TM CultureGrams States Edition 2014 Florida The Sunshine State Established 1845 27th State The Tampa Bay area has more lightning strikes per capita than any other place in the nation. Gatorade was originally developed by researchers at the University of Florida and named after the university’s athletics teams. More than 70 species of mosquitoes live in Florida. The biggest bald eagle nest in the United States was found in Florida. It was 10 feet (3 m) wide and more than 20 feet (6 m) deep! Florida is the only state east of the Mississippi River where a large cat—the Florida panther—still exists in the wild. Florida has more than 40 plant species that can’t be found anywhere else in the world. In 1981, a sinkhole in Winter Park grew to more than 1,000 feet (305 m) wide. When it sunk, it took a house, part of the neighborhood pool, and several cars with it. The Biltmore Hotel’s swimming pool is the largest hotel pool in the United States. Located in Coral Gables, the pool holds 600,000 gallons of water. In Everglades National Park, a 13-foot (3.9 m) Burmese python swallowed a 6-foot (1.8 m) alligator whole and then exploded! Founded in 1565, St. Augustine is the oldest continuously occupied European-established city in the United States. The "five flags of Florida" refers to the five different governments that have claimed Florida and flown their flags over the state: Spain, France, Great Britain, the United States, and the Confederate States of America. Climate Florida’s warm climate and sunny skies draw people to the state year-round. Although the temperature sometimes reaches below freezing in a few areas, winter usually stays at about 60 to 70°F (16–21°C). Summer temperatures are hot, but breezes from the ocean cool things down. The weather can be classified as subtropical. It’s usually sunny, but it can also be wet. Rain typically comes in the summer, when heavy thunderstorms, floods, and hurricanes can strike and cause great damage. Average Seasonal High and Low Temperatures Spring: 81/61°F Summer: 90/73°F Fall: 83/65°F Winter: 70/51°F Geography 1 TM CultureGrams Florida With Florida’s miles of beaches, warm coastal waters, and thousands of islands, it’s no wonder that millions of people visit Florida every year. Florida has one of the longest coastlines in the country, second only to Alaska. However, Florida is much more than just surf and sand. It is green and lush. Thick forests provide homes to animals like bobcat, deer, and black bear. You can also find swamps, rivers, and thousands of lakes across the state. Alligators, crocodiles, Florida panthers, and four kinds of poisonous snakes live within the state’s borders. Offshore, you can find coral reefs, playful dolphins, and gentle manatees (sea cows). The north has rolling hills and sinkholes, which cave in without warning when the limestone under the dirt collapses. The south is quite flat. Florida ties with Louisiana as the second lowest state. Florida’s total area is about 65,578 square miles (170,312 sq km). Resources and Economy Weather is considered one of Florida’s chief resources. Warm weather draws tourists, who help the state’s economy. When people visit, they spend money in stores, at restaurants, and in hotels and resorts. The warm climate also allows farmers to grow their crops most of the year. On the southern tip of the peninsula, crops can grow 365 days a year! Citrus fruits, especially oranges, are the most important crops. Most of the oranges grown are made into juice, and the rest are shipped all over the country. In fact, only Brazil produces more oranges and orange juice than Florida. No other place in the world produces as many grapefruits. Other important agricultural products include sugarcane, vegetables, and cattle. All along the coast, fish, shrimp, crab, lobster, and oysters are plentiful. Time Line Thousands of years ago, native tribes, including the ancestors of the Apalachee, Calusa, and Timucua, roam the land as hunters and gatherers AD 1500 AD 1513 Ponce de León is one of the first Europeans to explore Florida; he calls the land La Florida (flowery land) 1539 Hernando de Soto explores central and northern Florida 1559 Pensacola is settled and then later abandoned 1560s The Spanish establish religious missions throughout the region, primarily in northern Florida 1564 The French attempt to settle at Fort Caroline 1565 Spain establishes the region’s first permanent European settlement, at Saint Augustine 1672 Spaniards begin construction on Castillo de San Marcos in St. Augustine, the oldest masonry building in the United States 2 TM CultureGrams Florida 1700 1763 England takes possession of Florida 1783 England gives Florida back to Spain 1800 1814 The Patriot War occurs when United States citizens attempt to conquer Florida 1816 The First Seminole War occurs 1823 Tallahassee becomes the capital