History of Florida in Timeline

Florida, a southeastern U.S. state, is a peninsula between the Gulf of Mexico and the Atlantic Ocean. It boasts the longest coastline in the contiguous United States, at 1,350 miles. With over 23 million residents, it is the third-most populous state. Florida covers 65,758 square miles, making it the 22nd largest state. The Miami metropolitan area, including Miami, Fort Lauderdale, and West Palm Beach, is the largest, while Jacksonville is the most populous city. Other major centers include Tampa Bay, Orlando, Cape Coral, and Tallahassee, the capital.

1900: Florida Population and African American Migration

In 1900, Florida's population was only 528,542, with nearly 44% being African American. Approximately one-fifth of the African American population in Florida, around forty thousand people, left the state during the Great Migration due to racial violence and the pursuit of better opportunities.

1902: Jacksonville Architecture

Many of the state's earliest skyscrapers were constructed in Jacksonville, dating as far back as 1902.

1905: State University System of Florida Founded

The State University System of Florida was founded in 1905.

1909: State Flower Chosen

The state flower of Florida was chosen in 1909.

1910: Great Migration Begins

Beginning in 1910, many African Americans migrated from Florida to northern cities due to segregation, disfranchisement, and agricultural depression.

1925: Seaboard Air Line Expansion

In 1925, the Seaboard Air Line broke the FEC's southeast Florida monopoly and extended its freight and passenger service to West Palm Beach.

1926: Devastating Hurricanes

In 1926, devastating hurricanes brought the Florida land boom period to a halt.

1927: State Bird Chosen

The state bird of Florida was chosen in 1927.

1928: Devastating Hurricanes and the Great Depression

In 1928, devastating hurricanes combined with the Great Depression further contributed to the halt of the Florida land boom.

June 29, 1931: Hottest Temperature Recorded

On June 29, 1931, the hottest temperature ever recorded in Florida was 109 °F (43 °C), in Monticello.

1939: Florida Described as Empty State

In 1939, Florida was described as "still very largely an empty State."

1940: Continuation of the Great Migration

The Great Migration of African Americans from Florida to northern cities continued in the 1940s.

1944: Roosevelt Carries Florida

2008 marked the first time since 1944, when Franklin D. Roosevelt carried the state for the fourth time, that Florida was carried by a Northern Democrat for president.

1945: Post-War Migration

After 1945, migration from the Rust Belt and the Northeast sharply increased Florida's population due to the growing availability of air conditioning, the climate, and a low cost of living.

1950: Majority of Symbols Chosen

The majority of the symbols were chosen after 1950.

1952: Swing State

Florida has been listed as a swing state in presidential elections since 1952.

1952: Voter Registration

From 1952, most voters in Florida were registered Democrats, but the state voted for the Republican presidential candidate in every election except for 1964.

1954: First Republican Elected to Congress

In 1954, William C. Cramer was the first post-Reconstruction era Republican elected to Congress from Florida.

1956: Highway Act

Before the construction of routes under the Federal Aid Highway Act of 1956, Florida began construction of a long cross-state toll road, Florida's Turnpike.

1956: Tallahassee Bus Boycott

In 1956, students at Florida A&M University organized a bus boycott in Tallahassee to mimic the Montgomery bus boycott.

1957: Tallahassee Bus Boycott Success

In 1957, the Tallahassee bus boycott resulted in integrating the city's buses.

1957: Turnpike Section Completed

In 1957, the first section of Florida's Turnpike, from Fort Pierce south to the Golden Glades Interchange, was completed.

1960: Decline in African American Population

By 1960, the proportion of African Americans in Florida had declined to 18% due to the Great Migration.

1960: Sit-ins protesting segregation

In 1960, students held sit-ins to protest segregated seating at local lunch counters.

1960: Population Center Location

Since the 1960 census, the center of population has been located in Polk County.

1964: Presidential Election

From 1952 to 1964, most voters were registered Democrats, but the state voted for the Republican presidential candidate in every election except for 1964.

1964: St. Augustine motel pool incident and Civil Rights Act

In 1964, an incident at a St. Augustine motel pool, where the owner poured acid into the water during a demonstration, influenced the passage of the 1964 Civil Rights Act.

1965: Civil Rights Movement legislation

In 1965, The Civil Rights Movement gained federal legislation which enforced protection of African Americans constitutional suffrage.

