Thousands of years ago before the European settlement, a Native American tribe known as the Tequesta lived in the area where city of Miami lies today. This tribe occupied the area in the southern part of the Atlantic Ocean, and they lived here until the European settlers came. By the start of the 18th century, most of them had migrated to the area due to the frequent displacements by the increasing number of settlers.
On the orders of the Spanish monarchy, Pedro Menendez de Aviles arrived in this area in 1566 with a mission to eliminate the French natives who had inhabited this place. When he came, he ordered two Jesuit missionaries to convert the natives into Roman Catholicism. However, this mission proved futile as the Jesuits preserved their teachings and held on to their religion. After a year, the Jesuits left and headed to their place of origin.
During the second Seminole war in 1836, Fort Dallas, which was used as a military base was set up in this location.
Before its growth, Miami was referred to as the Biscayne Bay Country. Evidence shows that majority of the area in which this country stood was a wilderness, but the people living in believed that it held a very bright future. Later on, it was discovered that this was one of the best places to set up buildings in Florida.
During the Great Freeze in 1984, the farms in Miami were the only ones that survived in Florida. A great farmer who owned a vast piece of land by the name Julia Tuttle requested Henry Flagler, who was a renowned railway tycoon to construct the Florida East Coast Railway in Miami, a move that saw massive developments in the area that was once a quiet wilderness with minimal; activities. The city was incorporated officially on July 28 1896. Back then, it had a population of 300 people.
In the early 1900s, this growing city suffered major drawbacks including the 1925 real estate bubble burst, the Miami Hurricane in 1926, and the Great Depression in the 1930s. Despite this, Miami kept growing. It played a significant role in fighting the German submarines during the world war II owing to its strategic location on the southern coast of Florida.
When the war came to an end, this city saw significant growth. Population sprout for a few hundreds to more than half a million. Fidel Castro took control of the area in 1959, and lots of Cubans settled here, further increasing the population.
Today, the area that was once a wilderness is a major cultural, financial, and cultural center in the United States.