In 1521, Juan Ponce De Leon brought a small herd of Andalusian cattle and horses on his second expedition to the New World, the first cattle and horses to set foot on what is now the continental United States. The Spanish cattle multiplied and roamed free throughout Florida. Throughout the 1700s, Native Americans who eventually became known as the Seminole Tribe played a large part in growing and sustaining early cattle ranching. In the late 18th and early 19th centuries, settlers of British descent known as Crackers moved into Florida and began rounding up wild Spanish cattle to form their own herds. These became known as Florida Cracker cattle, the foundation of Florida's cattle industry. Wars provided an economic boost for Florida cattlemen, who provisioned armies during the Seminole, Civil, and Spanish American Wars. The Civil War disrupted Florida's cattle trade with Cuba, but Florida cowmen became beef suppliers to both armies. During the next three decades, trade boomed with Cuba, Key West, and Nassau, and Florida became the nation's leading cattle exporter. In the 20th century, as Cuban demand declined, ranchers turned to domestic markets and shipped cattle by rail throughout the country. Ranchers also worked to improve herd quality, first attempting this as early as 1858 with Brahman cattle originally from India, and since the 1930s successfully cross-breeding native cattle with Brahman, Angus, and Hereford to improve size, heat resistance, hardiness, and meat quality, leading to hybrids such as the Braford and Brangus breeds. After 500 years, cattle ranching, from small family-owned herds to large-scale operations, remains an integral part of Florida's culture, with multi-generational family ranches caring for the land and providing employment.