About two-thirds of Florida occupies a peninsula between the Gulf of Mexico<\/a> and the Atlantic Ocean<\/a>. Florida has the longest coastline in the contiguous United States, approximately 1,350 miles not including the contribution of the many barrier islands. \u00a0Much of the state is at or near sea level and is characterized by sedimentary soil. \u00a0Florida has the lowest high point of any U.S. state. \u00a0The climate varies from subtropical in the north to tropical in the south.<\/p>\n Along with Hawaii<\/a>, Florida is one of only two states that has a tropical climate, and is the only continental U.S. state with a tropical climate. It is also the only continental U.S. state with a coral reef called the Florida Reef<\/a>.<\/p>\n By the 16th century, the earliest time for which there is a historical record, major Native American groups included the Apalachee<\/a> of the Florida Panhandle<\/a>, the Timucua<\/a> of northern and central Florida, the Ais<\/a> of the central Atlantic coast, the Tocobaga<\/a> of the Tampa Bay area, the Calusa<\/a> of southwest Florida, and the Tequesta<\/a> of the southeastern coast.<\/p>\n Florida was the first region of the continental United States to be visited and settled by Europeans. \u00a0The earliest known European explorers came with the Spanish conquistador Juan Ponce de Le\u00f3n. \u00a0Ponce de Le\u00f3n<\/a> spotted and landed on the peninsula on April 2, 1513. \u00a0He named the region Florida or “land of flowers”.\u00a0 The story that he was searching for the Fountain of Youth<\/a> is mythical and only appeared long after his death.<\/p>\n In May 1539, Conquistador Hernando de Soto<\/a> skirted the coast of Florida, searching for a deep harbor to land. \u00a0He described seeing a thick wall of red mangroves spread mile after mile, some reaching as high as 70 feet, with intertwined and elevated roots making landing difficult.\u00a0 The Spanish introduced Christianity, cattle, horses, sheep, the Castilian language<\/a>, and more to Florida.\u00a0 Spain established several settlements in Florida, with varying degrees of success. \u00a0In 1559, Don Trist\u00e1n de Luna y Arellano<\/a> established a settlement at present-day Pensacola<\/a>, making it the first attempted settlement in Florida, but it was mostly abandoned by 1561.<\/p>\n In 1565, the settlement of St. Augustine (San Agust\u00edn)<\/a> was established under the leadership of admiral and governor Pedro Men\u00e9ndez de Avil\u00e9s, creating what would become one of the oldest, continuously-occupied European settlements in the continental U.S. and establishing the first generation of Floridanos and the Government of Florida.\u00a0 Spain maintained strategic control over the region by converting the local tribes to Christianity.<\/p>\n The geographical area of Florida diminished with the establishment of English settlements to the north and French claims to the west. \u00a0The English attacked St. Augustine, burning the city and its cathedral to the ground several times.<\/p>\n Spain built the Castillo de San Marcos<\/a> in 1672 and Fort Matanzas<\/a> in 1742 to defend Florida’s capital city from attacks, and to maintain its strategic position in the defense of the Captaincy General of Cuba and the Spanish West Indies<\/a>.<\/p>\n In 1763, Spain<\/a> traded Florida to the Kingdom of Great Britain<\/a> for control of Havana<\/a>, Cuba<\/a>, which had been captured by the British during the Seven Years’ War<\/a>. \u00a0It was part of a large expansion of British territory following their victory in the Seven Years’ War. \u00a0A large portion of the Florida population left, taking along most of the remaining indigenous population to Cuba.\u00a0 The British soon constructed the King’s Road connecting St. Augustine to Georgia<\/a>. \u00a0The road crossed the St. Johns River<\/a> at a narrow point called Wacca Pilatka<\/a>, or the British name “Cow Ford,” ostensibly reflecting the fact that cattle were brought across the river there.<\/p>\n The British divided and consolidated the Florida provinces into East Florida<\/a> and West Florida<\/a>, a division the Spanish government kept after the brief British period.\u00a0 The British government gave land grants to officers and soldiers who had fought in the French and Indian War<\/a> in order to encourage settlement. \u00a0In order to induce settlers to move to Florida, reports of its natural wealth were published in England. \u00a0A large number of British settlers who were described as being “energetic and of good character” moved to Florida, mostly coming from South Carolina<\/a>, Georgia<\/a> and England. \u00a0There was also a group of settlers who came from the colony of Bermuda<\/a>. \u00a0This would be the first permanent English-speaking population in what is now Duval County<\/a>, Baker County<\/a>, St. Johns County<\/a> and Nassau County<\/a>. \u00a0The British built good public roads and introduced the cultivation of sugar cane, indigo<\/a> and fruits as well as the export of lumber.