of the Territory of Florida 1835–42 The Second Seminole War occurs 1845 Florida becomes the 27th state 1855–58 The Third Seminole War occurs 1861 Florida secedes (withdraws) from the Union 1865 Florida is back under federal control 1880s The drainage of the Everglades begins 1888 Henry Morrison Flagler opens his first hotel in Florida; he later builds more hotels and the famous East Coast Railroad 3 TM CultureGrams Florida 1900 1912 Flagler completes the “overseas railroad” to Key West, a major feat of engineering 1920 The Florida land boom begins 1926 Florida’s economy crashes 1928 The Tamiami Trail highway is completed, connecting Tampa with Miami; a hurricane hits, and more than 2,500 people are killed when the waters of Lake Okeechobee flood hundreds of square miles 1947 The Everglades becomes a national park 1950 Frozen orange juice becomes an important product 1958 Cape Canaveral launches the first satellite to orbit the earth from the United States 1959 The Cuban Revolution kicks off mass migrations to Florida 1969 After launching from the Kennedy Space Center on Merritt Island, American Neil Armstrong becomes the first person to walk on the moon 1971 Walt Disney World resort opens near Orlando 1986 The space shuttle Challenger explodes 73 seconds after its launch from the Kennedy Space Center, killing all seven astronauts aboard 4 TM CultureGrams 1992 Florida Hurricane Andrew rips through south Florida 2000 2000 Though he failed to win the popular vote, George W. Bush becomes president of the United States following controversial election results in Florida 2004 Mel Martinez becomes the first Cuban American elected to the U.S. Senate; Florida experiences one of the worst hurricane seasons in its history as four hurricanes in a row cause billions of dollars in damage 2011 The space shuttle Atlantis returns home to the Kennedy Space Center, completing the shuttle's final mission for NASA PRESENT Early Inhabitants Early Florida inhabitants roamed the land as hunters and gatherers. Over thousands of years, they developed into farmers and began to settle into communities. They grew corn, beans, and other crops and made pottery. When the Spanish explorers came, they found out that the Native Americans were also fierce, skilled warriors. However, many natives lived peacefully with the Spanish. Sickness eventually killed many of the natives, who had little or no resistance to European diseases. Colonization Juan Ponce de León first landed on the Atlantic Coast in 1513. He decided to name the land La Florida, because he found it during Easter (called Pascua Florida in Spanish). Spain began to colonize the area, building forts and missions. St. Augustine, founded in 1565, became the first permanent European settlement in what is now the United States. The French disputed Spain’s right to Florida, so they began to settle the area, too. Both sides attacked the other’s settlements. Farther north, the English became worried that the Spanish and French would threaten their colonies of the Carolinas and Georgia. After the French and Indian War ended in 1763, Spain traded Florida to England. After the Revolutionary War, England gave Florida back to Spain. Finally, in 1821, Spain gave Florida to the United States in exchange for the United States giving 5 TM CultureGrams Florida up any claims on Texas. Seminole Wars Before Spain gave Florida to the United States, the Seminoles (a Native American society) and U.S. settlers in Georgia fought with each other across the border. The First Seminole War began in 1816 when Andrew Jackson invaded Spanish Florida in an attempt to end border skirmishes with Indians and end the migrations of escaped African American slaves into Florida. The Second Seminole War began in 1835 and lasted for seven years. It was primarily about the desires of white slaveholding Floridians and Southerners to expand their homesteads onto Indian hunting and farming grounds and to protect their cotton plantations. Settlers began pushing the Seminoles out of the area, so Osceola, a Seminole leader, helped his people fight back. The Seminoles took in runaway slaves and the descendants of free blacks, known as Black Seminoles, and the United States Army arrived to enforce the Indian Removal Act and force the Seminoles to leave Florida for Indian Territory. The Second War ended in a stalemate, after the United States concluded that the war was too costly to continue. The Third Seminole War (1855–58) was another attempt to remove the Seminoles from Florida, leaving only about three hundred Seminoles in the state. They lived near Lake Okeechobee and the high grounds of the Everglades. Statehood and Civil War As Florida considered becoming a state, slavery presented an obstacle. Congress allowed the sparsely populated Florida to enter the Union as a slave state to balance Iowa’s entrance