What ended the Second Seminole War according to the material?

• A. Col. Worth's scorched-earth policy and fighting through the summers
• B. Final peace treaty recognizing Seminole independence
• C. Complete removal and resettlement of Seminoles west of the Mississippi
• D. A decisive conventional battle ending the war

Answer: (A)

The key idea is that a long, costly conflict can be brought to a close through sustained offensive pressure that destroys an opponent’s ability to resist. Col. Worth’s approach—scorched-earth tactics paired with campaigns conducted through the Florida summers—worked to break Seminole resistance. By destroying crops, villages, and supplies and by forcing the Seminoles to mobilize in the harsh climate, his operations wore down their numbers and bargaining position, leading to surrender and the shift toward removal policies.

There was no final peace treaty recognizing Seminole independence, so that option doesn’t fit. The war also didn’t end with a complete, unconditional removal of all Seminoles west of the Mississippi; some Seminoles remained in Florida, so a total mass removal did not occur. And it wasn’t decided by a single decisive conventional battle; rather, the conflict ended through attrition and political settlement enabled by the pressure of ongoing campaigns.