<\/p>\n As a result of these initiatives, northeastern Florida prospered economically in a way it never did under Spanish administration. \u00a0Furthermore, the British governors were directed to call general assemblies as soon as possible in order to make laws for the Floridas and in the meantime they were, with the advice of councils, to establish courts. \u00a0This would be the first introduction of much of the English-derived legal system which Florida still has today including trial by jury, habeas corpus and county-based government.\u00a0 Neither East Florida nor West Florida would send any representatives to Philadelphia to draft the Declaration of Independence<\/a>. \u00a0Florida would remain a Loyalist<\/a> stronghold for the duration of the American Revolution<\/a>.<\/p>\n Spain regained both East and West Florida after Britain’s defeat in the American Revolution and the subsequent Treaty of Versailles in 1783<\/a>, and continued the provincial divisions until 1821.<\/p>\n Defense of Florida’s northern border with the United States was minor during the second Spanish period. \u00a0The region became a haven for escaped slaves and a base for Indian attacks against U.S. territories, and the U.S. pressed Spain for reform.<\/p>\n Americans of English descent and Americans of Scots-Irish descent began moving into northern Florida from the backwoods of Georgia and South Carolina. \u00a0Though technically not allowed by the Spanish authorities and the Floridan government, they were never able to effectively police the border region and the backwoods settlers from the United States would continue to immigrate into Florida unchecked. These migrants, mixing with the already present British settlers who had remained in Florida since the British period, would be the progenitors of the population known as Florida Crackers<\/a>.<\/p>\n These American settlers established a permanent foothold in the area and ignored Spanish authorities. The British settlers who had remained also resented Spanish rule, leading to a rebellion in 1810 and the establishment for ninety days of the so-called Free and Independent Republic of West Florida<\/a> on September 23. \u00a0After meetings beginning in June, rebels overcame the garrison at Baton Rouge<\/a>, now in Louisiana<\/a>, and unfurled the flag of the new republic: a single white star on a blue field. This flag would later become known as the “Bonnie Blue Flag<\/a>“.<\/p>\n In 1810, parts of West Florida were annexed by proclamation of President James Madison<\/a>, who claimed the region as part of the Louisiana Purchase<\/a>. \u00a0These parts were incorporated into the newly formed Territory of Orleans<\/a>. \u00a0The U.S. annexed the Mobile District of West Florida<\/a> to the Mississippi Territory<\/a> in 1812. \u00a0Spain continued to dispute the area, though the United States gradually increased the area it occupied. \u00a0In 1812, a group of settlers from Georgia, with de facto support from the U.S. federal government, attempted to overthrow the Floridan government in the province of East Florida. \u00a0The settlers hoped to convince Floridans to join their cause and proclaim independence from Spain, but the settlers lost their tenuous support from the federal government and abandoned their cause by 1813.<\/p>\n Seminoles<\/a> based in East Florida began raiding Georgia settlements and offering havens for runaway slaves. \u00a0The United States Army led increasingly frequent incursions into Spanish territory, including the 1817\u20131818 campaign against the Seminole Indians by Andrew Jackson<\/a> that became known as the First Seminole War<\/a>. \u00a0The United States now effectively controlled East Florida. \u00a0Control was necessary according to Secretary of State John Quincy Adams<\/a> because Florida had become “a derelict open to the occupancy of every enemy, civilized or savage, of the United States, and serving no other earthly purpose than as a post of annoyance to them.”<\/p>\n Florida had become a burden to Spain, which could not afford to send settlers or garrisons. \u00a0Madrid<\/a> therefore decided to cede the territory to the United States through the Adams\u2013On\u00eds Treaty<\/a>, which took effect in 1821.\u00a0 President James Monroe<\/a> was authorized on March 3, 1821 to take possession of East Florida and West Florida for the United States and provide for initial governance.\u00a0 Andrew Jackson, on behalf of the U.S. federal government, served as a military commissioner with the powers of governor of the newly acquired territory for a brief period.\u00a0 On March 30, 1822, the U.S. Congress merged East Florida and part of West Florida into the Florida Territory<\/a>.