Florida's recent history begins in 1565, when Pedro Menendez de Aviles founded St. Augustine, the first permanent European settlement in the New World. By 1763, the English had wrestled control of Florida at the end of the French and Indian War. After the American Revolution however, Spain once again controlled the region until it was handed over to the United States as part of the Adams-Onís Treaty of 1819.

Florida became an organized territory of the United States in 1822. The separate territories of East Florida and West Florida were subsequently merged and Tallahassee was made Florida's capital. In 1832, Florida's Seminole Indian population agreed to vacate Florida as part of Treaty of Payne's Landing. Indians that refused to leave engaged American military forces in the Seminole Wars that lasted from 1835 to 1842. Eventually, virtually all Indians were exiled to lands west of the Mississippi River, though a few were allowed to remain in the Everglades. On March 3, 1845, Florida became the 27th state. At the time, nearly half of the population was slaves. In 1860, Florida joined other southern states in secession from the Union during the Civil War. Many minor skirmishes of the war occurred in Florida including the Battle of Natural Bridge and the Battle of Olustee. After the southern states were defeated, Florida rejoined the Union in 1868.

By the early 1900's, Florida's vast tourism industry began to reflect what it is today. As the railroads opened up much of the state to development, communities such as Miami and Palm Beach began to grow. Despite hard time during the Great Depression, Florida's abundant resources and friendly weather continued to attract investors. Cypress Gardens became Florida's first theme park in 1936. In 1971, the Magic Kingdom (Disney World) opened in Orlando. In the meantime, Florida's thriving aerospace industry continued to grow as NASA built the Kennedy Space Center and space shuttle launching operations on Florida's northeast coast. In 1969, Neal Armstrong became the first human to walk on the moon. His mission, Apollo 11, took off from Kennedy Space Center. Today, virtually all American space operations take off from coastal Florida.

Today, Florida is one of the most popular tourist attractions in the world. Millions of people come to visit Disney World, Epcot Center, three national parks, and to enjoy its beautiful beaches and resorts. Florida is a haven for retirees and has one of the nation's largest Spanish-speaking populations. Unfortunately, the state's massive growth has put a strain on local resources. Habitat, ecosystem, and wetland loss have proved a huge problem.