Florida History: EOC Comprehensive Study Guide

Henry B. Plant * Development Region: Built and expanded operations primarily on the West Coast of Florida. * Railroad Construction: Responsible for adding significant rail lines into central Florida. * Architecture and Tourism: Built the Tampa Bay Hotel, which currently serves as the University of Tampa.
Henry Flagler * Development Region: Focused on the East Coast of Florida. * Florida's East Coast Railroad: Constructed rail lines extending down the entire east coast, reaching as far south as Key West. * Architecture and Tourism: Built the Ponce De Leon Hotel in St. Augustine, which is now Flagler College.

Rosewood, FL (1923) * A racially motivated massacre occurred in this town in 1923, resulting in the deaths of several African Americans.
Tallahassee Bus Boycott * Timing: Began in May 1956. * Leadership: Orchestrated and run by CK Steele.
Jonathan Gibbs * Achieved the historical milestone of being the first Black Secretary of State in Florida.

Mary McLeod Bethune * Educational Impact: Founded the institution that is now known as Bethune-Cookman College, located in Daytona, Florida. * Government Service: Appointed by President Franklin D. Roosevelt (FDR) to the National Youth Administration in 1936. * Leadership: Served as the Director of Negro Affairs. * International Diplomacy: Represented interests at the founding conference of the United Nations (UN).
Zora Neale Hurston * Literary Contribution: An African American writer and folklore scholar who was a central figure in the Harlem Renaissance. * Florida Connection: Lived in Florida as a child. * New Deal Involvement: Worked for the Florida division of the Federal Writers' Project (FWP), which was a branch of the Works Progress Administration (WPA) during the New Deal era. * Cultural Research: Toured throughout Florida to document and write about the conditions and culture of turpentine camps. * Major Work: Author of the acclaimed novel, Their Eyes Were Watching God.

Spanish-American War * Strategic Role: Tampa served as a primary staging area for troops and supplies before they headed to Cuba. * Notable Units: The "Rough Riders" were stationed here during the staging process.
The Mosquito Fleet * Composition: A group of volunteer boat owners. * Mission: Tasked with patrolling and looking for German submarines (U-boats) off the coast of Florida.
World War II Impact * Military Infrastructure: Numerous military bases were constructed throughout Florida during the war. * Demographic Shift: Many soldiers who underwent training in Florida during WWII decided to move to the state permanently after the conclusion of the war.
Presidential Election of 2000 * Conflict: The contested election results between George W. Bush and Al Gore (Bush v. Gore), centered on Florida's voting outcomes.

Economic Drivers * Cattle: A foundational part of the state's agriculture. * Timber: Centered primarily in the Pensacola area. * Cigars: Historically concentrated in Ybor City (Tampa). * Phosphate: A major mining industry for the state. * Oranges: A staple of Florida's agricultural identity. * Tourism: A massive part of the modern economy, highlighted by the presence of Disney.
Aerospace and Advanced Technology * NASA: The headquarters for the Kennedy Space Center is located in Florida, marking the state as a hub for space exploration.

Land Boom and Bust * The Land Boom: Florida experienced a massive real estate and land boom in the early 1920s. * The Land Bust: The market collapsed (bust) following a devastating hurricane in 1926.
Hurricane Andrew (1992) * A catastrophic storm that caused immense damage in South Florida in 1992.

Blackout of 1942 \* Context: A strategy implemented in response to the threat of German U-boats targeting ships off the coast of Florida during World War II. \* Impact: This blackout was crucial in preventing enemy submarines from identifying and attacking vessels traveling along Florida's shores.