Final answer:
Florida is the state that includes Miami, Tampa, St. Petersburg, Orlando, Fort Lauderdale, and St. Augustine, which is the oldest city in the U.S., founded by Spanish colonists in 1565.
Step-by-step explanation:
The state that has Miami, Tampa, St. Petersburg, Orlando, Fort Lauderdale, and St. Augustine - the oldest city in the U.S. - is Florida. St. Augustine was founded in 1565 by Spanish colonists and has the distinction of being the oldest continuously-settled European settlement in the continental United States. The state of Florida was a strategic location for the Spanish empire, serving as a bulwark against French and English privateers and a key point for the Spanish to cultivate relationships with the native Timucua Indians.
Over time, St. Augustine and other Floridian cities were shaped by these colonial encounters, evident in landmarks such as the Castillo de San Marcos and the historic architecture found around the city that reflects the strong Spanish influence on the area.