Portal:Florida
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Florida (IPA: /ˈflɒrɪdə/) is a state located in the southeastern region of the United States. Most of the state is a large peninsula with the Gulf of Mexico on its west and the Atlantic Ocean on its east. Much of the state has a humid subtropical climate; southern Florida has a tropical climate. Florida was named by Juan Ponce de León, who landed on the peninsula on 2 April 1513, during Pascua Florida (Spanish for "Flowery Easter," referring to the Easter season). Florida is the fourth most populous state in the country.
Archaeological research indicates that Florida had been inhabited for thousands of years before any European settlements. Of the many indigenous peoples, the largest known were the Ais, the Apalachee, the Calusa, the Timucua and the Tocobago tribes. Juan Ponce de León, a Spanish conquistador, named Florida in honor of his discovery of the land on April 2, 1513, during Pascua Florida, a Spanish term for the Easter season (Juan Ponce de León may not have been the first European to reach Florida; according to one report, at least one indigenous tribesman who he encountered in Florida in 1513 spoke Spanish.) From that date forward, the land became known as "La Florida" , although from 1630 until the 19th century Tegesta (after the Tequesta tribe) was the name of choice for the Florida peninsula following publication of a map by the Dutch cartographer Hessel Gerritsz in Joannes de Laet's History of the New World. Over the following century, both the Spanish and French established settlements in Florida, with varying degrees of success. In 1559, Spanish Pensacola was established by Don Tristán de Luna y Arellano as the first European settlement in the continental United States, but it had become abandoned by 1561 and would not be reinhabited until the 1690s. French Huguenots founded Fort Caroline in modern-day Jacksonville in 1564, but the fort was conquered by forces from the new Spanish colony of St. Augustine the following year.
Pelican Island’s bird populations were threatened because of increased American settlement around the area in the mid 1800s. Many of the exotic birds were killed for their feathers, used in the fashion industry. Plumes from the birds were used to adorn ladies' hats of the day and at the time were worth more than their weight in gold. Paul Kroegel, a German immigrant, moved to Florida in 1881 and lived on the west bank of Indian River Lagoon. He was fascinated with the pelicans on the island. Being able to see the island from his home, Paul would watch the pelicans and other water birds. He eventually took an interest in the island and its protection.
Fort Pickens is a pentagonal historic United States military fort on Santa Rosa Island in the Pensacola, Florida area. It is named after American Revolutionary War hero Andrew Pickens. The fort was completed in 1834 and remained in use until 1947.
Marjorie Kinnan was born in 1896 in Washington, DC, to Frank, an attorney for the US Patent Office, and Ida Kinnan. She was interested in writing as early as age six, and submitted stories to the children's sections of newspapers until she was 16. At age 15, she entered a story titled "The Reincarnation of Miss Hetty," for which she won a prize. She attended the University of Wisconsin-Madison where she joined Kappa Alpha Theta sorority and received a degree in English in 1918, and met Charles Rawlings while working for the school literary magazine.
- ...that the Florida Lottery is one of the most lucrative single-state lottery systems in the United States with numerous On-line and Scratch-Off games offering players a wide variety of prize levels.
- ...that as of the 2000 Census, the population of Orange County, California is 2,846,289, thus making it the second most populous county in the state of California?
- ...that the role of Secretary of State of Florida, a role giving you the status of constitutional officer of the state government, was established by the 1838 state constitution?
- June 3: Barack Obama effectively clinches Democratic nomination
- June 2: Democratic Party reaches deal over Florida and Michigan
- May 31: Space Shuttle Discovery launches on mission STS-124
- May 27: Florida teacher lets students vote to remove child from class
- May 13: Five of six accused over 9/11 to be tried; charges against '20th hijacker' dropped
- April 30: Dolphin dies during performance at theme park
- April 27: Last Titan launch complex at Cape Canaveral demolished
- April 15: MLB: Joba Chamberlain leaves Yankess to be with ill father
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Downtown Miami is the central business district of South Florida, Miami-Dade County and Miami, Florida. Brickell Avenue/Biscayne Boulevard is the main north-south road in downtown, and Flagler Street is the main east-west road in the Central Business District.
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1928 Okeechobee Hurricane • William Cooley • Florida Atlantic University • History of Miami, Florida • List of Florida birds • List of Florida hurricanes • List of sister cities in Florida • List of snow events in Florida • List of wild mammal species of Florida • Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Miami • Everglades National Park
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Brothers to the Rescue • Burger King • Casey Donovan (porn star) • Florida International University • Florida State University • Fort Lauderdale, Florida • Hurricane Charley • Hurricane Georges • Key Biscayne • Marjory Stoneman Douglas • Miami River (Florida) • Osborne Reef • Super Bowl XLI • Mary McLeod Bethune
- Requested articles: Bent Tree Elementary School • University Christian School
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