<\/p>\n By the early 1800s, Indian removal was a significant issue throughout the southeastern U.S. and also in Florida. \u00a0In 1830, the U.S. Congress passed the Indian Removal Act and as settlement increased, pressure grew on the U.S. government to remove the Indians from Florida. \u00a0Seminoles harbored runaway blacks, known as the Black Seminoles<\/a>, and clashes between whites and Indians grew with the influx of new settlers. \u00a0In 1832, the Treaty of Payne’s Landing<\/a> promised to the Seminoles lands west of the Mississippi River if they agreed to leave Florida. Many Seminole left at this time.<\/p>\n Some Seminoles remained, and the U.S. Army arrived in Florida, leading to the Second Seminole War<\/a> (1835\u20131842). \u00a0Following the war, approximately 3,000 Seminole and 800 Black Seminole were removed to Indian Territory<\/a>. \u00a0A few hundred Seminole remained in Florida in the Everglades<\/a>.<\/p>\n On March 3, 1845, Florida became the 27th state to join the United States of America.\u00a0 The state was admitted as a slave state and ceased to be a sanctuary for runaway slaves. \u00a0Initially its population grew slowly.<\/p>\n As European settlers continued to encroach on Seminole lands the United States intervened to move the remaining Seminoles to the West. \u00a0The Third Seminole Wa<\/a>r (1855\u201358) resulted in the forced removal of most of the remaining Seminoles, although hundreds of Seminole Indians remained in the Everglades.<\/p>\n American settlers began to establish cotton plantations in north Florida, which required numerous laborers, which they supplied by buying slaves in the domestic market.<\/p>\n On January 10, 1861, nearly all delegates in the Florida Legislature approved an ordinance of secession, declaring Florida to be “a sovereign and independent nation”\u2014an apparent reassertion to the preamble in Florida’s Constitution of 1838, in which Florida agreed with Congress to be a “Free and Independent State.” \u00a0Although not directly related to the issue of slavery, the ordinance declared Florida’s secession from the Union, allowing it to become one of the founding members of the Confederate States, a looser union of states.<\/p>\n The confederal union received little help from Florida; the 15,000 men it offered were generally sent elsewhere. \u00a0The largest engagements in the state were the Battle of Olustee<\/a>, on February 20, 1864, and the Battle of Natural Bridge<\/a>, on March 6, 1865. \u00a0Both were Confederate victories.<\/p>\n After the Reconstruction<\/a> period ended in 1876, white Democrats regained power in the state legislature. In 1885, they created a new constitution, followed by statutes through 1889 that disfranchised most blacks and many poor whites.<\/p>\n Until the mid-20th century, Florida was the least populous state in the southern United States. \u00a0In 1900, its population was only 528,542.<\/p>\n Historically, Florida’s economy has been based primarily upon agricultural products such as cattle, sugar cane<\/a>, citrus fruits<\/a>, tomatoes<\/a>, and strawberries<\/a>.<\/p>\n Economic prosperity in the 1920s stimulated tourism to Florida and related development of hotels and resort communities. \u00a0Combined with its sudden elevation in profile was the Florida land boom of the 1920s, which brought a brief period of intense land development. \u00a0Devastating hurricanes in 1926 and 1928, followed by the Great Depression<\/a>, brought that period to a halt. Florida’s economy did not fully recover until the military buildup for World War II<\/a>.<\/p>\n In 1939, Florida was described as “still very largely an empty State.”\u00a0 Subsequently, the growing availability of air conditioning<\/a>, the climate, and a low cost of living made the state a haven. Migration from the Rust Belt<\/a> and the Northeast sharply increased Florida’s population after 1945. \u00a0In the 1960s, many refugees from Cuba fleeing Fidel Castro<\/a>‘s communist regime arrived in Miami at the Freedom Tower<\/a>, where the federal government used the facility to process, document and provide medical and dental services for the newcomers. \u00a0As a result, the Freedom Tower was also called the “Ellis Island of the South.”\u00a0 In recent decades, more migrants have come for the jobs in a developing economy.<\/p>\n With a population of more than 18 million, according to the 2010 census, Florida is the most populous state in the southeastern United States and the third-most populous in the United States.<\/p>\n After Hurricane Maria<\/a> devastated Puerto Rico in September 2017, a large population of Puerto Ricans began moving to Florida to escape the widespread destruction. \u00a0Hundreds of thousands of Puerto Ricans arrived in Florida after Maria dissipated, with nearly half of them arriving in Orlando<\/a> and large populations also moving to Tampa<\/a>, Fort Lauderdale<\/a>, and West Palm Beach<\/a>.