Florida's Progressive Era: 1898-1913

This course examines the social, political, and economic transformations in Florida between the end of the 19th century and the eve of the First World War. Moving beyond military narratives, we explore the rise of the Florida East Coast Railway, the ambitious drainage projects in the Everglades, and the populist political shift under Governor Napoleon Bonaparte Broward. The curriculum covers the growth of the naval stores industry, the impact of the Buckman Act on higher education, and the complex social realities of modernization within a segregated South. Participants will gain a factual understanding of how Florida transitioned from a frontier state to a burgeoning economic player in the early 20th century.