Is Amazon actually giving you a competitive price? Even so, Florida is not the sunniest state, as many states in the western U.S. produce even more sunshine. In 1819, Spain ceded Florida to the United States with the signing of the Florida Purchase Treaty. Some people also call it the Orange State, because of Florida's many orange groves. It's the latest attack in a long string of maneuvers that Disney CEO Bob Iger has called "anti-business" and "anti-Florida.". Find History on Facebook (Opens in a new window), Find History on Twitter (Opens in a new window), Find History on YouTube (Opens in a new window), Find History on Instagram (Opens in a new window), Find History on TikTok (Opens in a new window), led the first European expedition to Florida, How the States Got Their Shape on HISTORY Vault, expelled the French and captured Fort Caroline, https://www.history.com/topics/us-states/florida. The origin of the nickname The Alligator State is the population of alligators in Florida and the Everglades. Although some Spanish speakers dispute this, the name Colorado has its origin in the Spanish language, as the word for colored red, according to Colorados state government, which chose the name in 1861 when Colorado became a territory. At the end of the Seven Years War, in 1763, Spain handed Florida to the British in exchange for Cuba, which England had taken from Spain. National Weather Service statistics confirm your suspicion that Florida is not the nation's sunniest state, but it does rank near the top of the list. Other nicknames for Florida have included The Everglades State, The Peninsula State, and The Flower State.. Tourism has surpassed agriculture and manufacturing as the main component of Florida's economy, and the prospect of employment in the state's rapidly growing service sector has simultaneously drawn many immigrants, mostly from Latin America. Others call it the Alligator State, because many alligators live there. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. In 1817, the U.S. government officially invaded Florida. All State Nicknames. This nickname, which refers to New Mexicos almost magical beauty and is the title of a book by Lilian Whiting, is one of many New Mexico tried out before settling on its official nickname in 1999. The state has had many nicknames since Ponce de Leon first arrived, based on its unique ecology and shape, along with other factors. There is a reason why Florida is called the Sunshine State. 50 astonishing facts about the 50 states of America. Join a community of adventure seekers that provide meaningful experiences and live a life of adventure. The Sunshine State is Florida's nickname because of the state's geography and abundance of sunny weather. When the Europeans arrived in the 16th century, they started selling Indigenous people and brought disease and warfare that decimated the native population. New Hampshire has four state nicknames, according to the state government, but The Granite State, for its large quantities of the stone, is the one by which its most commonly known. According to another hypothesis, the state earned its name because of its lush vegetation and beautiful blossoms. What is the origin of Florida's nickname? When you think about South Dakota, the first thing that likely comes to mind is Mount Rushmore, the monument to George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Theodore Roosevelt, and Abraham Lincoln. Melissa's career in writing started more than 20 years ago. While Cubans had already migrated to nearby Florida for many years, immigration accelerated at the end of the 1800s, when many people who no longer wanted to be under Spanish rule left for the U.S. Cuban workers also moved to Florida to work in the sugar, coffee and tobacco industries. The quarterly dues which include property insurance, maintenance fees and . More than 3,000 Seminoles were forcibly moved before the U.S. government withdrew in 1842 without signing a peace treaty. You have got to show me. Even with other competing origin stories, the nickname has stuck and today refers to the stalwart, conservative, noncredulous character of Missourians.. The name Idaho was originally believed to be a Native American Shoshone word for Gem of the Mountain, which seemed appropriate because of the lands vast natural resources, including gemstones like star garnets, opals, and jade. On December 7, 1787, Delaware was the first of the 13 colonies to ratify the U.S. Constitution, and it has been known as The First State ever since. Florida has been called the sunshine state for almost as long as it has been an official U.S. state. A single state may have more than one nickname. The nickname was officially adopted by the 1970 legislature. Southern cities also partake in sunny days, with Apalachicola, Jacksonville, Miami and West Palm Beach receiving 60 percent or more. But in the 17th and 18th centuries, English colonists began migrating south and set their sights on Spanish holdings in Florida, attacking missions and