Changes

In 1900, Florida was largely agricultural and frontier, most Floridians lived within 50 miles of the Georgia border. The population grew from only 529,000 in 1900 to 18.3 million in 2009. The population explosion began with the great land boom of the 1920s as Florida went from an undiscovered frontier to a land speculator's paradise. When the crash came in 1926 prices of houses plunged (as they did again in 2007-09), but the sunshine remained. Hurt badly by the [[Great Depression]] and the land bust, Florida kept afloat with relief money. World War II brought new prosperity and many military bases.  

In 1900, Florida was largely agricultural and frontier, most Floridians lived within 50 miles of the Georgia border. The population grew from only 529,000 in 1900 to 18.3 million in 2009. The population explosion began with the great land boom of the 1920s as Florida went from an undiscovered frontier to a land speculator's paradise. When the crash came in 1926 prices of houses plunged (as they did again in 2007-09), but the sunshine remained. Hurt badly by the [[Great Depression]] and the land bust, Florida kept afloat with relief money. World War II brought new prosperity and many military bases.  

After 1940 Florida saw a contest between the Old South and the New South, as northerners poured in with very different values. The Old South defenders resisted, but numbers were against them, as Yankee retirees, Cuban refugees, Latin American businessmen, Haitian refugees, liberal Jews from New York and and fiscal conservatives from the frostbelt poured in at 500 a day, every day, for years. Miami became a bastion of liberalism, drugs and crime, as well as the financial capital of much of Latin America.  

After 1940 Florida saw a contest between the Old South and the New South, as northerners poured in with very different values. The Old South defenders resisted, but numbers were against them, as Yankee retirees, Cuban refugees, Latin American businessmen, Haitian refugees, liberal Jews from New York and fiscal conservatives from the frostbelt poured in at 500 a day, every day, for years. Miami became a bastion of liberalism, drugs and crime, as well as the financial capital of much of Latin America.  

===Colonial===

===Colonial===

The New Deal (1933–40) changed and reaffirmed the physical, environmental, and intellectual landscape of south Florida.  It ranged from the many hum-drum sewers, roads and schools built by the Works Progress Administration ([[WPA]]) to the haunting photographs of rural poverty by the Farm Security Administration ([[FSA]]), from the Treasury sponsored post office murals to the work camps for the younf men of the Civilian Conservation Corps ([[CCC]]), and finally to welfare state created by the Social Security program, which brought so many retirees to Florida.  

The New Deal (1933–40) changed and reaffirmed the physical, environmental, and intellectual landscape of south Florida.  It ranged from the many hum-drum sewers, roads and schools built by the Works Progress Administration ([[WPA]]) to the haunting photographs of rural poverty by the Farm Security Administration ([[FSA]]), from the Treasury sponsored post office murals to the work camps for the younf men of the Civilian Conservation Corps ([[CCC]]), and finally to welfare state created by the Social Security program, which brought so many retirees to Florida.  

===Disney World===

===Disney World===

To get Walt Disney World, Orlando beat out St Louis and several other sites for this experiment in family fun. Disney World opened in 1971 and immediately became Florida's best known attraction, pulling in tems of millions of visitors a year, spinning off other attractions and vast tracts of housing. Disney forced Florida to broaden its social outlook by offering entertainment to all, without regard to race or language. Despite protest from conservative churches, the company has embraced gay and lesbian patrons who descend on the park for the yearly "Gay Day," organized through private travel organizations. Meanwhile Disney tickets rose from $5.25 in 1975, to $60.00. Tourism does not pay high wages, however, and Orlando has one of the weakest infrastructures in the state; its schools are falling apart.<ref>Richard Foglesong, ''Married to the Mouse: Walt Disney World and Orlando'' (2001); Mormino (2005)</ref>

To get Walt Disney World, Orlando beat out St Louis and several other sites for this experiment in family fun. Disney World opened in 1971 and immediately became Florida's best known attraction, pulling in tems of millions of visitors a year, spinning off other attractions and vast tracts of housing. Disney forced Florida to broaden its social outlook by offering entertainment to all, without regard to race or language. Despite protest from conservative churches, the company has embraced gay and lesbian patrons who descend on the park for the yearly "Gay Day," organized through private travel organizations. Meanwhile, Disney tickets rose from $5.25 in 1975, to $60.00. Tourism does not pay high wages, however, and Orlando has one of the weakest infrastructures in the state; its schools are falling apart.<ref>Richard Foglesong, ''Married to the Mouse: Walt Disney World and Orlando'' (2001); Mormino (2005)</ref>

===Hurricanes===

===Hurricanes===

Hurricane Andrew, a Category 5 hurricane, smashed into the area south of Miami in August 1992, leaving forty people dead, 100,000 homes damaged or destroyed, more than a million people left without electricity, and damages of $20–30 billion. Much of South Florida's sensitive vegetation was severely damaged. The region had not seen a storm of such awesome power in decades. Andrew destroyed complacency and erased any sense of benign ignorance toward hurricanes among South Florida residents.

Hurricane Andrew, a Category 5 hurricane, smashed into the area south of Miami in August 1992, leaving forty people dead, 100,000 homes damaged or destroyed, more than a million people left without electricity, and damages of $20–30 billion. Much of South Florida's sensitive vegetation was severely damaged. The region had not seen a storm of such awesome power in decades. Andrew destroyed complacency and erased any sense of benign ignorance toward hurricanes among South Florida residents.