<\/p>\n Much of Florida is on a peninsula between the Gulf of Mexico, the Atlantic Ocean and the Straits of Florida<\/a>. \u00a0Spanning two time zones, it extends to the northwest into a panhandle, extending along the northern Gulf of Mexico. \u00a0It is bordered on the north by Georgia and Alabama<\/a>, and on the west, at the end of the panhandle, by Alabama. \u00a0It is the only state that borders the Atlantic Ocean and the Gulf of Mexico. \u00a0Florida is west of The Bahamas<\/a> and 90 miles north of Cuba. \u00a0Florida is one of the largest states east of the Mississippi River<\/a>, and only Alaska<\/a> and Michigan<\/a> are larger in water area.<\/p>\n At 345 feet above mean sea level, Britton Hill<\/a> is the highest point in Florida and the lowest highpoint of any U.S. state.\u00a0 Much of the state south of Orlando lies at a lower elevation than northern Florida, and is fairly level. \u00a0Much of the state is at or near sea level. \u00a0However, some places such as Clearwater<\/a> have promontories that rise 50 to 100 ft above the water. \u00a0Much of Central and North Florida, typically 25 mi \u00a0or more away from the coastline, have rolling hills with elevations ranging from 100 to 250 ft. \u00a0The highest point in peninsular Florida (east and south of the Suwannee River<\/a>), Sugarloaf Mountain<\/a>, is a 312-foot peak in Lake County<\/a>.\u00a0 On average, Florida is the flattest state in the United States.<\/p>\n In the twentieth century, tourism, industry, construction, international banking, biomedical and life sciences, healthcare research, simulation training, aerospace and defense, and commercial space travel have contributed to the state’s economic development.<\/p>\n The economy is driven almost entirely by its nineteen metropolitan areas. \u00a0In 2004, they had a combined total of 95.7% of the state’s domestic product.<\/p>\n Tourism makes up one of the largest sectors of the state economy, with nearly 1.4 million people employed in the tourism industry in 2016. \u00a0In 2015, Florida broke the 100-million visitor mark for the first time in state history by hosting a record 105 million visitors and broke that record in 2016 with 112.8 million tourists. \u00a0Florida has set tourism records for six consecutive years.<\/p>\n Many beach towns are popular tourist destinations, particularly during winter and spring break.\u00a0 Twenty-three million tourists visited Florida beaches in 2000, spending $22 billion.\u00a0 The public has a right to beach access under the public trust doctrine, but some areas have access effectively blocked by private owners for a long distance.<\/p>\n Amusement parks, especially in the Greater Orlando area, make up a significant portion of tourism. \u00a0The Walt Disney World Resort<\/a> is the most visited vacation resort in the world with over 50 million annual visitors, consisting of four theme parks, 27 themed resort hotels, 9 non\u2013Disney hotels, two water parks, four golf courses and other recreational venues.<\/p>\n Other major theme parks in the area include Universal Orlando Resort<\/a>, SeaWorld Orlando<\/a> and Busch Gardens Tampa<\/a>.<\/p>\n Agriculture is the second largest industry in the state. \u00a0Citrus fruit, especially oranges, are a major part of the economy, and Florida produces the majority of citrus fruit grown in the United States. In 2006, 67% of all citrus, 74% of oranges<\/a>, 58% of tangerines<\/a>, and 54% of grapefruit<\/a> were grown in Florida. \u00a0About 95% of commercial orange production in the state is destined for processing, mostly as orange juice<\/a>, the official state beverage.<\/p>\n Other products include sugarcane, strawberries, tomatoes and celery<\/a>.\u00a0 The state is the largest producer of sweet corn<\/a> and green beans<\/a> for the U.S.<\/p>\n In 2009, fishing was a $6 billion industry, employing 60,000 jobs for sports and commercial purposes.<\/p>\n Florida is the leading state for sales of powerboats<\/a>. \u00a0Boats sales totaled $1.96 billion in 2013.<\/p>\n Phosphate mining<\/a>, concentrated in the Bone Valley<\/a>, is the state’s third-largest industry. \u00a0The state produces about 75% of the phosphate required by farmers in the United States and 25% of the world supply, with about 95% used for agriculture (90% for fertilizer and 5% for livestock feed supplements) and 5% used for other products.<\/p>\n Florida’s highway system contains 1,473 mi of interstate highway, and 9,934 mi of non-interstate highway, such as state highways and U.S. Highways<\/a>. \u00a0Florida’s interstates, state highways, and U.S. Highways are maintained by the Florida Department of Transportation<\/a>.<\/p>\n Florida’s primary interstate routes include:<\/p>\n I\u20114<\/a>, I-10<\/a>, I-75<\/a>, and I-95<\/a>.