1965: Voting Rights Act

In 1965, the Voting Rights Act was passed by Congress and signed by President Lyndon B. Johnson, providing oversight of state practices to enforce constitutional voting rights for African Americans and other minorities.

1966: Miami Dolphins Added to American Football League

Florida gained its first permanent major-league professional sports team in 1966 when the American Football League added the Miami Dolphins.

1966: First Republican Governor

In 1966, Claude R. Kirk Jr. was elected as the first post-Reconstruction Republican governor in an upset election.

1968: First Republican US Senator

In 1968, Edward J. Gurney was elected as Florida's first post-reconstruction Republican US senator.

1970: Democrats Take Governorship and Senate Seat

In 1970, Democrats took the governorship and the open US Senate seat, maintaining dominance for years.

1970: Non-Hispanic Whites

In 1970, non-Hispanic whites constituted nearly 80% of Florida's population.

1972: Mandatory Auto Insurance

In 1972, the state made personal injury protection auto insurance mandatory for drivers, becoming the second in the U.S. to enact a no-fault insurance law.

1972: State Control of Water Resources

Since 1972, all potable water resources have been controlled by the state government through five regional water authorities.

1973: First Recorded Bleaching Incident on the Florida Reef

The first recorded bleaching incident on the Florida Reef occurred in 1973.

1974: Turnpike Section Finished

In 1974, the Turnpike section around Miami to Homestead was finished.

1974: Jacksonville Held State Height Record

Jacksonville last held a state height record from 1974 to 1981.

1976: Democratic Nominee

Though the majority of registered voters in Florida were Democrats, it continued to support Republican presidential candidates through 2004, except in 1976 and 1996, when the Democratic nominee was from the South.

1978: Florida Disapproved Casinos

In 1978, Florida disapproved casinos outside of sovereign Seminole and Miccosukee tribal areas.

1980: Population Shift

Between 1980 and 2010, the center of population has moved less than 5 miles to the east and approximately 1 mile to the north.

1980: English Ancestry

In the 1980 United States census, the largest ancestry group reported in Florida was English with 2,232,514 Floridians claiming English or mostly English American ancestry.

May 8, 1981: Winter Park Sinkhole

On May 8, 1981, the Winter Park Sinkhole appeared in central Florida. It was one of the largest recent sinkholes to form in the United States.

1981: Florida Mangrove Plant Communities

In 1981, Florida mangrove plant communities covered an estimated 430,000 to 540,000 acres in Florida.

1981: Jacksonville no longer Held State Height Record

Jacksonville last held a state height record from 1974 to 1981.

1984: Florida Approved Its Lottery

In 1984, Florida approved its lottery by amending the constitution.

1986: Florida Disapproved Casinos

In 1986, Florida disapproved casinos outside of sovereign Seminole and Miccosukee tribal areas.

1988: Federal Corruption Convictions

From 1988, there were 800 federal corruption convictions from 1988 to 2007, more than any other state.

1988: Official State Language

In 1988, English was affirmed as Florida's official language in the state constitution.

1991: Subsidies for Professional Sports Franchises

Florida has given professional sports franchises some subsidies in the form of tax breaks since 1991.

1992: Florida Sided With Election Loser

2020 marked the first time since 1992 that Florida sided with the eventual loser of the presidential election.

1992: Hurricane Andrew

In 1992, Hurricane Andrew struck Florida in August causing more than $25 billion in damages, making it the costliest weather disaster in U.S. history at the time.

1994: Florida Disapproved Casinos

In 1994, Florida disapproved casinos outside of sovereign Seminole and Miccosukee tribal areas.

1995: Felons Serve 85% of Sentences

In 1995, the legislature modified Chapter 921 to provide that felons should serve at least 85% of their sentence.

1996: Bellwether State

Florida is sometimes considered a bellwether state in presidential elections because every candidate who won the state from 1996 until 2016 won the election.

1996: Additional Teams to Division I FBS

Since 1996, Florida has added four additional teams to the ranks of Division I FBS: UCF Knights, South Florida Bulls, Florida Atlantic Owls and FIU Panthers.

1996: Democratic Nominee

1998: Voter Demographics

In 1998, Democratic voters dominated areas of Florida with a high percentage of racial minorities and transplanted white liberals from the northeastern United States. Republicans dominated throughout much of the rest of Florida.

2000: Urbanization

In 2000, 89 percent of Florida's population lived in urban areas, compared to 79 percent across the U.S.

