Florida: An overview
Florida is located in the southern part of the United States. To the state's west lies the Gulf of Mexico, and to the east lies the Bahamas. The north is bordered by Georgia, and the south by the strait of Florida and Cuba. The total population of Florida is around 21 million. It is spread across an area of about 65 thousand square miles.
Florida is the 3rd most populated state in the US. Tallahassee is the capital city, whereas Jacksonville is the most popular city in Florida.
The state's most densely populated metropolitan area is Miami, which also serves as the seventh most populated in the entire united states. Other well-known cities include Tampa Bay and Orlando.
History of Florida
For the last 15 thousand years, the state of Florida has been inhabited by Native American groups. The first European to walk the ground of Florida was the Spanish explorer Juan ponce de Leon in 1513. He named the region La Florida for its serene beauty and greenery.
St. Augustine, a colony in Florida, inhabited by Spanish Europeans, was founded in 1565. It continues to be the oldest regularly inhabited city in Florida.
Both Spain and Great Britain wanted to take over the territory of Florida. However, it was finally ceded to the united states in the year 1819 as the 27th state of the US.
Florida was the prime destination for the Seminole wars of 1816-1858.
After several years of negotiation, the secretary of state, John Quincy Adams, finally agreed to sign the Florida purchase treaty. Hence, Florida was officially bought by the United States from the Spanish government in 1819.
Read also: what-treaty-ceded-Florida-to-the-us?
