FCLE Florida State Government and History 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: In what year did Florida gain statehood?
- 1820
- 1845 (Correct answer)
- 1861
- 1898
Correct answer: 1845
Florida became the 27th state of the United States on March 3, 1845.
Question 2: Which European country established the first permanent European settlement in what is now the continental United States, at St. Augustine, Florida?
- France
- England
- Spain (Correct answer)
- Portugal
Correct answer: Spain
Spain founded St. Augustine, Florida, in 1565, making it the oldest continuously occupied European settlement in the continental U.S.
Question 3: Under which U.S. President did the United States acquire Florida from Spain through the Adams-Onís Treaty?
- George Washington
- Thomas Jefferson
- James Monroe (Correct answer)
- Andrew Jackson
Correct answer: James Monroe
The Adams-Onís Treaty of 1819, signed under President James Monroe, transferred Florida from Spain to the United States.
Question 4: The longest and most costly of the three Seminole Wars in Florida lasted from 1835 to 1842 — what is it called?
- First Seminole War
- Second Seminole War (Correct answer)
- Third Seminole War
- Florida Resistance War
Correct answer: Second Seminole War
The Second Seminole War (1835–1842) was the longest and most expensive Indian war in U.S. history, fought over the forced removal of the Seminole people.
Question 5: Florida seceded from the Union and joined the Confederacy in which year?
- 1860
- 1861 (Correct answer)
- 1862
- 1865
Correct answer: 1861
Florida seceded from the Union on January 10, 1861, and became one of the original Confederate States of America.
Question 6: The U.S. Supreme Court decision in Bush v. Gore (2000), which halted the Florida presidential election recount, relied primarily on which constitutional clause?
- Due Process Clause
- Equal Protection Clause (Correct answer)
- Commerce Clause
- Supremacy Clause
Correct answer: Equal Protection Clause
The Supreme Court ruled 5–4 that differing recount standards across Florida counties violated the Equal Protection Clause of the 14th Amendment.
FCLE Florida State Government and History 2
In what year did Florida gain statehood?