2000: Presidential Election

In 2000, George W. Bush won the U.S. presidential election, with 25 electoral votes from Florida, the results were contested and settled in the Supreme Court decision, Bush v. Gore.

2001: Mention of September 11 Attacks

In June 2016, the Orlando Nightclub Shooting was the deadliest terrorist attack in the U.S. since the September 11 attacks in 2001.

2002: Felony Disenfranchisement Study

A 2002 study in the American Sociological Review concluded that "if the state's 827,000 disenfranchised felons had voted at the same rate as other Floridians, Democratic candidate Al Gore would have won Florida—and the presidency—by more than 80,000 votes."

2004: Slot Machines Approved

In 2004, Florida approved slot machines in Broward and Miami-Dade County.

2004: Republican Support

2005: Hurricane Katrina Surpasses Andrew

In 2005, Hurricane Katrina surpassed Hurricane Andrew as the costliest weather disaster in U.S. history.

2006: Hurricane Strikes

From 1851 to 2006, Florida was struck by 114 hurricanes, 37 of them major—category 3 and above. It is rare for a hurricane season to pass without any impact in the state by at least a tropical storm.

2006: Sinkhole Damage Claims

From 2006 through 2010, sinkhole damage claims on property in the state exceeded a total of $2 billion.

2007: Federal Corruption Convictions

Through 2007, Florida had more federal corruption convictions than any other state since 1988 with 800 convictions.

2008: Energy Production in Florida

As of 2008, it was estimated that approximately 4% of energy in the state was generated through renewable resources. Florida's energy production was 6% of the U.S. total energy output.

2008: Delegates Stripped of Votes

In 2008, delegates of both the Republican and Democratic Florida primary elections were stripped of half of their votes at the national conventions.

2008: Military Retirees

In 2008, there were 186,102 military retirees living in Florida.

2008: Obama Carries Florida

In the 2008 presidential election, Barack Obama carried Florida, attracting high voter turnout.

2009: Florida Panther Deaths

In 2009, a record 23 Florida panthers were killed, mainly by automobile collisions, leaving about 100 individuals in the wild.

2009: Medicaid Patients

There were 2.7 million Medicaid patients in Florida in 2009. Medicaid paid for 60% of all births in Florida in 2009.

2010: Florida Population Census

According to the 2010 census, Florida had a population of more than 18 million, making it the most populous state in the southeastern United States and the third-most populous in the United States.

2010: African Ancestry

As of 2010, people of African ancestry accounted for 16.0% of Florida's population, including African Americans with a significant portion from West Indian or Afro-Caribbean backgrounds.

2010: Hispanic or Latino Ancestry

As of 2010, those of Hispanic or Latino ancestry accounted for 22.5% (4,223,806) of Florida's population, with Cuban and Puerto Rican being the largest groups.

2010: Reapportionment

Following the 2010 United States census, Florida gained two more seats in the House of Representatives.

2010: Sinkhole Damage Claims

From 2006 through 2010, sinkhole damage claims on property in the state exceeded a total of $2 billion.

2010: Car Crash Averages

In 2010, drivers between 15 and 19 years of age averaged 364 car crashes a year per ten thousand licensed Florida drivers, while drivers 70 and older averaged 95 per 10,000.

2010: Fair District Amendments Approved

In 2010, more than 63% of Florida state voters approved Amendments 5 and 6 to the state constitution, known as the Fair District Amendments, to ensure more fairness in districting.

2010: Most Common Languages

In 2010, the most common languages spoken in Florida as a first language were recorded.

2010: Largest Denominations

In 2010, the three largest denominations in Florida were the Catholic Church, the Southern Baptist Convention, and the United Methodist Church.

2010: Undocumented Immigrant Population

In 2010, undocumented immigrants constituted an estimated 5.7% of the population of Florida. There were an estimated 675,000 illegal immigrants in the state in 2010.

2010: Republican Dominance Solidified

In the 2010 elections, Republicans solidified their dominance statewide, winning the governor's mansion and maintaining majorities in both houses of the state legislature.

2010: Cost of Medicaid

The cost of caring for 2.3 million clients in 2010 was $18.8 billion.

2011: Percentage of elderly population

As of 2011, Florida contains the highest percentage of people over 65 (17.3%) in the U.S.

2011: Auto Insurance Fraud Highest in the U.S.

In 2011, auto insurance fraud was the highest in the U.S., estimated at close to $1 billion.

