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The city's name comes from Mayaimi, which means "very large lake" and probably refers to Lake Okeechobee. The Miami River marked the beginning of a canoe trail through the Everglades to the big lake.
When European ships first arrived on the South Florida coast, Native American people called the Tequesta inhabited the area. Spanish explorer Ponce de Leon, who was searching for riches and the fountain of youth, claimed the land for Spain. He named it "Pascua de Florida" (feast of flowers) because the sailors spotted land on April 2, 1513, Palm Sunday.
The Spanish controlled Florida for the next 250 years, bringing with them modern weapons and diseases that eventually caused the Tequestas to vanish. The Seminole Indian Wars began in 1818, finally ending in 1858.
Spain sold Florida to the United States for $5 million in 1821. When the United States gained possession of Florida, the major industry was "wrecking"-living off the spoils from shipwrecks caused by sailing too close to the coral reefs.
The modern era began with the arrival of Henry Flagler's railroad in 1896. Rapid development followed the arrival of the railroad 1896. The City of Miami was incorporated later that year with 344 voters.
A system of drainage canals began to crisscross the area after the turn of the century, creating new land for settlers. In the 1920s a real estate boom hit and new subdivisions and tourist resorts were built. During World War II the military brought thousands of troops to the area for training. When the war ended many veterans returned with their families to make the city their home. A growth surge in population followed the war and the number of tourists began a steady increase as transportation advancements helped Miami become a year-round resort.
In the 1960s thousands of refugees from Cuba began coming into the area. In the 1980s Haitians fled their homeland to seek a better life. Today many different ethnic groups and cultures share this modern metropolitan community.
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