Florida Page 2

Florida: In God We Trust
Florida's unique history sets it apart from other Eastern states in the Union. Juan Ponce deLeon, claiming the territory for Spain in the early 1500's, named it la Florida, in honor of Pascua florida feast of the flowers. Though the European Spanish uncovered neither silver, nor gold, nor the fabled "fountain of youth," these settlers brought Christianity to the native population and used the indigeneous Osceola and Seminole Indians as labor to produce cash crops. Ultimately, the Spanish influence in what is now the Eastern United States reached as far north as the present area of South Carolina.
Great Britain, Spain's leading rival for Empire in the New World, chartered colonies far to the north of the Spanish claims. Over decades, however, the two rival powers came into conflict more frequently. Finally, in 1763, Britain gained a claim to Florida after the European Seven Years War. At this time, Spain ceded Florida to Great Britain in exchange for Cuba, which Britain had won in battle.
After the American War of Independence ended in 1781, Spain, an indirect ally of the American colonial government, regained control of the Florida territory. Immigration into the North American Southeast grew heavy at this time. The burgeoning Florida population included Spanish, WASP American, Black, and Native peoples who began taking on more and more traits of the New World American culture than the Old World Spanish. Finally, in 1821, Spain formally ceded the territory to The United States. Florida became a state in 1845.

America's Tropical Rainforest Florida's climate is wet. It rains often, daily or at the least, several times each week. Florida also hosts many tropical storms. This is an image of Hurricane Fran, which attacked the Eastern United States in 1996.
Florida is the ideal locale for many water activities, including game fishing, snorkeling, SCUBA diving, recreational boating, surfing, and other sports. The satellite view (above left) shows that the peninsula lies between two large bodies of water, the Atlantic Ocean to the East, and the Gulf of Mexico to the West.
Hurricane Fran

Run over the thumbnail for a description and click on for a view!

	Florida: In God We Trust Florida's unique history sets it apart from other Eastern states in the Union. Juan Ponce deLeon, claiming the territory for Spain in the early 1500's, named it la Florida, in honor of Pascua florida feast of the flowers. Though the European Spanish uncovered neither silver, nor gold, nor the fabled "fountain of youth," these settlers brought Christianity to the native population and used the indigeneous Osceola and Seminole Indians as labor to produce cash crops. Ultimately, the Spanish influence in what is now the Eastern United States reached as far north as the present area of South Carolina. Great Britain, Spain's leading rival for Empire in the New World, chartered colonies far to the north of the Spanish claims. Over decades, however, the two rival powers came into conflict more frequently. Finally, in 1763, Britain gained a claim to Florida after the European Seven Years War. At this time, Spain ceded Florida to Great Britain in exchange for Cuba, which Britain had won in battle. After the American War of Independence ended in 1781, Spain, an indirect ally of the American colonial government, regained control of the Florida territory. Immigration into the North American Southeast grew heavy at this time. The burgeoning Florida population included Spanish, WASP American, Black, and Native peoples who began taking on more and more traits of the New World American culture than the Old World Spanish. Finally, in 1821, Spain formally ceded the territory to The United States. Florida became a state in 1845.
America's Tropical Rainforest	Florida's climate is wet. It rains often, daily or at the least, several times each week. Florida also hosts many tropical storms. This is an image of Hurricane Fran, which attacked the Eastern United States in 1996. Florida is the ideal locale for many water activities, including game fishing, snorkeling, SCUBA diving, recreational boating, surfing, and other sports. The satellite view (above left) shows that the peninsula lies between two large bodies of water, the Atlantic Ocean to the East, and the Gulf of Mexico to the West.	Hurricane Fran