Florida, also known as the Sunshine State, was the 27th state to join the United States (US). Florida is known for its mild climate, 663 miles of beaches, and for producing just about 80% of the Nation's oranges and grapefruits.
In 1513, a Spanish explorer named Juan Ponce de León sailed out from Spain to search for the Fountain of Youth. He didn't find it--it is a myth--but he did find Florida! He was the first one to call it Florida, which means "Easter" or "Pascua Florida", which is a Spanish celebration held at Eastertime. It is thought that de León gave the land that name because it was discovered on Easter Sunday of 1513.
When Juan Ponce de León found Florida, he claimed the land for Spain. But Spain paid little attention to their land across the ocean. The natives that lived there, called the Seminole Indians, often attacked the settlements in Georgia, then fled back to Florida before they could be captured. Robbers and pirates were also a problem.
In December of 1812, the United States, only a 36-year-old nation, had had enough. President James Monroe ordered General Andrew Jackson to lead a campaign in Georgia against the Seminole and Creek Indians. Jackson was told to go to the border of Georgia and stop the raiders from crossing. However, General Jackson had a different idea; he believed the best way to stop the attacks was to attack the attackers themselves. Accordingly, he led his men into Florida territory.
Before taking his men past the Georgia border, Jackson wrote to President Monroe, "That the possession of Florida would be desirable to the United States, and in six days, it will be accomplished."
Soon the whole to-be-state was under his control.
The Spanish were outraged, and declared the US had no right to take an American army into Spanish territory. It seemed that war was almost unavoidable. However, a different, peaceful solution was discovered, and in 1819, the US bought Florida for some $5,000,000.
State Facts
Florida is probably one of the greenest states, and with good reason. Contrary to its nickname, the state gets a lot of rain!
Florida spans 58,560 square miles and 4,424 of those miles is water! With Alaska being the largest, and Rhode Island being the smallest, Florida is number 22 in size.
Florida has a flat terrain. The state's highest natural point is Britton Hill, which rises only 345 feet off the ground.
Florida produces not only 80% of the Nation's oranges, making it the biggest orange industry in the US. Seventy percent of the world's grapefruits are grown there as well.
Since Florida produces 80% of the United State's oranges, the state beverage isn't hard to guess. Since 1967, Florida has claimed orange juice as its state beverage.
The state flower is an orange blossom, the state bird is a mocking bird, and the state mammal is a Florida panther. Florida also has a state butterfly: the Zebra Longwing.
Florida's waters have more kinds of fish than any other place on earth.
Florida's state tree is a Sabal Palm. As tropic as it may be, the tree can actually be used in some medicines!
"In God We Trust" became the state motto during the 2006 legislative session.
Florida also has a State Day! April 2nd was established as the State Day during the 1953 legislature.
Florida's State Song and State Anthem are "Old Folks at Home" and "Florida, Where the Sawgrass Meets the Sky."
Every year, at the Stephen Foster State Folk Culture Center, a fiddle contest is held by the Florida State Fiddlers Association!
Florida even has a state honey! Tupelo honey is made by bees, like all other honeys, but the nectar used in making it is exclusively from the Tupelo Tree. The trees seem to be very picky in choosing where they grow, and both the honey and the tree are specifically associated with Gulf County, Florida, which is just southwest of Tallahassee, Florida's capital. The trees average 50-70 feet in height and bear white flowers.
If having a state honey sounded just a little odd, that's not it! There's even a state pie! The Key lime pie is associated with Florida mainly because Key limes are grown in Key West, the last of the cluster of little islands, called the Florida Keys.
The State Flag
Florida's state flag has a rather short, but interesting history. Between 1868 and 1900, Florida's state flag consisted of a white field, with the state seal in the center. In the late 1890s, however, Governor Francis P. Fleming proposed that a red cross be added, so that the banner did not appear to be a white flag of surrender when hanging still on the flagpole. Therefore, in 1900, a joint resolution of the State legislature added the red diagonal bars to the flag, as it remains to this day.
Final Thoughts
Florida is probably one of the most history-rich states. From details as to how the land got her name to state facts that aren't widely known but that are nevertheless very intriguing, information is never lacking when it comes to this state!
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