2011: Proposed Medicaid Funding

In 2011, the Florida governor proposed adding $2.6 billion to care for the expected 300,000 additional patients.

2011: Gas Stations and Consumption

In 2011, there were about 9,000 retail gas stations in Florida, and Floridians consumed 21 million gallons of gasoline daily.

July 1, 2012: Fastest-Growing State

Florida was the seventh fastest-growing state in the U.S. in the 12-month period ending July 1, 2012.

2012: Florida Gains House Seats, Revised Congressional Districts Challenged

As a result of the 2010 United States Census, Florida gained two House of Representative seats in 2012. The legislature issued revised congressional districts in 2012, which were immediately challenged in court by supporters of the above amendments.

2012: Coastal Population

In 2012, 75% of the population lived within 10 miles (16 km) of the coastline.

2012: Republican Dominance

In 2012, Republicans controlled the governorship and most statewide elective offices due to the political make-up of congressional and legislative districts.

2012: Trayvon Martin Killing

In 2012, the killing of Trayvon Martin by George Zimmerman in Sanford drew national attention to Florida's stand-your-ground laws and sparked African American activism, including the Black Lives Matter movement.

2012: Redistricting

In 2012, the legislature's redistricting was announced, which was quickly challenged in court.

2012: Obama Carries Florida Again

In the 2012 presidential elections, Barack Obama carried Florida for the second time, as a northern Democrat, attracting high voter turnout.

2013: Florida Refused to Participate in the Affordable Care Act

In 2013, Florida refused to participate in providing coverage for the uninsured under the Affordable Care Act, colloquially called Obamacare, and refused to accept additional Federal funding for Medicaid.

December 2014: Population Exceeds New York

By December 2014, the Florida population exceeded 19.7 million, surpassing the population of the state of New York for the first time, making Florida the third most populous state.

2014: Felony Disenfranchisement in Florida

According to The Sentencing Project, in 2014, the effect of Florida's felony disenfranchisement law is such that more than one in ten Floridians—and nearly one in four African-American Floridians—were shut out of the polls because of felony convictions.

2014: Religious Makeup of Florida

In 2014, a Pew Research Center survey provided data on the religious makeup of Florida.

2014: Court Rules Districts Redrawn Due to Gerrymandering

In 2014, the court ruled that at least two Florida districts had to be redrawn because of gerrymandering, after lengthy testimony.

July 2015: Florida Supreme Court Rules Against Lawmakers

In July 2015, the Florida Supreme Court ruled that lawmakers had followed an illegal and unconstitutional process overly influenced by party operatives, and ruled that at least eight districts had to be redrawn.

December 2, 2015: Court Accepts New Congressional District Map

On December 2, 2015, a 5–2 majority of the Court accepted a new map of congressional districts, some of which was drawn by challengers, making changes particularly in South Florida.

December 2015: New Congressional Map Accepted

In early December 2015, the Florida Supreme Court accepted a new congressional map after ruling that the previous districts had to be redrawn.

June 2016: Orlando Nightclub Shooting

In June 2016, a gunman killed 49 people at a gay nightclub in Orlando. It was the deadliest incident in the history of violence against LGBT people in the United States, as well as the deadliest terrorist attack in the U.S. since the September 11 attacks in 2001, and it was the deadliest mass shooting by a single gunman in U.S. history until the 2017 Las Vegas shooting.

2016: Bellwether State

Florida is sometimes considered a bellwether state in presidential elections because every candidate who won the state from 1996 until 2016 won the election.

2016: Florida Charged the Second Lowest Tuition

In 2016, Florida charged the second lowest tuition in the U.S. for four-year programs.

2016: West Indian Population

In 2016, Florida had the highest percentage of West Indians in the United States at 4.5%, with 2.3% from Haitian ancestry, 1.5% Jamaican, and 0.2% Bahamian.

2016: Florida Spent $8,920 for Each Student

In 2016, Florida spent $8,920 for each student, and was 43rd in the U.S. in expenditures per student.

2016: Florida Switched Back to GOP in Presidential Election

In 2016, Florida switched back to the GOP in the presidential election.

2016: Florida College System Enrollment

In 2016, enrollment in the Florida College System exceeded 813,000 students.

September 2017: Influx of Puerto Ricans After Hurricane Maria

In September 2017, after Hurricane Maria devastated Puerto Rico, a large population of Puerto Ricans began moving to Florida to escape the widespread destruction, with many settling in Orlando, Tampa, Fort Lauderdale, and West Palm Beach.