as a free state. Fifteen years later, South Carolina seceded from the Union, and Mississippi and Florida quickly followed. Around 15,000 Floridians served in the Confederate army, and the state also contributed meat, salt, turpentine, and cotton. In the end, the war meant emancipation for the state’s 61,000 African Americans, who made up almost half of the state’s population. Reconstruction Florida (according to the United States government) had never left the Union. It did not have its full rights restored until 1868. In order for this restoration to occur, the state had to adjust its constitution to allow African Americans to vote, which it did in 1868. However, like other Southern states, Florida created restrictive Black Codes and poll taxes to keep power in the hands of whites. These codes were not immediately enacted, and African Americans enjoyed tremendous gains during reconstruction. After reconstruction, however, these codes and later Jim Crow laws (laws keeping African Americans from voting or having equal rights) and regulations resulted in African Americans being deprived of more and more rights. For many decades, African Americans struggled to receive the same rights whites enjoyed. The 20th Century 6 TM CultureGrams Florida Following the Civil War, Florida began developing its economy once again. Before the war, the state’s main products were fish, cotton, and other agricultural goods. After the war, prices of cotton declined, encouraging planters and former slaves to turn to other, more lucrative crops. Instead, Floridians started to plant citrus groves and other crops. Railroads were built, allowing the crops to be moved and sold in other places. Tourism also began to develop by the 1880s. The economy flourished until 1926, when the state hit a deep depression as a result of the end of the real estate boom. Then came the Great Depression of the 1930s. It wasn’t until World War II began in the 1940s that Florida’s economy started to recover, and people flooded into the state once more. Many important air bases were built in Florida during the war because of the state’s consistently good weather. The growing economy is one reason Florida’s population increased steadily throughout the 20th century. Population Just like the birds that migrate south every year, many older people (called snowbirds) migrate to Florida’s warmer climate in winter. These snowbirds aren’t the only ones moving to Florida. The many visitors who have decided to stay in Florida, including many Europeans, have made it one of the fastest-growing states in the country. Right now, it is the fourth most populous state. Most of these people live in cities, especially along the coast. Florida’s population includes many immigrants, a large majority of them from Latin America. Government 7 TM CultureGrams Florida Capital: Tallahassee State Abbreviation: FL Governor: Rick Scott (Republican) U.S. Senators: 2 Marco Rubio (Republican) Bill Nelson (Democrat) U.S. Representatives: 27 Republicans: 17 Democrats: 10 State Senators: 40 State Representatives: 120 Counties: 67 With 27 electoral votes, Florida is one of the most important states in presidential elections. Unlike any other state, Florida reviews its constitution every 20 years, just to make sure that it is always current. Famous People Mandy Moore Blanche Armwood — Educator Mary McLeod Bethune — Educator Marjory Stoneman Douglas — Environmentalist Clara Frye — Nurse Mandy Moore — Singer Jim Morrison — Singer Osceola — Seminole leader Sidney Poitier — Actor Janet Reno — First female attorney general Burt Reynolds — Actor Little Richard — Singer Mary Littlejohn Singleton — Politician Emmitt Smith — National Football League player Clarence Thomas — Supreme Court justice David Levy Yulee — First Jewish U.S. senator Janet Reno Emmitt Smith Clarence Thomas 8 TM CultureGrams Florida Native America As the hunter-gatherer tribes that inhabited what is now Florida thousands of years ago began building more established communities and villages, they formed into five main groups: the Ais, the Apalachee, the Calusa, the Tequesta, and the Timucua. The Ais lived in eastern central Florida, on the coast. The Apalachee made their home in the northwest (around what is now Tallahassee) and the Timucua in the northeast. The Apalachee and Timucua were primarily farmers who grew squash, pumpkins, and corn. The Calusa settled on the southwest coast, while the Tequesta were found in the southeastern part of the state. Many people lived together in large houses. The Calusa and Tequesta were expert fishermen and hunted marine life with bows and arrows. The Tequesta caught swordfish and marlin from their canoes, and both groups lived well off the fish from the Gulf of Mexico. Other groups included the Mayaimi around Lake Okeechobee, the Jaega along the Atlantic coast, and the