When I Think of Florida Historty I think Of

When I think of Florida History, I mean I think of the history of the twentieth century and onward. I always think of things such as Disneyworld and current events. I have only been to Disneyworld twice. One time when I was around ten I went to Disneyworld and around last December I went to Disneyworld for Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party. Florida history also brings to my mind Palm Beach and South Florida. I've been to Hobe Sound and quite frankly I thought it is very nice. With Palm Beach I always think of the glitz and glamor of Worth Drive. I also do think of Florida history that's less recent. Ponce de Leon comes to mind and the search for the fountain of youth. With regards to current events I tend to think of the total collapse of Charlie Crist’s senate campaign. I also think of the fact that I really dislike Rick Scott. I do not think he’s the most qualified person to be governor of Florida. I feel his ties to the medical industrial complex (also known as the medical industry) could create a lot of conflicts.

Thinking of Florida History Means

When I think of Florida History, I mean an optimistically troubled past. Florida has been a prize in multiple wars, and struggled with slavery throughout its early history. Florida was under Spanish control from 1565 to 1763 under what is called the First Spanish Period. After the Seven Year War, or French and Indian War, Florida was ceded to the British. The British controlled the land from 1763 to 1783. However, the American Revolutionary War caused the British to lose control of Florida due to the Treaty of Paris. This created the Second Spanish Period that lasted from 1783 to 1821. Slavery was a constant throughout the early years of Florida’s History. Slavery was especially harsh under the British Period. The British attempted to make large plantations as they had done previously with territories like Georgia and South Carolina, but because of an unstable government the plantations were never as successful as the other Deep South plantations. Under Spanish rule, Slavery was not as harsh, even though it is still being a horrible practice. British Slaves sought refuge in Florida, specifically in Fort Mose, the first free black town, during the First Spanish Period. By the time the British took over, twenty-five percent of the blacks that lived in Fort Mose and St. Augustine were free. In short, slavery and wars are the reason Florida History is an optimistically troubled past.

RP 300 Florida History: From Frontier to Sunbelt __ It Starts Here!

The new semester means new classes for myself and my colleagues. This is especially interesting semester for me as I'm coming back from sabbatical to teach in the Rollins Plan. The Rollins Plan (RP) is a curricular pilot that is designed to provide an integrative general education curriculum centered around a theme. As a member of the Global Challenges RP and an historian, I'm naturally teaching a history course on Florida. Look for this blog to be a space for experimentation and clarification related to the Florida experience.