Florida History Highlights

Phosphate Industry Demise

Decreasing the work force was least likely to cause the phosphate industry's demise in late 19th century Florida.

Surviving Industry

Cigar manufacturing was the only major industry to survive and prosper in 19th century Florida.

Population Growth Impact

Phosphate industry had the greatest impact on Florida's population growth in the late 19th century.

British Contribution

British immigrants were least likely to contribute to late 19th-century cigar manufacturing in Florida.

Industrial Development

By the end of the 19th century, Florida's industrial development was stronger and more diversified than any time since the Civil War.

Railroad Promoter

Henry Flagler promoted the construction and expansion of the railroad in Florida more than anyone else.

Troop Staging Area

Tampa served as a staging area for United States' troops heading to Cuba during the Spanish-American War.

Citrus Industry Decline

Hurricanes, freezes, and economic depression led to the decline of the citrus industry at the end of the 19th century in Florida.

Citrus Industry Migration

The citrus industry was forced to move further south in Florida due to cold weather in the late 1800s.

Miami Founder

Julia Tuttle was a founder of Miami in the late 1800s, convincing Henry Flagler to extend his railroad south.

Cigar Company Founder

Vicente Martinez-Ybor established a cigar company in Tampa in 1886 and started several other companies in the city.

Tampa Development

Tampa became a city because of the Spanish American War, as many soldiers came to the town before heading to Cuba.

Cuban Support

Cubans living in Florida raised money to support Cuba's fight for freedom during the Spanish American War.

Florida Citizens' Division

The Spanish American War divided Florida citizens, with some supporting the war and others opposing it.

Literary Reference

The quoted passage is from 'Their Eyes Were Watching God' by Zora Neale Hurston, a Harlem Renaissance-era author.

Their Eyes Were Watching God

1937 novel by Zora Neale Hurston, a Harlem Renaissance author

Automobile

Post-World War I invention that greatly influenced Florida's growth

Nineteenth Amendment

Amendment in 1920 that gave women the right to vote

Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC)

Roosevelt's program in the 1930s that greatly benefited Florida

Pan American Airlines

Miami-based airline that made its first international flight to Cuba in 1927

Mary McLeod Bethune

African-American woman who founded a prominent Black college and held a federal agency post

Alan B. Shepard, Jr.

First American astronaut in space to lift off from Cape Canaveral in May 1961

Christa McAuliffe

First American civilian to journey to outer space in January 1986

Kennedy Space Center

Location at Cape Canaveral where the first American astronaut lifted off in 1961

Dwight D. Eisenhower

First American president to encourage Cuban migration to the United States

Cuban Migration to Miami

Primarily driven by disenchantment with Castro and pursuit of the American dream

Civil Rights Demonstrations

Heated protests in the 1960s targeted at achieving civil rights and desegregation

Martin Luther King, Jr.

Led demonstrations against racial injustice in 1964 that led to the Civil Rights Act

Disney World

Florida's most popular tourist attraction that opened in 1971

Florida Land Boom of the 1920's

Economic growth period that stimulated tourism and development in Florida

John Martin

Famous Floridian who served as mayor of Jacksonville and governor of Florida

Hurricanes

Natural disasters that hit southern Florida in 1926 and 1928, weakening the economy

Florida Land Boom

Period of high property prices followed by a crash, weakening the economy

Reverend C.K. Steele

Led the Tallahassee Bus Boycott to fight against bus segregation laws

Beaches

Key to Florida's economy by attracting visitors who spend money on local businesses

Walt Disney

Opened Walt Disney World in Orlando in 1971, boosting central Florida's economy

Alfred duPont

Acquired Florida National Bank in 1929, expanding banking operations in Florida

Cape Canaveral

Site of many space shuttle launches, marked as number 4 in an image

Apollo 11

Mission that lifted off at Cape Kennedy, sending astronauts to the moon in 1969

Florida Government

Passed tax laws attracting people to the state, contributing to the land boom

Land Bust

Occurred in 1925 due to inflated land prices, making it unaffordable for most

Florida Keys, Everglades, Walt Disney World, Universal Studios, Busch Gardens

List of top tourist destinations in Florida

Harry T. Moore

Civil rights leader killed in a bombing by the Ku Klux Klan in 1951

Florida Land Boom Timeline

Period from after World War I to before the Great Depression, marked by high property prices