Florida
The United States of America
"In God we trust"
Tallahassee
Carol A. Haberkern
I Save A Tree
Electronic Books
C 2003 I Save A Tree Inc.
ISBN# 0-9714299-1-X
Table of Contents
Location
__________________________________
5
State
bird
__________________________________
25
History before statehood
__________________________________
7
State
tree
__________________________________
27
History since statehood
__________________________________
9
State
flower
__________________________________
29
State government
__________________________________
11
Famous
people from Florida
__________________________________
31
State flag
__________________________________
13
Things
to do in Florida
__________________________________
33
Current facts
__________________________________
15
Popular
sports in Florida
__________________________________
35
Industry today
__________________________________
17
Fast
facts
__________________________________
37
State landmarks
__________________________________
19
Glossary
__________________________________
39
Weather and land
__________________________________
21
Web
sites / books for information
__________________________________
41
Animals in Florida
__________________________________
23
Index
__________________________________
43
Credits
__________________________________
45
Location
Florida is a peninsula. It is
surrounded by water on three sides,
the Atlantic Ocean, the Gulf of Mexico
and the Straits of Florida. To the north,
it is bordered by the states of Georgia
and Alabama. Florida is the last
southern state on the east coast.
The capital is Tallahassee. It is located
in the northern part of the state.
_______________________
Tallahassee
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6
History
_______________________
Before Statehood
Sunset in the Everglades
The first Native Americans moved
into Florida about 12,000 years ago.
The Florida peninsula was more than
twice as large as it is now because
the sea level was much lower.
The Spanish
explorer Juan Ponce
de Leon arrived in
Florida in 1513. The
Spanish founded the
city of St. Augustine
in 1565.
The Creek Indians
and other tribes
moved to
Florida from
Georgia and Alabama in the late 1700s
and became known as the Seminole
Indians. The government forced most
of the Seminoles to move from Florida
in the 1800s. Those that refused went
deep into the Everglades.
Ponce de Leon
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8
History
Since Statehood
In 1845, Florida was admitted into
the Union. During the Civil War
(1861-1865), Florida fought to keep
slavery. Its cotton
plantations
needed slaves
to work in the
fields. After the
war, slavery was
abolished.
_______________________
Railroad
Many people
started moving
into Florida.
Canals were dug
to drain the wetlands so cattle could
graze and citrus could grow. Railroads
made it easier to travel and set the
stage for Florida to become a major
vacation destination.
Confederate soldiers
_______________________
10
Government
_______________________
State capitol building
The state government of Florida is
divided into three branches. Governor
John Ellis "Jeb" Bush is head of the
executive branch.
This branch is in
charge of carrying
out the laws.
Governor Jeb Bush
_______________________
The legislative
branch makes
the laws. It is
made up of the
Senate and the
House of Representatives. The judicial
branch interprets the laws.
Florida has 67 counties. Each has
its own government.
12
State Flag
_______________________
Florida
adopted its
flag in 1899.
The state seal
is located in
the center of
the flag. The seal shows a brilliant sun, a
sabal palm, a steamboat sailing, and a
Seminole Indian scattering flowers.
_______________________
On the flag, red bars extend from
corner to corner on a white background. The bars form an "X." The flag
represents the
land of sunshine, flowers,
palm trees,
rivers and
lakes.
14
Current Facts
_______________________
The Everglades
Today, Florida is one of the fastest
growing states in the country. The
population is almost 15,982,378. The
state is ranked the 4th largest state for
the number of people living in it.
Florida covers
53,997 square
miles. Compared
to other states,
it ranks 26nd in
total area.
Many people
in Florida and
the U.S. are
trying to save
what's left of the Everglades. They now
know that draining the wetlands was
not a good idea. They are trying to
restore as much of the Everglades as
possible.
Florida beach
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16
Industry
Today
When Walt Disney World opened in
1971 so did the floodgates of tourism,
the largest industry in the state. Other
important industries include the space
program, phosphate mining and
packing houses.
Oranges,
grapefruits and
other citrus
fruits are grown
in the state.
_______________________
Juice is made from them. Vegetables
are also grown. These include tomatoes,
green peppers, cucumbers, corn and
sugarcane.
Cattle, hogs,
chicken and
dairy cows are
raised in Florida.
Oranges
Kennedy Space Center
_______________________
18
Landmarks
_______________________
Lake Okeechobee
Over 30,000
lakes are
scattered
throughout
Florida. Lake
Okeechobee is the largest lake. It's
located in the south central part of
the state. Clear water springs are also
abundant throughout the state.
More than 17,000 rivers and creeks flow
through the state. The St. Johns River
flows north and is the longest river in
the state. The
Everglades is in
the southern
part of the state.
It is called the
"River of Grass."
Egrets in the Everglades
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20
Weather & Land
_______________________
Palm trees
Sunny days
have earned
Florida the nickname "The Sunshine State."
Most of Florida is
hot and humid in
the summer. In the winter it is usually
warm and mild. Temperatures average
a low of 53° to a high of 84° Fahrenheit.
The average yearly precipitation is 54
inches, with most of it falling from May
to October. Most of the land in Florida
is flat, but rolling hills are in the
north. North Florida also has forests
and caverns. South Florida has
prairies of
grass, swampland and
dry areas with
palms and
pines.
Swamp
_______________________
22
Animals
In Florida
The most famous animals in Florida
are the Florida panther, the manatee,
and the alligator. Other animals in
Florida include large black bears,
bobcats, foxes, deer and wolves.
Smaller mammals
range from
raccoons, skunks,
opossums, and
squirrels to
armadillos.
