FLORIDA_ (ante), so called by the Spaniards because discovered on or about Easter (some say Palm Sunday, Pascua Florida), or because of the number of flowers that cov ered the country. Ponce de Leon, in search of the fountain of youth, was the first European to visit Florida, landing near the present St. Augustine in 1512. Vasquez, Verrazano, and De Geray successively visited the country in 1520-24. In 1526, Charles V. granted to Pamfilio de Narvaez all the land from the extreme s. to the river Panuco. Narvaez took possession in 1528 with a large force, but met a strong resistance from the Indians, and finally perished by shipwreck off the coast, only 10 of his com pany of 440 living to reach Spain. In 1539, De Soto made an exploration, and a few years • later (1562-64) a considerable number of French Huguenots sought refuge in Iorida, but they were expelled by the Spaniards in 1565, " not as Frenchmen, but as heretics," as was learned from the placards attached to some who were hung on trees. This ferocity was as grimly repaid by the French, who captured the Spanish fort and strung up its defenders on the same trees, "not as Spaniards, but as cut-throats and murderers," leaving the writhing bodies side by side with the dry bones of the Hugue nots. The Spaniards established a fort at St. Augustine in 1565, which was captured in 1586 by sir Francis Drake, who found that two Englishmen had taken nominal pos session of the country two years earlier. It does not appear that England undertook to hold possession, and there followed nearly a hundred years during which little was heard of the land of flowers; but in 16S2. La Salle, the explorer of the MississiPpi, was in w. Florida, and in 1696 the Spaniards made a settlement at Pensacola. The English repeatedly attacked St. Augustine, alleging that the place was a haunt of freebooters. In 1763, Florida was ceded to England in exchange for Cuba As soon as it was one of the English colonies, emigrants from the north began to settle, but in 1783, with the coming of our independence Florida was given back to Spain. After the purchase of Louisiana in 1803, there was much discussion about the boundaries between the new territory and Florida, but the Perdido river now separating Florida from Alabama was fixed upon. In the war of 1812, the British organized expeditions against the United States in Florida, and gen. Jackson captured Pensacola as one of the offending towns, but it was soon restored to Spain.
By treaty and purchase, Florida became a part of the United States territory in July, 1821, and the next year was organized and a governor (gen. Jackson) appointed. Immigration again became rapid, but the warlike Seminoles who dwelt in the impene trable everglades were a constant source of danger, and desultory war was almost con stant. After years of fighting that cost the United States more than $10,000,000 and 1500 lives, the Indians were prevailed upon to migrate to the territory w. of the Missis sippi, and now only about a hundred linger in Florida. The removal was effected in 1842. Florida became a state Mar. 3, 1845, being the 14th of those admitted, and mak ing 27 states in all. Florida seceded from the United States Jan. 10, 1861, and gave her full share of assistance to the rebellion, seizing the United States navy-yard at Pensa cola, and the military stations except Key West. The union troops in 1862 recovered St. Augustine, Jacksonville, and Fernandina., but were defeated in a severe engagement at Olustee,where they lost 1200 men. When the rebellion collapsed Florida was an early applicant for re-admission, repealing her secession ordinance in Oct., 1865, repudiating the confederate debt, accepting emancipation, and forming a new constitution which was modified in accordance with the amendments to the federal constitution; and in June, 1868, Florida was re-admitted, since which period material progress has been rapid.
Florida is a long peninsula running s.s.e. between the Atlantic and the gulf of Mexico, with a narrow arm on the n. reaching along the gulf more than half the width of Alabama and, naturally, belonging to that state. This arm was once known as West Florida, the peninsula being East Florida. The s. extremity, Key West, is the utmost s. bound of the union, in 24° 30' north. The line of lime state is irregular, running from the Atlantic along St. Mary's river to Ellicott's Mound in Okefenokee swamp; thence a little n. of w. to Appalachicola river at Chattahoochee; then n. along the river to 31' n.; thence on that parallel to the Perdido river; and down river to the gulf. The line described was the original division between EngliSh territory (Georgia), Spanisk (Florida), and French (Louisiana). The area of Florida is about 60,000 sq.m. (est. 59,268). The peninsula is 375 m. long by 60 to 100 m. wide. The western arm is over 100 m. long by about 50 wide; the entire coast line of Florida is 1150 m., far exceed ing that of any other of the states. There are harbors, but only a single bay on the ocean side, bay Biscayne; but on the gulf coast are Florida, Ponce de Leon or White Water, Ostego, Tampa,Wacasassa, Appalachee, Pensacola, Perdido, and several smaller bays, with St. George's sound at Appalachicola. The St. John's river, coming into the Atlantic near the n.e. corner of the state, and for 150 m. above its mouth, having a width of 2 m., runs s. parallel with the ocean through a series of lagoons and small lakes, more than 200 m. to Cypress swamp, and, with its tributaries, affords 1000 m. of steamboat navigation. The other principal rivers beginning at the w. are the Perdido, Escambia, Yellow, Choctahatchee, Appalachicola, St. Marks, Ancilla, Hatchee, Suwanee, Withlacoochee, Caloocahachee, Kissimmee, Miami, and a number of streams from the everglades that drain Okeehohee lake, the largest of the many lakes. This lake, n. of the everglades, in the s. part of the state, is said to cover more than 650 sq. miles. Other lakes are Orange, Kissimmee, Cypress, Istokpoga, Ahapopka, Lamona, Alligator, Sante Fe, Washington, Griffin, etc. The everglades, in the wet season, form a lake-like addition to Okechobee lake, and extend over about 3600 sq.m. to the gulf n. of cape Sable. The everglade region is studded with islands in size from a haycock to hundreds of acres, covered with thickets of vine and shrubs, with Soil that is very fertile when reclaimed. The everglades occupy nearly the whole of Dade co. In 1840, the co. had a pop. of 412, which dwindled at each census to only 72 in 1870. There are no mountains in Florida, the whole state being of alluvial and diluvial formation, and at no place in the peninsula does the land rise .200 ft. above tide. Good water is to be had almost everywhere by digging three or four yards, and there are many natural springs of large capacity, some impregnated with lime or sulphur. Along the coast from cape Florida (off the center of the everglades) and curving s.w. for about 220 m. is a chain of reefs, rocks, and islands called "keys," terminating with the Tortugas islands. These keys are separated from the mainland by narrow bays and sounds, while s. of the keys and across a navimable strait is a long narrow coral formation known as Florida reef, which is the w. boundary of the gulf stream. Key West is the largest of the keys, having now a considerable city, a government military station, and a brisk trade.