<\/p>\n Florida’s seven large hub and medium hub airports<\/a>, as classified by the FAA<\/a>, are the following:<\/p>\n Miami International Airport<\/a>, Orlando International Airport<\/a>, Fort Lauderdale\u2013Hollywood Int’l Airport<\/a>, Tampa International Airport<\/a>, Southwest Florida International Airport<\/a>, Palm Beach International Airport<\/a>, and Jacksonville International Airport<\/a>.<\/p>\n Brightline<\/a> is a diesel\u2013electric higher-speed rail system being developed by All Aboard Florida, a wholly owned subsidiary of Florida East Coast Industries (FECI)<\/a>.\u00a0 Currently service is only from Fort Lauderdale to West Palm Beach.<\/p>\n The first phase is planned to connect Miami to West Palm Beach through express intercity service, with a stop at Fort Lauderdale. \u00a0The complete project is intended to connect Miami and South Florida to Orlando, which requires a new line westward from the coast.<\/p>\n Florida is also served by Amtrak<\/a>, operating numerous lines throughout, connecting the state’s largest cities to points north in the United States and Canada.\u00a0 Sanford, in Greater Orlando, is the southern terminus of the Auto Train<\/a>.\u00a0 Florida is served by two additional Amtrak trains, the Silver Star<\/a> and the Silver Meteor, which operate between New York City and Miami.<\/p>\n The flag of Florida consists of a red saltire<\/a> on a white background, with the state seal superimposed on the center. \u00a0The design was approved by popular referendum November 6, 1900.\u00a0 The flag’s current design has been in use since May 21, 1985, after the state seal was graphically altered and officially sanctioned for use by state officials.<\/p>\n Spain was a dynastic union and federation of kingdoms when Juan Ponce de Le\u00f3n claimed Florida on April 2, 1513. \u00a0Several banners or standards were used during the first period of settlement and governance in Florida, such as the royal standard of the Crown of Castile<\/a> in Pensacola and the Cross of Burgundy<\/a> in St. Augustine.<\/p>\n As with other Spanish territories, the Burgundian saltire was generally used in Florida to represent collective Spanish sovereignty between 1513 and 1821.<\/p>\n In 1763, Spain passed control of Florida to Great Britain via the Treaty of Paris<\/a>. \u00a0Great Britain used the original union flag with the white diagonal stripes in Florida during this brief period. \u00a0The British also divided the Florida territory into East Florida, with its capital at St. Augustine, and West Florida, with its capital at Pensacola. \u00a0The border was the Apalachicola River<\/a>.<\/p>\n Spain regained control of Florida in 1783. \u00a0In 1785, King Charles III<\/a> chose a new naval and battle flag for Spain, which was now a more centralized nation-state, and its territories. \u00a0This flag, a tri-band of red-gold-red, was used along with the Burgundian saltire in the provinces of East and West Florida until 1821, when the Florida provinces joined the United States.<\/p>\n Between 1821 and 1861, Florida had no official flag.\u00a0 The Lone Star and Stripes, previously the Naval Ensign of Texas<\/a>, was used as a provisional flag between 1861 and 1868, after Florida seceded from the Union and declared itself a “sovereign and independent nation.\u201d \u00a0This flag was also used when Floridian forces took control of U.S. forts and a navy yard in Pensacola. \u00a0Col. William H. Chase<\/a> was Commander of Floridian troops and the flag is also referred to as the Chase Flag.<\/p>\n Later in the year the Florida Legislature passed a law authorizing Governor Perry to design an official flag. \u00a0His design was the tri-band of the Confederacy but with the blue field extending down and the new seal of Florida within the blue field.<\/p>\n As a member of the Confederacy, Florida saw use of all three versions of the Confederate flag. \u00a0The Bonnie Blue Flag, previously the flag of the short-lived Republic of West Florida, was briefly used as an unofficial flag of the Confederacy. \u00a0It features a single five-point star centered in a blue background.<\/p>\n Between 1868 and 1900, the flag of Florida was simply the state seal on a white background.<\/p>\n In a discrepancy, however, a later version of the state seal depicts a steamboat with a white flag that includes a red saltire, similar to Florida’s current flag. \u00a0In the late 1890s, Governor Francis P. Fleming<\/a> advocated that St. Andrew’s Cross be added so that it would not appear to be a white flag of truce hanging still on a flagpole. \u00a0Floridians approved the addition of St. Andrew’s Cross by popular referendum in 1900.\u00a0 The red saltire of the Cross of Burgundy represents the cross on which St. Andrew was crucified, and the standard can be frequently seen in Florida’s historic settlements, such as St. Augustine, today.<\/p>\n Lastly, some historians see the addition of a red saltire as a commemoration of Florida’s contributions to the Confederacy by Governor Fleming, who served in the 2nd Florida Regiment of the Confederate army.