Florida

1. Florida’s nickname is “The Sunshine State.” Florida By Abby Warner

2. Date of Statehood Florida’s date of statehood was March 3rd, 1845. • It was the twenty-seventh state in the United States; after Michigan and before Texas.

3. Motto • The state motto in Florida is the same as the national motto; “In God We Trust.”

4. StateFlowers State Flower State Wild Flower • The state flower of Florida is the Orange Blossom. • The state wild flower of Florida is the Coreopsis.

5. State Bird The state bird of Florida is the Mockingbird.

6. State Animal Land Animals Marine Animals • Florida has not just one state land animal, but two. • The State Mammal is the Florida Panther. • The State Reptile is the Alligator. • There are also two marine state animals in Florida. • The State Marine Animal is the Manatee. • The State Salt Water Animal is the Porpoise/Dolphin.

7. State Color • Florida’s state color is orange - probably because of all of the oranges that are grown there!

8. StateSeal • The state seal of Florida is used to represent the Government of the State of Florida, in addition to various official purposes, like sealing important documents. • The seal illustrates a shoreline on which a Seminole woman is distributing hibiscus flowers. Two of Florida’s state trees, the Sabal Palm, are growing in the background; also included is a steamboat sailing before a sun breaking the horizon, with its rays extending into the sky. The seal is then encircled with the state’s motto, and the words “Great Seal of the State of Florida.”

9. State Tree • Florida’s State tree is the Palmetto Palm. This tree is also well known, or commonly known, as the Sabal Palmetto Palm.

10. State Song • Florida’s state song is called “The Swanee River”. It also otherwise known as “Old Folks at Home”. • The song was written by Stephen C. Foster, one of America’s best-loved musical storytellers.

11. State Flag • Florida’s state flag was officially adopted in 1900. • The flag features a white background, adorned with a red cross or X, as well as the state’s seal. This flag represents the land of sunshine, flowers, palm trees, rivers and lakes.

12. State Jewel or Mineral • The state stone of Florida is the agatized coral. • Florida’s state gem is the moonstone.

13. State Coin Front of The Coin Back of The Coin • Florida’s state coin is a traditional quarter from the front. It features the head of George Washington, as well as the words “United States of America” and the inscription “In God We Trust. The year is also located on the bottom. • The back of Florida’s state coin includes a sixteenth century Spanish Galleon, a space shuttle, and the message “Gateway to Discovery”. A piece of land with a few Sabal palm trees is also shown.

14. Historical Significance of State • Florida’s history can trace back to when Native Americans inhabited the area some 14,000 years ago. The first actual recorded history of the area is when the Europeans arrived, the first being the Spanish explorer Juan Ponce de Leon; who explored the peninsula in 1513. • Florida has had a large history of immigration since then, including the French and Spanish settlement during the sixteenth century; in addition to the immigration of the Native American groups. • The now state was under rule of Spain and Great Britain before finally become a territory of the U.S. in 1822. More than 20 years later, it was admitted as a state. 20th and 21st century developments and migrations have generated a diverse population and an urbanized economy.

15. Climate of the State • The climate of North and Central Florida is humid subtropical. Southern Florida has a tropical climate. • June through September, there is a rainy season in the state. • Summers in the state are long, warm, and fairly humid; while winters are mild with interrupted incursions of cool to occasionally cold air. The coastal areas of the state average with slightly warmer temperatures in the winter and cooler ones during the summer season.

16. Famous Person from the State • A few famous people from Florida are: • Carl Hiaasen-Author (“Hoot”, “Flush”) • Wayne Brady-Comedian • Nick Carter-Singer from “The Backstreet Boys” • Aaron Carter-Singer • Brooke Hogan-Singer • Hulk Hogan-Professional Wrestler and television star • Vince Carter-Professional basketball player • Niki Taylor-Model

17. Map & Location of the State • Florida is located in the extreme southeastern region of the United States. • It’s located south of Georgia, as well as Alabama and because it is a peninsula, it is surrounded by bodies of water on three sides (The Gulf of Mexico, the Atlantic Ocean, and the Caribbean Sea).

18. Capital of the State • The capital of Florida is the city of Tallahassee. This city is also the 133rd largest city in the United States. • Tallahassee became Florida’s capital in 1824.

19. Foods or Crops Produced • Agriculture is the second largest industry in Florida, so you can guess that there are many crops they produce. • Their main specialty is citrus fruits, especially oranges, and including grapefruit and tangerines, too. • Other crops they produce are strawberries, sugarcane, tomatoes, and celery.

