Evolution of Florida By jared pozo 1513 Ponce de Leon lands in Florida, and names the land "La Florida" 1521 Ponce de Leon returns with 200 men, he tries to colonize, but fails because of attacks by the natives. 1539 Hernando de Soto and his men went to Florida to search for precious metals. 1542 Hernando de Soto died, the surviving men from his crew reached Mexico. They never found any precius metals. 1559 Tristan de Luna tried to colonize Florida, but as the men before them, he failed. 1562 Rene Goulaine de Laudonniere (French) and his men established a fort in the mouth of present-day Jacksonville. 1565 Pedro Menendez (Spanish) established a Fort called San Augustin, and conquered Fort Caroline. 1586 Sir Francis Drake (English), looted and burned St. Augustine. 1607 The English established their colonies at the north of Jamestown (later known as Virginia). 1702 The Carolinas and the Creeks (Indians) attacked Spanish Florida, and destroyed the town St. Augustine. 1719 The French captured the town Pensacola. 1740 Georgia attacks Spanish forts in Florida 1763 Spain trades all of their forts in Florida, in exchange of Havana and Cuba with Britain. 1784 Spain regains control of Florida. 1821 Florida gets filled with Americans, and Spain gives the territory to the United States. 1824 Tallahassee becomes the capital of Florida 1835 Seminole war begins 1842 Seminole war ends 1845 Florida became the 27th state of the United States. 1861 Florida joined other southern states to form the Confederate States of America 1868 The federal government starts the reconstruction program in Florida, and other southern states. 1898 The Spanish-American War began. 1920 Women gain the right to vote 1926 Florida´s economy burst.