Florida History - Prehistoric to European Colonization
Florida history is one of Steven's favorite subjects. This is only a brief overview of the early history of Florida, from prehistoric to European colonization. There are many excellent books on the subject, just ask your librarian! We think it's important for everybody to learn about the history of their state. There are 6 pages in total, from prehistoric to present day, offering the currently accepted historical views. Enjoy!
Florida was still inhabited by prehistoric animals. It would have been approximately twice the size it is today. Sea levels would have been around 20-30 feet lower than today and the land mass would have included half of the Gulf of Mexico and all of Florida Bay. After traveling southward to warmer climates small tribes of primitive hunters crossed the Bering Strait of Asia to America and arrived in Florida in search of food.
They became known as the Paleo Indians. They settled in small huts of animal furs. It has been recorded that Florida was one of the last places to have human inhabitants. Evidence of the early settlers can be found in the Warm Mineral Springs just south of Sarasota.
Food sources included the Mastodon, which has been discovered around the Aucilla River region of North Central Florida. Other animals included the saber-tooth tiger, armadillos and horses. Saber-tooth tigers during that era were smaller and had shorter tails than today’s counter-parts.
Around 2000 BC started the invention of pottery making. The early settlers developed weapons from the teeth of sharks, stingray barbs, billfish bills, and from many other sources. Coconuts, various sized shells, bones and other materials were used as eating utensils. This time was also called the "Shell Age" for the Keys but it was also know as the “Stone Age” for the rest of the region.
7500 BC – 1000BC - Entered the Archaic Era which brought changes like the development of village life and better food gathering. In the winter months tribes fished the abundant bays and streams.
1000 BC – 1500 AD- Divided the Florida Indians into many large groupings. Farming and pottery skills, as well as commerce with Indians outside Florida brought in copper, iron, ore and maize. Exchange for freshwater pearls, conch shells and fish bones were given in trade. This time was known as the Formative Era and the Mississippian Era.The groups of Native Americans were not tightly joined so they were known by their cultures. An example would be, around the 500-BC era Northeast Florida was occupied by the St. Johns culture, which survived for more than 1,000 years before finally evolving into the "Timucuan" tribe just before historic times.
So this period has been divided into 3 periods. The first period is known as the Glades Period and these cultures occupied South Florida and the Keys. The second period fell between 1500 – 1750 BC. There is much known about this time period because of accounts written by Ponce De Leon and Hernando Fonteneda. The Spanish, French and English all agree that around 1763 most or all of the Florida Native Indians were either dead or had traveled to Cuba.
Exploration and Colonization of Florida by the Europeans
1500-1750 AD- This period is known as the Historic Contact Period. Europeans arrived in southeast Florida, southwest Florida and near Lake Okeechobee. The Spanish had political control over the Mayaimi, Tequesta, Ais, Jeaga, and Calusa tribes. It has been estimated there were approximately 20K Indians in South Florida when the Spanish arrived. But by the time the English took control in 1763 that population had been reduced to several hundred.
As history tells us Juan Ponce De Leon arrived in Florida in 1513 near present day St Augustine. The area was called Le Florida because of all the beautiful flowers they found in the region. It is believed that other Europeans reached Florida earlier but there is no solid evidence to support that thought. In 1521 Ponce De Leon attempted to settle the southwestern peninsula of Florida but his attempts failed after attacks from the native Indians.
In 1539 Hernando De Soto launched another exploration team searching for silver and gold, which took his journey to Florida and what is known today as southeastern United States. De Soto and his troops camped for 5 months near Tallahassee before he died in 1542 near the Mississippi River.
In 1559 Trist’an de Lunay y Arellano a European attempted to colonize Florida. His journey’s took him to the Pensacola Bay area where he started a settlement, but due to a series of misfortunes he was forced to abandon his efforts after two years.
Spain was not the only country that found Florida interesting. 
The French sent Jean Ribault in 1562 a
protestant explorer, then two years later they sent Frenchman René Goulaine de
Laudonnière, who established Fort Caroline at the
mouth of the St. Johns River, near present-day Jacksonville.
Florida History - First Spanish to British Colonization (next)