The Republic of Florida was formerly a Spanish colony comprising the Florida peninsula and an undefined territory north of it. It was in constant competition with the English (who were founding colonies in the North), shortening the "undefined territory" the Spanish laid claims to, until the British received all of Florida in the French and Indian War of 1763. Florida was returned to Spain in 1783, after the American War of Independence, but immediately began to suffer from settlements, incursions and escaped slaves from Georgia. Spain recognized the independence of the former colonies in 1876.