Joe Knetsch Knihy

A century ago, sparsely populated and largely rural Florida rallied as America plunged into World War I, her sacrifices and contributions celebrated here in full detail. The proud USS Florida, too often mentioned as mere adjunct to the Atlantic Fleet, receives a just accounting, as does the utterly devastating loss of the USS Tampa, the highest death toll the navy suffered in the war. Sunshine State foresters served critical roles abroad, and local libraries became essential hubs for promoting rationing and reporting news from overseas. Floridian aid workers and soldiers training for departure were stricken with the Spanish Flu, a pandemic that shook the globe with force equal to the war itself. Authors Joe Knetsch and Pamela Gibson provide a necessary and thorough chronicle of Florida in the Great War.

Frida worries all the time. Her worries feel as heavy as the pebbles she collects. Then one day her granny teaches her an amazing trick to manage her fears.

The book explores the resilience of the Seminole Indians as they fiercely defended their ancestral lands against American military forces during the 19th century. Highlighting their guerrilla warfare tactics, it illustrates how the Seminoles, alongside the Miccosukee tribe and escaped slaves, engaged in a unique struggle that influenced modern military strategies. The narrative delves into the three distinct wars fought in Florida, revealing parallels with the broader Indian wars and the political ramifications that shaped American history prior to the Civil War.

Florida has long been viewed as a land of hope and endless possibilities. Visionaries seeking to establish new communities where they could escape the influences of society at large have turned to Florida to construct their utopias--from the vast plantations of British philanthropists and entrepreneurs in the eighteenth century to the more exotic Koreshan Unity and its theory that humans live in the center of a Hollow Earth. Some came to the Sunshine State seeking religious freedom, such as the settlers in Moses Levy's Jewish colony, while others settled in Florida to establish alternative lifestyles, like the spiritualists of Cassadaga. Still others created their communities to practice new agricultural techniques or political philosophies. Historians Joe Knetsch and Nick Wynne examine a number of these distinctive utopian communities and how they have contributed to Florida's unique social fabric.

The most southern state has more than its share of Civil War stories. In January 1861, Florida militia forces captured the old Spanish Castillo de San Marcos, then known as Fort Marion, from the single Union soldier who guarded it. In 1862, Union forces recaptured it without a single shot fired. Union general Edward Moody McCook--later minister to Hawaii--accepted the surrender of Tallahassee on May 10, 1865. On May 13, he read the Emancipation Proclamation to an assembled crowd of white Floridians and former slaves on the steps of the Knott House in the city. Authors Nick Wynne and Joe Knetsch detail a Civil War moment for each date on the calendar. Learn a lesson a day or a month at a time.

Florida began as a Spanish Colony, with governing headquarters in Havana, Cuba.It is fitting, then, that the state played such a large role in the Spanish-American War. As a base of training and combat operations, Florida's involvement was crucial to the war effort. A time when Roosevelt's Rough Riders prepared for battle at Tampa bases, when battleships departed from south Florida ports to avenge the sunken USS Maine and when a nation looked to the Sunshine State to help united America around a common cause, even as the nation still struggled to come to terms with the Civil War and Reconstruction

Exploring Florida's unique social fabric, this book delves into various utopian communities that have emerged throughout its history. From the eighteenth-century plantations of British philanthropists to the Koreshan Unity's Hollow Earth theory, it highlights settlers seeking religious freedom, alternative lifestyles, and innovative agricultural practices. Historians Joe Knetsch and Nick Wynne analyze the motivations behind these communities and their lasting impact on the state's identity, showcasing Florida as a land of hope and diverse aspirations.

Focusing on the letters exchanged between Robert Morris Warren and his friends Herman and Celia Chapin during World War II, this book reveals the personal experiences of a Jewish American lawyer turned soldier. After enlisting in 1943, Warren served in the 143rd Infantry Regiment and earned the Distinguished Service Cross for his bravery. The narrative intertwines his military service in Europe with his connections back home, offering a poignant glimpse into the life of a dedicated individual navigating the challenges of war and friendship.

Set against the backdrop of Florida's financial boom in the 1920s, the narrative explores the rapid decline that followed due to natural disasters and economic mismanagement. By 1926, the promise of prosperity crumbled, leading to widespread bankruptcies and a state of despair. The devastating hurricane of 1928 marked the end of the boom, exacerbating bank failures and agricultural crises. Renowned historians Nick Wynne and Joseph Knetsch recount the struggles and resilience of Floridians as they faced these challenges head-on.

A full history of the Third Seminole War (1848-1859), with a detailed narrative of the war and its causes, containing numerous first-hand accounts.