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We Learn About Florida's Role in the Revolutionary War

Colonial Research Associates

While most people are familiar with the 13 British Colonies that unified to form the United States, what’s often not known is the role Florida, or the 14th Colony, played in the Revolutionary War. We’re joined by Dr. Roger Smith, he's author of the book The 14th Colony, The American Revolution’s Best Kept Secret to get a history lesson.

Dr. Roger Smith is a published historian with a Master’s Degree in the field of American History, and a Ph.D. in Early American History and Atlantic World Studies from the University of Florida. Dr. Smith also holds a graduate-level Certificate of Scholarship in the field of Museum Studies. 

Rachel Iacovone is a reporter and associate producer of Gulf Coast Live for WGCU News. Rachel came to WGCU as an intern in 2016, during the presidential race. She went on to cover Florida Gulf Coast University students at President Donald Trump's inauguration on Capitol Hill and Southwest Floridians in attendance at the following day's Women's March on Washington.Rachel was first contacted by WGCU when she was managing editor of FGCU's student-run media group, Eagle News. She helped take Eagle News from a weekly newspaper to a daily online publication with TV and radio branches within two years, winning the 2016 Society of Professional Journalists Mark of Excellence Award for Best Use of Multimedia in a cross-platform series she led for National Coming Out Day. She also won the Mark of Excellence Award for Feature Writing for her five-month coverage of an FGCU student's transition from male to female.As a WGCU reporter, she produced the first radio story in WGCU's Curious Gulf Coast project, which answered the question: Does SWFL Have More Cases of Pediatric Cancer?Rachel graduated from Florida Gulf Coast University with a bachelor's degree in journalism.