Florida Trivia - How Much History Do You Know?
By Jennifer Jordan

History, shmistory. At least that’s what a lot of us think. Determined to not live in the past, we focus on the present, concerned about the “here and now” and regarding the “what was” with a shrug of our shoulders. While this may be the case, history is a big part of our lives: it has molded our world and shaped our future and dealt itself to us in the form of innumerable school classes. Like a subject lurking around every corner, there is no escape from history.

When it comes to Florida, a lot of people might not think of history. Florida does not seem to contain the ancient mystique of a Washington DC or a Philadelphia. Still, Florida, like everywhere else, is rich with the soils of times gone by. See how much you know about it.

1. According to legend, Juan Ponce de Leon discovered Florida when he was searching for what?

a. The Holy Grail
b. The Fountain of Youth
c. The City of Atlantis
d. His car keys

2. In 1763, Spain gave Florida to Great Britain in return for what?

a. Control of Havana, Cuba
b. The lands of Texas
c. Puerto Rico
d. A Babe Ruth baseball card

3. In 1810, parts of Flordia were annexed by James Madison as part of what?

a. The Embargo Act
b. The Louisiana Purchase
c. The Missouri Compromise
d. A lost bet

4. Congress combined West Florida and East Florida as a US territory on what date?

a. April 3, 1801
b. July 24, 1856
c. March 30, 1822
d. Yesterday

5. What began in 1835 with the Dade Massacre?

a. The First Seminole War
b. The Second Seminole War
c. The Civil War
d. The War of 1835

6. Florida was one of the founding members of what?

a. The Confederate States of America
b. The Presbyterian Church
c. The Whig Party
d. Gamblers Anonymous

7. In the late 19th century, Florida became a big spot for tourism thanks to what?

a. A canal system
b. Disney World
c. The expansion of the railroad
d. Good deals on Expedia.com

8. Florida, in 1949, was chosen as the test site for the US missle program because of what?

a. Its location
b. Its low alitude
c. Its dense population
d. Its love of pyromania

9. What helped transform Miami into one of Florida’s biggest centers of commerce?

a. World War II
b. The Cold War
c. The Cuban Revolution
d. The Miami Dolphins

10. In 2000, Florida was at the center of what controversial event?

a. The Presidential Election
b. The Debate on Abortion
c. Freedom of the Press
d. Who shot JR

Answers: 1. b. The Fountain of Youth; 2. a. Control of Havana, Cuba; 3. b. The Louisiana Purchase; 4. c. March 30, 1822; 5. b. The Second Seminole War; 6. a. The Confederate States of America; 7. c. The expansion of the railroad; 8. b. Its low alitude; 9. c. The Cuban Revolution; 10. a. The Presidential Election.

See how you did:

9-10 correct: Wow, you know Florida history like that back of your hand. Feel free to name your first child “Jacksonville.”

6-8 correct: Though not perfect, you know more about Florida history than the average citizen. You should be everglade, er, ever glad.

3-5 correct: Pretty average, which is fine unless you call yourself a history buff. If that’s the case, you’re self-proclaimed status is a crock..odile.

Less than 3: No peninsula for you. No sandy beaches or Cadillac’s either.

Jennifer Jordan is a senior editor for www.milleniumlimo.com . She has been to a variety of places around the world and Wyoming more times than she cares to count.

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