Florida history and culture: From Juan Ponce de León to Ray Charles
Florida history and culture: From Juan Ponce de León to Ray Charles
Learn more about Florida and its geography, people, economy, and history.
Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.
Transcript
Florida is located in the southern United States. It has a warm, sunny climate and is a popular vacation spot.
Florida is a peninsula, which means it is surrounded by water on three sides. The Atlantic Ocean borders the state’s eastern coast, and the Gulf of Mexico is to the west.
A passage at the southern tip of Florida connects the Gulf of Mexico with the Atlantic Ocean. The passage is called the Straits of Florida.
A huge marsh called the Everglades covers much of southern Florida. Lake Okeechobee lies on the northern edge of the Everglades.
The Florida Keys are a chain of islands off the coast of southern Florida. The largest of the Keys is Key Largo. Key West is the southernmost city in the continental United States.
Florida has a diverse population. More than 50% of the population is white, and a quarter of Florida’s population is Hispanic. In fact, many areas in southern Florida are primarily Spanish-speaking, with Cubans and Puerto Ricans making up a large part of this population.
The largest cities in Florida are Jacksonville, Miami, Tampa, and Orlando.
Tourism is an important part of Florida’s economy. People come to enjoy the warm weather, many beaches, and large amusement parks.
Florida is known for growing citrus fruit. It is the largest producer of orange juice and grapefruit in the country.
An important industry in Florida is the aerospace industry. NASA has launched many space flights from the John F. Kennedy Space Center near Cape Canaveral.
In 1513, the Spanish explorer Juan Ponce de León landed on the mainland of North America. He named the area Florida. At the time, several hundred thousand Native Americans were living in the area.
In 1565, the Spanish explorer Pedro Menendez de Aviles founded Saint Augustine in northeastern Florida. Saint Augustine is the oldest continuously settled city in what is now the United States.
By the mid-1700s, almost all of the Native American groups of Florida had been destroyed by disease and wars. However, in the 1700s, a Native American group moved from Georgia into Florida, where they were given the name Seminole. In the 1800s, the Seminole fought a series of wars against U.S. troops. By the end of the last one, in 1858, most Seminoles had agreed to move west. However some remained in Florida.
For centuries, England and Spain fought for control of Florida. In 1821, a treaty permanently transferred Florida from Spain to the United States. Florida became a state in 1845.
Osceola was a Seminole military leader. He fought the Second Seminole War to keep the government from forcing his people to leave their homeland. The Seminole hid in the Everglades and fought to defend themselves. Eventually, Osceola was killed by the government.
Mary McLeod Bethune was an educator, civil rights activist, and leader. In 1904, she opened a school for African American girls in Daytona Beach, Florida. The school evolved into what is today the Bethune-Cookman University. Bethune also served as an adviser to President Franklin Roosevelt and as vice president of the NAACP.
Ray Charles grew up in Florida. He was one of the most influential musicians of the 20th century. He was credited with the development of soul music.
Kate DiCamillo is a popular children’s author. She grew up in Florida, and the state is the setting for some of her books.
Florida is a peninsula, which means it is surrounded by water on three sides. The Atlantic Ocean borders the state’s eastern coast, and the Gulf of Mexico is to the west.
A passage at the southern tip of Florida connects the Gulf of Mexico with the Atlantic Ocean. The passage is called the Straits of Florida.
A huge marsh called the Everglades covers much of southern Florida. Lake Okeechobee lies on the northern edge of the Everglades.
The Florida Keys are a chain of islands off the coast of southern Florida. The largest of the Keys is Key Largo. Key West is the southernmost city in the continental United States.
Florida has a diverse population. More than 50% of the population is white, and a quarter of Florida’s population is Hispanic. In fact, many areas in southern Florida are primarily Spanish-speaking, with Cubans and Puerto Ricans making up a large part of this population.
The largest cities in Florida are Jacksonville, Miami, Tampa, and Orlando.
Tourism is an important part of Florida’s economy. People come to enjoy the warm weather, many beaches, and large amusement parks.
Florida is known for growing citrus fruit. It is the largest producer of orange juice and grapefruit in the country.
An important industry in Florida is the aerospace industry. NASA has launched many space flights from the John F. Kennedy Space Center near Cape Canaveral.
In 1513, the Spanish explorer Juan Ponce de León landed on the mainland of North America. He named the area Florida. At the time, several hundred thousand Native Americans were living in the area.
In 1565, the Spanish explorer Pedro Menendez de Aviles founded Saint Augustine in northeastern Florida. Saint Augustine is the oldest continuously settled city in what is now the United States.
By the mid-1700s, almost all of the Native American groups of Florida had been destroyed by disease and wars. However, in the 1700s, a Native American group moved from Georgia into Florida, where they were given the name Seminole. In the 1800s, the Seminole fought a series of wars against U.S. troops. By the end of the last one, in 1858, most Seminoles had agreed to move west. However some remained in Florida.
For centuries, England and Spain fought for control of Florida. In 1821, a treaty permanently transferred Florida from Spain to the United States. Florida became a state in 1845.
Osceola was a Seminole military leader. He fought the Second Seminole War to keep the government from forcing his people to leave their homeland. The Seminole hid in the Everglades and fought to defend themselves. Eventually, Osceola was killed by the government.
Mary McLeod Bethune was an educator, civil rights activist, and leader. In 1904, she opened a school for African American girls in Daytona Beach, Florida. The school evolved into what is today the Bethune-Cookman University. Bethune also served as an adviser to President Franklin Roosevelt and as vice president of the NAACP.
Ray Charles grew up in Florida. He was one of the most influential musicians of the 20th century. He was credited with the development of soul music.
Kate DiCamillo is a popular children’s author. She grew up in Florida, and the state is the setting for some of her books.