20. Cost of Living in the State • As of last year, Florida was the number one state in cost of living increases. Their infiltration rate peaks at 6.0%. Fuel costs alone have risen 5.6% (the national average was 4.9%); plus, the cost of food and beverages has risen to 4.2%!

21. Governor of the State • Florida’s current state Governor is Charlie Crist, who became the governor of “The Sunshine State” on January 2nd, 2007. • They also have a lieutenant governor, by the name of Jeff Kottkamp.

22. Sports Teams of the State Professional Football Professional Basketball • Florida has three different National Football League (NFL) teams; the Jacksonville Jaguars, the Miami Dolphins, and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. • They also have American Football League (AFL) teams; the Florida Bobcats, the Orlando Predators, and the Tampa Bay Storm. • Florida not only as a men’s pro-basketball league (the NBA), but a women’s league, too (the WNBA). • The men’s teams are Miami Heat, and Orlando Magic. • The women’s teams are Miami Sol, and Orlando Miracle.

23. Famous Landmarks, Places, Parks, Features and State Transportation Landmarks, Places, and Parks Features and State Transportation • There are many places to see in Florida, a few are: • Walt Disney World • Everglades National Park • Kennedy Space Center • Castillo de San Marcos National Monument • Dry Tortugas National Park • Hialeah Park Race Track • Some of the places to visit in Florida are also some of their more famous features, for example: • The Everglades Swampland • Beaches • Ft. Myers Beach • Clearwater Beach • South Beach • Daytona Beach • Transportation in Florida is typically the same as our own: • Highways • Airports • Intercity Railways • Public Transportation (Subways)

24. Highest & Lowest Elevation • The highest elevation in the state of Florida is Britton Hill. It’s elevation is 345 feet (105 meters) above sea level. • The lowest point of elevation in Florida is the Atlantic Ocean, which is obviously right at sea level, at 0 feet (0 meters).

25. Senator & House of Representatives to the State • Florida has two state Senators; George LeMieux, a republican, and Bill Nelson, a democrat. • As for members serving in the House of Representatives from Florida, there are 25 in total (15 republicans, and 10 democrats). A few of them are: • Jeff Miller-1st district • Boyd Allen-2nd district • Corrine Brown-3rd district • Ander Crenshaw-4th district

26. Taxes in the State • The deadline for filing income taxes and federal income taxes in Florida is April 15th of every year, but may fall later if that particular date fall on a day that has no mailing service. • A few of the tax rates in Florida are as followed: • Property tax- $1,860.00 • Sales tax-0.6% of total price. • Income tax-found by multiplying Florida’s net income by 5.5%

27. Cost of Average Home • Buying a house in the state is also quite pricey, in addition to their taxing system, ranking at an average of $390,000. This is noticeably higher than the price of a house in the north, usually ranking in at $240,000 or less.

28. Average Income • Florida’s personal income per capita ranked 22nd in the United States, including the District of Colombia at $29,048 (as of 2001). It was 96% of the national average, of $30,413. This was an increase of 2.4% from 2000, compared to the national average of 2.2%! • The total personal income for Florida the same year was $475,606,702,000, ranking 4th in the United States and making up 5.5% of the national total.

29. Population • Florida is currently ranked at 4th in the United States for largest population. • Their population is, as of the most recent data, 18,537,969 people in total. • In population density, the state is ranked 8th in the nation with a density of 338.4 people per square mile (130.67 per square kilometer)

30. Natural Resources • There are a great many examples of natural resources in Florida; a few being: • Natural Spring Water • Forestry (pines, cypress, and oak trees are abundant) • the Everglades (resource for wildlife) • the Ocean (various sea life) • Citrus Fruits • Minerals and Metals (however low quantities) • Phosphates

31. References • http://www.enchantedlearning.com/usa/states/florida/ • http://www.netstate.com/states/intro/fl_intro.htm#quarter • http://www.50states.com/statehood1.htm • http://www.50states.com/sports/florida.htm • http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tallahassee,_Florida • http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seal_of_Florida • http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_Florida • http://goflorida.about.com/od/floridaweather/ss/weather.htm • http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_people_from_Florida • http://www.city-data.com/states/Florida-Income.html

32. References Continued • http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Governors_of_Florida • http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Florida • http://www.costoflivingbystate.org/florida-cost-of-living.html • http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Transportation_in_Florida • http://www.2000floridatravel.com/best10beaches.shtml • http://www.house.gov/house/MemberWWW_by_State.shtml#fl • http://articles.moneycentral.msn.com/Taxes/Advice/PropertyTaxesWhereDoesYourStateRank.aspx • http://swz.salary.com/salarywizard/layouthtmls/swzl_statetaxrate_fl.html • http://snippets.com/what-are-some-examples-of-floridas-natural-resources.htm