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1500s

• (1513) Spanish explorer, Juan Ponce de Leon landed near (present day) St. Augustine, named it La Florida, and claimed it for Spain

• (1565) Spanish established St. Augustine, first permanent European settlement

• (1586) British seafarer, Sir Francis Drake, conquered and burned St. Augustine

1700s

• (1763) Britain gained control in exchange for Havana, Cuba

• (1781) Spanish captured Pensacola

• (1783) Spanish troops repossessed Florida

• (1785-1795) Spain relinquished St. Augustine and Pensacola to England

1800s

• (1803) United States claimed West Florida and Pensacola as part of Louisiana Purchase

• (1813) Andrew Jackson captured Pensacola

• (1816) Cannon ball exploded in abandoned British fort, killed almost 300 freed and runaway slaves

• (1818) General Jackson fought Seminole Indians

• (1821) General Jackson established new U. S. territorial government

• (1822) Unified government of Florida established; William Duval first Territorial Governor

• (1830-1840) Population boomed, settlers arrived

• (1834-1837) Second Seminole War occurred, Major Francis Dade and two U S Army troops ambushed and massacred

• (1837) General Zachary Taylor commanded forces against Seminoles at Lake Okeechobee

• (1842) Second Seminole War ended with many Indians dead, the rest forced out of Florida

• (1845) Florida became 27th state

• (1855-1858) Third Seminole War occurred

• (1861-1865) Civil War began; Florida seceded from Union, joined Confederacy

• (1868) Florida readmitted to Union

• (1898) Embarkation camps created at Tampa, Miami and Jacksonville due to Spanish-American War

Source: https://www.worldatlas.com/webimage/countrys/namerica/usstates/fltimeln.htm

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