How Did Florida Get It's Name?

Welcome to Paradise.

Our five year old is destined to do something amazing, I think.  As long as he's a happy dude, his mom and I are cool with his choices but it's easy to say that now, he's only 5.  I was thinking that he was developing a great love for history because he likes to ask me about the Calusa People that were the native Americans that used to live in our area.  I think that their society is amazing in ways we can't understand even today and they lived here starting some 14,000 to 11,000 years ago.  My son and I would discuss them at length but, now I realize he was just trying to distract me to get my phone and play Roblox.  That's smart and Scary at the same time.

Just like the Calusa (Fierce) People.

When Ponce de Leon first got here and began the written history of the peninsula, he thought the Calusa People would be easy to work with (and rule) since they spoke Spanish like him.  The written records are a bit vague but, long story short, the Calusa People and Ponce de Leon had some sort of disagreement which left de Leon mortally wounded and he was medically evacuated to Havana were he quickly expired and was buried.  

I often wonder what I would think of historical figures if I met them in life.  Even adjusting for values, time and morals it seems like our friend Ponce made a few big errors.  The one good thing he did was note the shockingly lush and flowerful landscape in our state by naming it La Florida (covered with flowers).  I think that I would like to read a historically accurate account of Ponce de Leons' life and share it with my son.

So he can play Roblox.

          


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