164 years ago today, on January 10, 1861 (November 30, 1860 lunar calendar), Florida announced its withdrawal from the United States. Florida is the southernmost state in the continental United States. It includes the Florida Peninsula, the northwestern Gulf of Mexico Panhandle and the southern coastal coral islands. Also known as the Sunshine State. It covers an area of 152,000 square kilometers. The capital is Tallahassee. It was originally a settlement of Indians. The Spanish came here in 1513 and established the first permanent white settlement in the United States near what is now St. Augustine in 1565. Before the 19th century, it was occupied by Spain, France and the United Kingdom. Early agricultural activities were the main ones. In 1819, Spain signed a treaty with the United States, ceding Spanish Florida to the United States in exchange for the United States recognizing Spain's interests in Texas. It became the 27th state on March 3, 1845. On January 10, 1861, the American Civil War broke out, and Florida seceded from the "Union" and joined the Confederate States of America on February 10, 1861 to fight against the "Union". The Confederate States of America were defeated in 1865, and Florida rejoined the federal government on June 25, 1868.