St. Augustine. This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. All those hours of sunshine also make solar panels an obvious choice for Floridians who want more efficient energy usage. Florida is the sunshine state, every part of it, because I lived in all of them. However, the New York Historical Society attributes it to George Washington, who in a 1785 letter to the New York Common Council, praised New Yorks resilience in the Revolutionary War and described New York as the Seat of the Empire.. And by the way, where else on this planet is a family from Ohio going to see mermaids in water so clear they built an underwater theatre? But why is Floridas nickname tied to sunshine, when the state gets more than its fair share of rainy days, and even hurricanes? What does it mean when you wear a bandana in your back pocket? Articles with the HISTORY.com Editors byline have been written or edited by the HISTORY.com editors, including Amanda Onion, Missy Sullivan and Matt Mullen. Why is Florida called the Sunshine State because it gets sunshine most of the year What are the Florida Keys a chain of islands near the tip of the peninsula The vast wetland that covers Florida's southern tip from the Atlantic Ocean to the Gulf of Mexico Florida Everglades Which is an important physical feature of Florida Climate This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. Sporkasia - The amount of rain you get in Florida can vary a good deal based on which art of the state you are in. Apparently, this comparison is apples to our sweet oranges. funny town namestheres one in every state. Still, the early pioneers sold the seeds as bluegrass from Kentucky, and over time, the state came to be known as The Bluegrass State.. Maryland is sometimes known as The Free State, which refers to its having abolished slavery on November 1, 1864, via its state constitution. Spanish explorer Ponce DeLeon was the first European to explore Florida. Exemptions to the Sunshine Law are few. St. Augustine is the oldest European settlement in America. What is our Florida life without fishing, scuba diving, boating, cave diving, beaching, surfing, sailing? The French also explored Florida, with Jean Ribault landing in 1562 and Ren Goulaine de Laudonnire establishing Fort Caroline in 1564. Why Is California Called the Golden State? I mean Ponce de Leon saw enough vibrant flora to name the whole state after a celebration of flowers. You guessed it they are posting photos of themselves immersed in the watery world they came to experience. and is only second to Brazil in global production. The cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Functional". What is Floridas nickname The Sunshine State? AS FEATURED ON: The connection between Florida and sunshine is a strong one, but other U.S. states have many sunny days. But that doesnt just mean warm weather and hurricanes. Florida declared the alligator their official state reptile in 1987. A southern state, Florida receives abundant sunshine, enough to support groves of oranges and other produce, as well as droves of tourists who seek the sun and its warmth on the many beaches. Others believe it comes from the cracked corn used to make moonshine. So are all these famous monuments. Copyright FloridaInsider - All Rights Reserved. inhabiting the state, which is tied with Louisiana for the most. Florida's nickname is "The Sunshine State," adopted officially by Florida legislature in 1970. I now live in TN where it is cloudy and gray about 250 days per year and yet rains much less (per year) than Florida. People who are from Florida or live in the state are called Floridians. So if sunshine is what people want, theyd go to New Mexico, right? The native wild sunflower grows around the state and was named the official flower in 1903. Here are the U.S. state facts that virtually everyone gets wrong. Constructed over a 21-year period from 1845 to 1866, Fort Zachary Taylor in Key West was controlled by Federal forces during the Civil War and used to deter supply ships from provisioning Confederate ports in the Gulf of Mexico. U.S. state facts that virtually everyone gets wrong. What kind of photos do tourists post? In 1944, airman and pharmacist Benjamin Green from Miami developed the first widely-used sunscreen to protect himself and other soldiers during World War II. The nickname The Flower State is derived from the state's name, Florida, which in Spanish refers to flowers. People who live there know the reason. Illinois has been known as The Prairie State since at least 1842, but in recent years, theres been a grassroots push to change that to The Land of Lincoln, which is the name that appears on Welcome to Illinois signs along interstate highways. In 1956 the North Dakota Motor Vehicle Department placed the words Peace Garden State on license plates, and it proved so popular, the North Dakota legislature adopted it as the official nickname a year later. We have more water than New Mexico! Why is Florida nickname the Sun Shine state? According to the site, as early as the 19th Century, John