_______________________
Florida panther
Many woodland and
wading birds,
fish and reptiles
make their
home in Florida. The Florida panther
was chosen as the state animal in 1982.
The Florida panther is an endangered
animal.
Manatee
_______________________
24
State Bird
_______________________
Mockingbird
In 1927, the
mockingbird
(Mimus
polyglottos) was
named the state
bird of Florida.
This bird mocks, or copies, the songs of
other birds. It can also copy the sounds
of insects and barking dogs.
The mockingbird often sings at night.
These gray and white birds ferociously
protect their
nests. They chase
and attack pets,
wildlife or people
that get too close
to their nests.
Mockingbird
_______________________
26
State Tree
_______________________
Sabal palm
Sabal palm
The sabal
palm tree (Sabal
palmetto) is the
state tree. It
played an
important part
in Florida's history. Native people and
settlers used parts of it for food. The
palm fronds were used to make
_______________________
thatched roofs.
The leaves were
used to make
baskets and mats.
The berries are
eaten by birds and mammals, many of
whom make their homes in the tree.
The sabal palm is on the state seal.
28
State Flower
_______________________
Orange blossom
The blossom
of the orange tree
(Citrus sinesis)
was named the
state flower in
1909. Orange
trees are not native to Florida, but many
were planted for their fruit. It is believed
orange trees came from China.
Besides making the air smell nice, the
fragrant flowers are used to make
perfume.
The orange
blossom also
provides the
nectar bees
need to make
honey.
Orange tree
_______________________
30
Famous People
_______________________
Burt Reynolds
Many famous people were born or
lived in Florida. In 1938, Janet Reno was
born in Miami,
Florida. She became
the first woman
Attorney General
of the United States
in 1992. Other
famous people
include actors
Burt Reynolds,
Ben Vereen and
Sidney Poitier,
and singers Gloria
Estefan and Jim Morrison. Marjorie
Kinnan Rawlings, the famous children's
writer, wrote The Yearling while living
at Cross Creek.
Janet Reno
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32
Things to Do
_______________________
In Florida
Sea World
Florida's mild
weather is ideal
for many
activities. Walt
Disney World,
Busch Gardens
and Sea World
are a few of the
family theme parks located in Florida.
Miami Beach is a world famous resort
on the Atlantic Ocean.
_______________________
State and national parks offer visitors
canoeing, fishing, boating and
swimming opportunities. Everglades
National Park is
located in the
southern part of
the state. The
Kennedy Space
Center at Cape
Canaveral is the
center of space
operations for
the U.S.
Space shuttle
34
Sports
In Florida
Florida has warm weather and lots
of water. Swimming, boating, fishing,
scuba diving and
surfing are some
of the favorite
water sports
available in the
Sunshine State.
People also enjoy
golf, tennis, biking
and baseball.
_______________________
Baseball
Florida hosts
many
professional
sports teams
including the Orlando Magic, Florida
Marlins and Miami Dolphins. Dog
racing, jai alai and speed car racing
are also popular sports.
Fishing on a canal
_______________________
36
Fast Facts
Miami
Governor: John Ellis "Jeb" Bush
Capital: Tallahassee
Size: 53,997sq. miles, 26nd in the U.S.
Population: 15,982,378, 4th in the U.S.
Major cities: Jacksonville, Tallahassee,
Miami, Tampa, Orlando
Nickname: "The Sunshine State"
State animal: Florida panther
State bird: mockingbird
State flower: orange blossom
State tree: sabal palm
State song: "Old Folks at Home"
State motto: "In God we trust"
_______________________
Florida Panther
38
Glossary
_______________________
abolished, eliminated.
peninsula, a piece of land that sticks
Everglades, a large area of wetlands in
out and is almost entirely surrounded
southern Florida.
by water.
fronds, leaves of the palm tree.
phosphate, used to make fertilizer.
jai alai, a fast game played with a ball
slavery, when people own other people
and a wicker basket.
as property.
nectar, a sweet fluid that bees collect
springs, water coming out of the
from flowers.
ground.
tribes, groups of people who have the
same ancestors.
_______________________
40
Links & Books
For more information
____
Link1
____
Link2
____
Link3
____
Link4
TITLE: Florida
AUTHOR: Paul Joseph
PUBLISHER: Abdo & Daughters
COPYRIGHT: 1997
TITLE: Florida
AUTHOR: Karen Sirvaitis
PUBLISHER: Lerner Publications Co.
COPTRIGHT: 1994
TITLE: Florida Facts and Symbols
AUTHOR: Emily McAuliffe
PUBLISHER: Capstone Press
COPYRIGHT: 1997
Visit our website @ www.isaveatree.com
42
Index
alligators, 23
Bush, Jeb, 11
canals, 10
Civil War, 9
Everglades, 8, 16, 20, 34
manatee, 23
mockingbird, 25, 26
orange blossom, 30
_______________________
_______________________
palm, sabal, 13, 27, 28
panther, Florida, 24
railroads, 10
Reno, Janet, 31
"River of Grass," 20
Seminole, 8, 13
tourism, 17
wetlands, 10, 16
44
Credits
Written by
Carol A. Haberkern
Edited by
Linda Coyner
Produced by
Robert Rance
Technologies
Doug Meyers
Design
Dan Mader
Photo credits
Courtesy of the Florida State Archives
myflorida.com
Florida Photographic Collection
www.arttoday.com
_______________________
I Save A Tree Inc. reserves the right to remove or exchange any
photo/illustration at any time without notice.
46