Mrs. Carnes

First of all : History of Florida:

Tallahassee, the federal capital, is a seminole word.

Many persons went to Florida beacause of the climate. The consequence is that today, there are very few people whose origin is floridian.

It is a multicultural state : people from Cuba, Central America, North or Haïti went.
In winter, there are "Birds Of Snow" : people from north USA flee north in winter to go to south, warmer.

Christopher Colombus discovered "Florida" in October, 12th of 1492 (then, it became the anniversary).

Indian population was slaughtered, which was the first population of this territory, 12,000 years ago.

Florida was twice its present size (then, warmness of Earth, so sea level rised).

In 1513, Ponce de Leon went to Florida to find Youth Fountain. That's him who gave Florida its name, as Florida is very much covered of flowers...

In 1562, Huguenots (from France) went to Florida to flee persecutions and install themselves by the River St Jean > establishment of Fort Caroline.

In 1565, Saint Augustine : first "european" city north of US : Spaniards chased away French, who were between Britishers and Spaniards.> Louisiana (from Louis)

Indians were decimated by convertion, illnesses, european slaughter, expulsions...

~1750 : Greeks expulsed from Georgia went westerly with african slaves (Seminole)

1821 : Napoleon died, Spain gave Florida >US> territory

1824 : Tallahassee capital of Florida
Another war against Seminole (Seminole war)

1840 (Louis Philippe) 55,000 persons went to Florida, 1/2 slaves (forced)

1845 : - Florida became a state (27th) cf. Gone with the Wind
- cotton is the 1st economy
- slaves essential for economy

1860 : No one in Florida voted for Linclon (against slavery)

1861 : Florida separated from US
Florida agree with South Army during Civil War : troops, cotton, wood, food... BUT no battle in Florida

1865 (march) Florida defeated : to let peace remaining after the war, pepole from north went south

End of XIXth century : Reconstruction after Civil War.
Jim Crow : voted laws to create two societies : Black one and White one.
Middle XXth century : Martin Luther King

Economy rised with forest products, sugar cane, harbors, phosphate, citruses, sponges... farms replaced plantations : eg. cigar firm in Tampa < Cuba; important breeding

>>developping : railroads, roads, luxury hotels, begining of the "Birds of Winter" phenomenon : developing educational system

XXth century : - everyone wants to buy in Florida(even if we don't know what is it!)
- thanks to cars and roads population goes to Florida for vacations
- draining marshes and digging canals allows more buildings
- houses price rises

World War I : training center of soldiers (open air)
1926-28 : two hurricanes : Florida destroyed, economy falls

1929 Cash Wall Street+invasion fruits flies : economic problems rise

World War II 1941-45 : economy rises, rising of military bases, training of soldiers ... trained soldiers will turn back Florida

After : - population rises (with more Haïtians and Cubans)> diverse population
- air conditioning makes summer easier
- turistic installations
- NASA


Today : 4th rank population (in USA)
1st turistic destination in US
Florida known for its universities, colleges, sports teams, multicultural society and sun!

North Florida is for preppy people, center Florida for red-necks and south Florida for hispanians.

Problems in Florida : expensive insurances, natural catastrophes, surpopulation....

_____________________________________

Baseball:



And people playing...

The first hobby in US.

27,4 m between two bases.

2 teams of 9 players.

Only the striker team can score.

Defence one throw the ball :
The baseball bat is very diverse : weight, color, material...
The receiver is behind the batter.

A good ball is a ball thown between the batter's shoulders and knees. Once the ball struck, the batter runs to the first base. When the square isdone, the team scores one point.

A batter is eliminated if:
- he tries three times to strike the ball without manage to
- the struck ball is caught is the air
- he is touch between to bases by a defence player with the ball
- the ball arrive before him at the 4th base.

There are 9 innings per match (at least).
Visitors always begin the offensive. Home always wearing white (marked with team's colors).
Visitors in grey.

At the middle of the 7th inning, , people sing "Take me out of the ballgame":

Take me out to the ball game,
Take me out with the crowd.
Buy me some peanuts and Cracker Jack,
I don't care if I never get back,
Let me root, root, root for the home team,
If they don't win it's a shame.
For it's one, two, three strikes, you're out,
At the old ball game.

Baseball gives many phrases in the daily life. Evidence 27

There are two major leagues in baseball : US and National one.
The minimum slary for a professional team is 375,000 dollars per year. The average is 1,200,000 dollars per year.

Every year, Yankees spent 235,000,000 dollars per year.

There are 162 matches per season (april to october) 6 times a week.


World Series is a match between the leader of US series and National one.

There are many foreign players.

Jackie Robinson is the first Black player.