2017: Las Vegas Shooting

In June 2016, the Orlando Nightclub Shooting was the deadliest mass shooting by a single gunman in U.S. history until the 2017 Las Vegas shooting.

February 2018: Stoneman Douglas High School Shooting

In February 2018, 17 people were killed in a school shooting at Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida, leading to new gun control regulations at both the state and federal level.

2018: Immigrant Origins

In 2018, the top countries of origin for Florida's immigrants were Cuba, Haiti, Colombia, Mexico and Jamaica.

2018: Close Elections in Florida

In the 2018 elections, the ratio of Republican to Democratic representation in Florida fell from 16:11 to 14:13. The U.S. Senate election between Bill Nelson and Rick Scott was close, as well as the gubernatorial race between Ron DeSantis and Andrew Gillum.

July 1, 2019: Estimated Population

On July 1, 2019, the U.S. Census Bureau estimated that the population of Florida was 21,477,737, a 14.24% increase since the 2010 United States census.

2019: Florida Population Growth

As of 2019, Florida experienced a population boom and was the recipient of the largest number of out-of-state movers in the country.

2019: Enrollment in State University System

During the 2019 academic year, 346,604 students attended one of the twelve universities in the State University System of Florida.

2020: Florida Universities Among Largest in U.S.

As of 2020, three Florida universities are among the top 10 largest universities by enrollment in the United States: The University of Central Florida in Orlando (2nd), the University of Florida in Gainesville (4th), and Florida International University in Miami (8th).

2020: Population Census

By the 2020 census, Florida's population increased to 21,538,187.

2020: Inter Miami Began Play in MLS

Florida's most recent major-league team, Inter Miami, began play in MLS in 2020.

2020: Florida Sided with Donald Trump

In 2020, Florida again sided with the GOP when Donald Trump headed the party's ticket.

2020: Florida Ranked Third Best in K-12 Education

In 2020, Florida was ranked the third best state in the U.S. for K-12 education, outperforming other states in 15 out of 18 metrics in Education Week's 2020 Quality Counts report.

2020: Florida Population

In 2020, Florida's population was over 23 million, ranking it the third-most populous state in the United States and seventh in population density.

2020: Demographics of Broward County

In 2020, Hispanic and Latinos made up 26.5% of the population in Broward County, while Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders made up 0.1%.

2020: Voting Hardship Ranking

In a 2020 study, Florida was ranked as the 11th hardest state for citizens to vote in.

2020: Independent Colleges and Universities of Florida Enrollment

In the fall of 2020, the Independent Colleges and Universities of Florida reported that their member institutions served more than 158,000 students.

2020: Bellwether Streak Broken

The 2020 election broke Florida's streak as a bellwether state when Donald Trump won Florida but lost the election.

June 24, 2021: Surfside Condominium Collapse

On June 24, 2021, a condominium in Surfside, Florida, near Miami collapsed, killing at least 97 people. This collapse is tied as the third-deadliest structural engineering failure in United States history.

November 2021: Republican Voters Exceed Democrats

In November 2021, for the first time in Florida's history, the total number of registered Republican voters exceeded the number of registered Democrats.

April 2022: Election Law

In April 2022, Florida's legislature passed and the governor signed a new election law prohibiting Floridians from using ranked-choice voting in all federal, state and municipal elections.

2022: DeSantis Reelection

In 2022, incumbent Governor DeSantis won reelection by a landslide against Democrat Charlie Crist.

2022: Homeless Population

In 2022, the HUD Annual Homeless Assessment Report estimated that there were 25,959 homeless people in Florida.

2022: Largest Hospital Network

In 2022, the largest hospital network in Florida is HCA Healthcare and the second largest is AdventHealth.

August 2023: Restrictions Placed on Shakespearean Plays

In August 2023, restrictions have been placed on the teaching of Shakespearean plays and literature by Florida teachers in order to comply with state law.

2023: Universities in the Association of American Universities

As of 2023, three universities in Florida are members of the Association of American Universities: University of Florida, University of Miami and University of South Florida.

2023: Largest Hospitals in Florida

In 2023, the largest hospitals in Florida were Jackson Memorial Hospital, AdventHealth Orlando, Tampa General Hospital, UF Health Shands Hospital and Baptist Hospital of Miami.