Fiske, a popular historian from Connecticut, made the claim that the Fundamental Orders of 1638/1639 were the first written constitution in history.. The consent submitted will only be used for data processing originating from this website. The World Golf Hall Of Fame is in St. Johns County. The Orange State This Florida nickname stems from the unusual rich abundance of orange groves growing across the state. Missouris nickname, The Show Me State is not official, but its in wide use and has a colorful origin story: At an 1899 naval banquet in Philadelphia, Missouri Congressman Willard Duncan Vandiver stated, frothy eloquence neither convinces nor satisfies me. . There are two competing theories on how this sobriquet came about. (Sadly, he died 31 days into his presidency of pneumonia.) known European to set foot on the area now called Florida when . Because most of the state hovers just above the northern boundary of the tropics, Florida has a subtropical climate. And sometimes referred to as The Land of Flowers, for the wildflowers that are so abundant from border to border. 1970 Subscribe to our newsletter and learn something new every day. Florida shares this nickname with Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama, which all have shorelines on the Gulf of Mexico. What did all those Florida tourists do while they were here? Videos Play Hard Florida. The orange groves, so numerous across the state, earned this nickname for the state. And did I mention the thunder and lightning? South Dakota called itself The Sunshine State and emblazoned the phrase on its flag until 1992, when lawmakers there chose to adopt for their mountainous state a unique nickname, The Mount Rushmore State. We strive for accuracy and fairness. Today, these Unconquered People comprise two federally-recognized tribes: the Seminole Tribe of Florida and the Miccosukee Tribe of Indians of Florida, both of which belong to the Creek Confederacy. What other state has the title Fishing Capital of the World? They called it bluegrass, although when its cut short (or sheered off from animals feeding on it), it doesnt look blue at all. Motor vehicle licenses and every state-issued license plate, along with a few other state-issued documents, already used the nickname in the 60s. With six months of rain and a tighter grip on public records than Fort Knox, not sure why it's called the SunShine State. The Natural State, was officially adopted as the states nickname by the Arkansas state legislature in 1995 after lobbying by the Arkansas parks system (which consists of three national forests, five national parks, and 52 state parks). We and our partners use cookies to Store and/or access information on a device. It requires that all meetings of any state, county, or municipal board or commission in Florida be open to the public, and declares that actions taken at closed meetings are not binding ( Section 286.011, Florida Statutes ). Florida has no less than seven nicknames, but the official one, and the one most identified with Florida, is The Sunshine State. Although the state has many features associated with it, the one nickname stuck. "Teachers Guide to Floridas Native People," floridamuseum.ufl.edu, The Timucua: North Floridas Early People, nps.gov, 16th Century Settlements, dos.myflorida.com, European Exploration and Colonization,dos.myflorida.com, Florida Frontiers Florida in the American Revolution, myfloridahistory.org, Florida: As a British Colony, fcit.usf.edu, Acquisition of Florida: Treaty of Adams-Onis (1819) and Transcontinental Treaty (1821), history.state.gov, Florida's Native American Tribes, History & Culture,visitflorida.com, Seminole Indian Wars, seminolecountyfl.gov, Florida Migration History 1850-2018, depts.washington.edu, Spanish-American War for Cuba's Independence, fcit.usf.edu, Cape Canaveral: Launchpad to the Stars, fcit.usf.edu, Facts About Florida Oranges & Citrus, visitflorida.com. Rhode Island refers to itself as The Ocean State to promote tourism to its beaches. According to the websiteAll About Michigan, the most popular origin story for the state nickname is that during the 1835 Toledo War between Michigan and Ohio, Ohioans called Michiganians wolverines because they fought with such stubbornness, which wolverines are known for. From the man who claimed it to the pioneers who tamed it to the inhabitants soaking it all in, this is how Florida got its name and nicknames associated with it. But some snuck into the land thats now Oklahoma before the designated start time; these early squatters were known as the Sooners. The word that came to symbolize an energetic, can-do spirit, soon was embraced as a nickname for the entire state, according to History. A strong one, but other U.S. states have many sunny days in! Mean warm weather and hurricanes by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the most the designated time! And Ren Goulaine de Laudonnire establishing Fort Caroline in 1564 ( Sadly, he died 31 into... 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