Tocobaga at Tampa Bay. These chiefdoms collapsed after the arrival of Europeans and were largely destroyed by disease and warfare. By 1819, the Seminoles had become a powerful society. The Seminoles were a combination of Creek Native Americans and escaped African American slaves. For many years, the Seminoles fought battles against United States soldiers and settlers to keep their land and to stop the escaped slaves from being re-enslaved. Osceola, a Seminole leader, was eventually captured under a white flag of peace and died in prison. Today’s Seminoles are descendants of the few determined Seminoles who hid in the Everglades and refused to leave Florida. Tourism, casinos, citrus fruits, and beef are the main money-making industries on Florida’s six Seminole reservations. The three largest reservations are Brighton, Big Cypress, and Hollywood in southern Florida. The majority of the more than three thousand Seminoles live on reservations. When the Seminoles gathered together to form the Seminole Tribe of Florida, a smaller group known as the Miccosukee did not want to be part of the Seminole Nation. The Miccosukee formed their own federally recognized tribe. Close to seven hundred live mainly on the reservations west of Ft. Lauderdale and the Tamiami Trail west of Miami. The Seminole Tribe of Florida owns the Hard Rock Café chain of restaurants. Kennedy Space Center In 1969, Neil Armstrong took the first steps on the moon. Many watched as the Challenger exploded in 1986, tragically killing all seven people on board. Both missions were launched from the Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral. Located on Merritt Island, this space center launched more spacecraft than any other place in the world. Someday, technology developed there may let ordinary people take a tour in space or travel to a hotel orbiting the earth. Though the space shuttle program ended in 2011, NASA continues to work on new vehicles for human spaceflight. It’s no wonder that tourists come from all over the world to visit. In fact, more people visit Orlando each year than just about any other place in the world. Walt Disney World 9 TM CultureGrams Florida Shortly after Walt Disney’s death, construction began just outside Orlando on Walt Disney World. It was intended to be similar to Disneyland in California but grander in scale. In 1971, the Magic Kingdom opened its doors. Now a major resort, Disney World includes four major theme parks: the Magic Kingdom, Epcot, Disney's Hollywood Studios, and Disney’s Animal Kingdom. All four parks are linked by a monorail system. The largest theme park in the world, the resort covers 20,000 acres (81 sq km). Disney World also operates a college intern program. College students audition to become Disney “cast members” and then live and work at the Disney World resort. Available jobs range from impersonating a Disney princess to operating a concession stand. More than 30 years after its opening, Walt Disney World remains the most popular theme park in the world, with more than 16 million visitors every year. State Symbols State Bird Mockingbird—The mockingbird’s name comes from its ability to mimic the songs of other birds. State Tree Sabal palm—Palm trees can be seen throughout the state. State Flower Orange blossom—Since Florida oranges are famous throughout the country, it’s no wonder the state chose the orange blossom as its flower. State Animal Florida panther—This powerful cat is on both the state and federal endangered species list. Other Symbols Beverage: Orange juice Butterfly: Zebra longwing Fresh Water Fish: Largemouth bass Salt Water Fish: Atlantic sailfish Wild Flower: Coreopsis Marine Mammal: Manatee 10 TM CultureGrams Florida Salt Water Mammal: Porpoise Reptile: American alligator Shell: Horse conch Song: “Swanee River” Stone: Agatized coral Gem: Moonstone State Motto In God We Trust—This familiar motto can be found on U.S. coins and bills. Pro Sports Teams • Florida Marlins (MLB) • Florida Panthers (NHL) • Jacksonville Jaguars (NFL) • Miami Dolphins (NFL) • Miami Heat (NBA) • Orlando Magic (NBA) • Tampa Bay Buccaneers (NFL) • Tampa Bay Rays (MLB) • Tampa Bay Lightning (NHL) • Orlando Predators (AFL) • Tampa Bay Storm (AFL) • Jacksonville Sharks (AFL) For More Information See www.myflorida.com or contact Visit Florida, 2540 West Executive Center Circle, Suite 200, Tallahassee, FL, 32301; phone (866) 972-5280; web site www.visitflorida.com. © 2014 ProQuest LLC and Brigham Young University. It is against the law to copy, reprint, store, or transmit any part of this publication in any form by any means without strict written permission from ProQuest. 11 CultureGrams TM ProQuest 789 East Eisenhower Parkway Ann Arbor, Michigan 48106 USA Toll Free: 1.800.521.3042 Fax: 1.800.864.0019 www.culturegrams.com 12
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