Florida Beginnings

The history of Florida does not begin with statehood. Nor does the history of Florida begin with European contact. The history of the land we know today as Florida is deep with tradition and culture dating back thousands of years prior to any known European contact. Florida was a diverse land and had a diverse population.

The Paleo-Indian Period (c. 12000 B.C. to 7500 B.C.) witnessed Florida's first peoples traveling through the wilderness of Florida hunting the wooly mammoth and other mega fauna. These nomadic hunters followed their large prey in their seasonal migrations. As the weather warmed and the mega fauna died out, the nomads settled into various regions of the state, often along the coastal inlets and waterways.

These changes signaled the onset of the Archaic Period (8000 B.C to 1000 B.C.) These shifts in hunting patterns also led to increased use of cultivation, leading to a more stable existence. These new settlements evolved into different societies, each with its own traditions, cultures and languages. These new distinct tribes traded with native tribes both within and outside of the state. These outside cultures supplied much needed materials such as copper, iron ore and seeds of maize in exchange for Florida freshwater pearls, conch shells, and fish bones. These societies formed intricate relations, providing allegiances and allies in times of war.

As Florida enters the Mississippian Era (1000 A.D. to 1500 A.D.), Florida's native peoples were living in a time of prosperity and relative peace. Materialistic goods filled the warehouses protected by a large temple and burial mounds. These societies continued to grow and evolve into "modern times" or the time of European Contact. Little did the Floridians know that in the late 15th and early 16th century dramatic changes were taking place in Europe that would ultimately lead to a disruption of their daily lives. Spanish Conquistadors would soon enter Florida as part of the European nation states' exploration of the western hemisphere.

The introduction of these Spanish Conquistadors to Florida began the era of Spanish America. Soon, other European nations followed, and Florida became a virtual battleground for European colonization. By 1763, the British would have had possession of Florida and controlled it for 20 years.

After the British rule, the Spanish controlled Florida, in what is commonly known as the Second Spanish Period until 1821 when the United States became the governmental authority over the newly acquired territory of Florida. Eventually, on March 3, 1845, Florida became the 27th state in the Union.