct. 11, 2026.