All About the Florida State Flag

The Florida State Flag has been a part of the State’s history since it was adopted in 1900. Read on to find out some interesting facts and trivia about the flag and about Florida in general.

Florida has had at least 16 state flags including flags from when Florida was part of Spain, France, Great Britain, and the United States. The current Florida state flag was adopted in the year 1900. That is when the state voted to add the diagonal red bars we see on today’s flag. The bars are meant to represent a St. Andrew’s cross. They were also added so that the flag didn’t look like a flag of truce or surrender when limp.

Symbolism of the Florida State Flag

The Florida State Flag is a field of white with two diagonal red bars and the Florida State seal.

The flag represents the “land of sunshine, flowers, palm trees, rivers, and lakes.” The seal has a cabbage, sun, palmetto tree, steamboat, and a Native American woman. It represents the beauty and nature of Florida.

Although Florida does not have their own state pledge of allegiance, they are still devoted to and proud of their state.

How to Properly Display the State Flag

The Florida state flag should always be displayed respectively below the U.S. flag. The flag should be placed with the seal upright.

Basic History and Things to Know About Florida

According to Wikipedia, Florida can be traced all the way back to Native Americans from 14,000 years ago. They inhabited the peninsula and left behind artifacts and “archaeological evidence.”

Florida’s “written history” started in 1513 when Spanish explorers started “textual records.”

Florida was also the first mainland of the U.S. to be settled by Europeans. Making 1513 the beginning of the American Frontier.

The French and the Spanish had settlements during the 16th century. Florida also had groups of Native Americans migrating from somewhere else in the south. Free African American and fugitive slaves sought haven in Florida and teamed up with Native Americans in the 19th century to become, Black Seminoles.

From the 16th century to the 19th century, Florida was ruled by Spain excluding a brief period in the 18th century when it was ruled by Great Britain.

In 1845, Florida became the 27th state of the U.S.A.

Florida is nicknamed the “Sunshine State” because of its typically warm, sunny weather. It’s not often residents of Florida experience cold, although, what they consider cold is probably still warm to the states that experience harsh winters.

Florida’s population as of 2019 is 21.48 million people.

Florida’s state bird is the Northern Mockingbird because they are known to eat insects and other pests as well as weed seeds. The Mockingbird is actually the state bird of 5 states.

Florida’s largest city is Jacksonville but their capital is Tallahassee.

Florida’s state animal is the Florida Panther, chosen in 1982 by a vote of students. The Florida Panther is the most endangered of Florida’s symbols.

Florida’s state anthem is “Florida: Where the Sawgrass Meets the Sky,” made official in 2008.

Florida’s gem is the moonstone because of the Apollo 11 mission which launched from Cape Canaveral.

It’s important to know how unpredictable Florida weather can be, between frequent and short rain showers and the hot humidity that follows. Florida gets random, warm rain showers that last short periods of time. When its not raining, its typically very hot, often humid because of the surrounding ocean. Florida is also known as the Lightning Capital with some crazy hurricanes. The residents of Florida have to be very vigilant.

Florida is mostly known for their amazing beaches. The majority of people who travel or live in Florida are beach people. From salt water waves to hot sand and shady umbrellas, Florida is a beach state.

Florida is home to Everglades National Park, full of swamps, jungle, prairies, and forests. Exotic animals make this park their home such as alligators, iguanas, and python snakes.

According to usnews.com these are Florida’s rankings:

• Health Care – #25
• Education – #3
• Economy – #8
• Infrastructure – #20
• Opportunity – #33
• Fiscal Stability – #8
• Crime and Corrections – #26
• Natural Environment – #18

Florida averages in the middle with a few rankings on the upper side of things.

Florida is home to many famous attractions including Walt Disney World Resort, Epcot, and Magic Kingdom Park. Walt Disney World Resort is a famous theme park in Orlando, Florida. It’s a fabulous vacation spot, especially for families with children. It is themed after Disney movies and cartoons such as the Disney Princesses. Epcot is another famous theme park in Bay Lake, Florida. Known for its attractions that showcase popular movie franchises such as Harry Potter and Star Wars, Epcot is home of the nerds!

Florida is filled with Disney Parks like those listed above. It’s only true competition being the state of California.

Fun Facts About Florida

Florida has the most golf courses in America.

Roughly 1,000 people move to Florida daily.

According to myimprov.com Florida has no dinosaur fossils.

All cars must be registered in Florida.

Florida is the flattest state in the country.

Florida driving test doesn’t require parallel parking.

Florida produces the most oranges in the country.

Florida is the boating and fishing capital of the world, with over 7,700 lakes and 11,000 miles of rivers.

Florida has the strangest mixture of animals including alligators/crocodiles, panthers, sea turtles, and over 516 species of birds. ( visitflorida.com)

Florida is considered the theme park capital of the world, as made known in the previous paragraphs.

Florida is home to more than 54,000 non-stop airports.

In short, Florida is a booming state full of a vast mix of people and animals. The state has many theme parks and national parks. The sunshine state has a surprising amount of storms but is still loved for its many beaches and hot weather. From Native Americans to Spanish and the British, Florida has a rich cultural heritage. It’s important to remember how deep the roots of the state run and everything they stand for. The Florida state flags bears the state seal, a reminder of their agricultural roots, their Native American roots, and a sun for their nickname: Florida, the sunshine state.