\u00a0 The addition was made during a period of nostalgia for the “Lost Cause” around the time of the flag’s change.<\/p>\n Florida’s official nickname is “The Sunshine State,” adopted by Florida legislature in 1970 as an advertising message for tourists seeking relief from cold Northern winters.\u00a0 Florida beaches draw thousands of tourists every year.\u00a0 Most of the state has a humid subtropical climate, except for the southern part below Lake Okeechobee<\/a> which has a true tropical climate.<\/p>\n The Florida Keys<\/a>, which are surrounded by water, have a more tropical climate, with less variability in temperatures compared to mainland Florida. \u00a0In Key West<\/a>, temperatures rarely exceed 90 \u00b0F \u00a0in the summer or fall below 60 \u00b0F in the winter. \u00a0Frost has never been reported in the Florida Keys<\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Between 1868 and 1900, the flag of Florida was simply the state seal on a white background. In a discrepancy, however, a later version of the state seal depicts a steamboat with a white flag that includes a red saltire, similar to Florida’s current flag. In the late 1890s, Governor Francis P. Fleming advocated that St. Andrew’s Cross be added so that it would not appear to be a white flag of truce hanging still on a flagpole. Floridians approved the addition of St. Andrew’s Cross by popular referendum in 1900. The red saltire of the Cross of Burgundy represents the cross on which St. Andrew was crucified, and the standard can be frequently seen in Florida’s historic settlements, such as St. Augustine, today.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":1169,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"site-sidebar-layout":"default","site-content-layout":"","ast-site-content-layout":"","site-content-style":"default","site-sidebar-style":"default","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-banner-title-visibility":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"","footer-sml-layout":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","astra-migrate-meta-layouts":"default","ast-page-background-enabled":"default","ast-page-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"ast-content-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"footnotes":""},"categories":[4],"tags":[5,6,7,43,40,42],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.smoketreemanor.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1132"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.smoketreemanor.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.smoketreemanor.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.smoketreemanor.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.smoketreemanor.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1132"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.smoketreemanor.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1132\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.smoketreemanor.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1169"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.smoketreemanor.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1132"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.smoketreemanor.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1132"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.smoketreemanor.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1132"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.smoketreemanor.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2018\/11\/Florida-in-the-United-States-300x186.png\" "\\"\\"")
History:<\/h2>\n
Pre-European Contact:<\/h3>\n
European Arrival:<\/h3>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.smoketreemanor.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2018\/11\/Juan-Ponce-de-Leon-233x300.jpg\" "\\"\\"")
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.smoketreemanor.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2018\/11\/Map-of-Florida-mid-16th-Century-300x204.jpg\" "\\"\\"")
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.smoketreemanor.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2018\/11\/Castillo-San-Marcos-300x169.jpg\" "\\"\\"")
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.smoketreemanor.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2018\/11\/Fort-Mantanzas-300x225.jpg\" "\\"\\"")
East Florida and West Florida in the British Period (1763\u20131783):<\/h3>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.smoketreemanor.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2018\/11\/East-and-West-Florida-in-British-Period-300x188.jpg\" "\\"\\"")
Joining the United States and Indian Removal:<\/h3>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.smoketreemanor.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2018\/11\/Cracker-Cowboy-19th-Century-235x300.jpg\" "\\"\\"")
