Why a jury of six?

A "48 Hours" episode about a shooting in Orlando reminds me that in Florida crimes less serious than first-degree murder are heard by a jury of six, not the much more common (and I once imagined universal in the U.S.) 12. How did that happen? The premise of the jury system is that each juror brings his own knowledge, experience and prejudices to the table, and that collectively they balance each other's deficiencies to reach a fair verdict. It doesn't always work out that way, but it seems obvious that a smaller group of jurors is more likely to be swayed or bullied by one. What do Floridians think about their system? Are there other states where serious felonies are heard by smaller juries?

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