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.smoketreemanor.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2018\/11\/West-Florida-Origins-274x300.png\" "\\"\\"")
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.smoketreemanor.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2018\/11\/USA-1824-300x203.png\" "\\"\\"")
Slavery, War, and Disenfranchisement:<\/h3>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.smoketreemanor.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2018\/11\/Battle-of-Olustee-in-Civil-War-300x201.jpg\" "\\"\\"")
20th and 21st century Growth:<\/h3>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.smoketreemanor.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2018\/11\/Miami-Freedom-Tower-300x233.jpg\" "\\"\\"")
Geography:<\/h2>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.smoketreemanor.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2018\/11\/Florida-in-Relation-to-Cuba-and-Bahamas-270x300.jpg\" "\\"\\"")
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.smoketreemanor.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2018\/11\/Topographic-Map-of-Florida-300x292.png\" "\\"\\"")
Economy:<\/h2>\n
Tourism:<\/h3>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.smoketreemanor.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2018\/11\/Walt-Disney-World-Resort-300x225.jpg\" "\\"\\"")
Agriculture and Fishing:<\/h3>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.smoketreemanor.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2018\/11\/Florida-Oranges.jpg\" "\\"\\"")
Industry:<\/h3>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.smoketreemanor.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2018\/11\/Florida-Powerboats-300x200.jpg\" "\\"\\"")
Mining:<\/h3>\n
Transportation:<\/h2>\n
Highways:<\/h3>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.smoketreemanor.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2018\/11\/Sunshine-Skyway-Bridge-Tampa-Bay-300x207.jpg\" "\\"\\"")
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.smoketreemanor.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2018\/11\/Transportation-Map-of-Florida-300x282.gif\" "\\"\\""){kind=spacer}
Airports:<\/h3>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.smoketreemanor.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2018\/11\/Orlando-International-Airport-300x225.jpg\" "\\"\\"")
Intercity rail:<\/h3>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.smoketreemanor.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2018\/11\/Brightline-Train-300x225.jpg\" "\\"\\"")
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.smoketreemanor.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2018\/11\/Miami-Metro-Rail-300x225.png\" "\\"\\"")
Flag of Florida:<\/h2>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.smoketreemanor.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2018\/11\/Flag-of-Florida-300x200.png\" "\\"\\"")
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.smoketreemanor.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2018\/11\/Royal-Standard-of-Crown-of-Castille-in-Pensacola-from-1559-300x200.png\" "\\"\\"")
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.smoketreemanor.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2018\/11\/Flag-of-Spanish-Empire-in-Florida-from-1513-300x200.png\" "\\"\\"")
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.smoketreemanor.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2018\/11\/Original-Union-Flag-300x180.png\" "\\"\\"")
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.smoketreemanor.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2018\/11\/Flag-of-Spain-1875-300x200.png\" "\\"\\"")
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.smoketreemanor.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2018\/11\/Texas-Naval-Ensign-300x171.png\" "\\"\\"")
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.smoketreemanor.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2018\/11\/Flag-of-Florida-1861-300x177.png\" "\\"\\"")
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.smoketreemanor.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2018\/11\/Bonnie-Blue-Flag-300x215.png\" "\\"\\"")
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.smoketreemanor.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2018\/11\/Flag-of-Florida-1868-to-1900-300x216.png\" "\\"\\"")
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.smoketreemanor.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2018\/11\/Flag-of-Florida-1900-to-1985-300x200.png\" "\\"\\"")
State Nickname:<\/h2>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.smoketreemanor.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2018\/11\/Florida-Keys-300x214.jpg\" "\\"\\"")