Mississippi

The ancient Indians who lived in what is now the state of Mississippi belonged to the so-called "mound builder culture" (or "Mississippian culture"). They were characterized by agriculture, a developed trade network, a complex social structure, as well as the construction of flat-topped earth mounds, on which residential and religious buildings were built.

By the time European colonization began, the Indians of the Chickasaw, Choctaw, Natchez, Biloxi, Yazu, and Pascagoula peoples lived on the lands of the Mississippi.

The first European explorer of the Mississippi was in 1540 the famous Spanish pioneer Hernando de Soto, whose expedition came from modern Florida through Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina, Tennessee and Alabama.

In 1870, after the adoption of laws prohibiting slavery, the state of Mississippi was again admitted to the United States, but for many decades its black residents were infringed on their rights. Thanks to a series of legislative restrictions on participation in elections, wealthy landowners retained power in the state, and for former slaves, slavery was replaced by economic dependence. Together with the constant terror from white racists, the inability to get an education and the lack of work, all this served at the beginning of the 20th century as the reason for the mass migration of blacks from Mississippi (and other states of the US South) to the Northeast and Midwest, in particular to New York, Chicago, Detroit, Cleveland and other large industrial cities.

About 3,000,000 people live in the state of Mississippi (thirty-first place in terms of population among US states. The average population density in the "Magnolia State" is about 25 people per km2 (thirty-second place in the USA).

The state's largest city is its capital, Jackson, with about 175,000 people living here. Other major Mississippi cities are Gulfport (about 70,000 people), Hattiesburg (about 55,000 people), Southaven (about 50,000 people), and Biloxi (about 45,000 people).

The largest ethnic (national) groups among the population of the state of Mississippi:

 "Americans" (mostly descendants of the British and Scots) - 14.2%

 Irish - 6.9%

 English - 6.1%

 Germans - 4.5%

 French - 2.3%

 Scots - Irish - 1.9%

 Italians - 1.4%

 Scots - 1.2%

Mississippi is located entirely within the Atlantic Lowlands. The southernmost counties of the "Magnolia State" are the coast of the Gulf of Mexico, an almost flat plain, indented with bays. Along the coast, separated by a shallow strait, a chain of several barrier islands stretched. The more hilly region to the north is called the "Pine Belt" because of the long-leaved pine that is widespread here. To the northeast of the state, the relief gradually rises, forming the so-called "Hills" of the Mississippi - the distant foothills of the Appalachian mountain system. The entire western part of the state is the Mississippi River valley, which is also often called the "Delta". The Mississippi Delta is known for its extremely fertile alluvial (alluvial) soils, as well as numerous wetlands with a rich and diverse ecosystem.

Some Notable Mississippi Natives and Residents

 Jefferson Finis Davis (Jefferson Finis Davis, 1808-1889) - an outstanding politician, the first and only President of the Confederate States of America during the Civil War. Born in Kentucky but later lived in Mississippi.

 Hiram Rhodes Revels (1827–1901) is a well-known politician, the first African American elected to the US Congress. Born in North Carolina, but later lived in Mississippi.

 Elizabeth Lee Hazen (1885–1975) was a renowned microbiologist. Born in the town of Rich.

 William Cuthbert Faulkner (1897-1962) is a famous writer. Born in New Albany.

 Richard Nathaniel Wright (1908–1960) was a popular writer. Born in Roxy.

 Eudora Alice Welty (1909–2001) was a writer and photographer. Born in Jackson.

 Thomas Lanier "Tennessee" Williams III (1911–1983) was a famous playwright. Born in Columbus.

 McKinley "Muddy Waters" Morganfield (1913–1983) was a famous blues musician, singer and songwriter. Born in Issaken County.

 Shelby Foote (1916–2005) historian, writer, and journalist. Born in Greenville.

 Craig Claiborne (1920–2000) is a popular restaurant critic, journalist, and author of cookbooks. Born in Sunflower.

 Medgar Wiley Evers (1925–1963) was a black American civil rights activist. Born in the city of Decatur.

 Riley "B.B." King (1925–2015) was a legendary blues musician, singer and songwriter. Born in the village of Berkler.

 Ellas "Bo Diddley" McDaniel (1928–2008) is a famous guitarist, singer and songwriter. Considered one of the founders of rock and roll. Born in McComb.

 Elvis Aaron Presley (1935–1977) is a legendary singer and actor known as the "King of Rock and Roll". Born in Tupelo.

 James Maury "Jim" Henson (1936–1990) puppeteer, actor, screenwriter and director creator of the television program The Muppet Show. Born in Greenville.

 Tammy Wynette (1942-1998) - musician, singer and songwriter, known as the "First Lady of Country". Born in the village of Tremont.

 Oprah Gail Winfrey (1954–) is a popular television presenter. Born in the city of Kosciuszko.

Mississippi state symbols

 Tree - large-flowered magnolia (Magnolia grandiflora)

 flower - magnolia

 Animal - white-tailed (virginsky) deer (Odocoileus virginianus) and common (red) fox (Vulpes vulpes)

 Marine mammal - large (bottle-nosed) dolphin (bottle dolphin, Tursiops truncatus)

 Bird - Carolina duck (Aix sponsa)

 Fish - largemouth bass (Micropterus salmoides)

 Reptile - American (Mississippi) alligator (Alligator mississippiensis)

 Mollusk - Eastern (Atlantic) oyster (Crassostrea virginica)

 Insect - honey bee (Apis mellifera)

 Butterfly - sailboat troilus (Papilio troilus)

 Dance - square dance

 Toy - teddy bear ("Teddy Bear")

 Stone - petrified wood

 Fossil - Basilosaurus and Zygoriza

 Song - "Go, Mississippi" (Go, Mississippi, author of music and words - Houston Davis)

The state of Mississippi lags far behind in economic development from other US states, it ranks last in terms of GDP relative to population.

This situation is primarily due to historical reasons, because by the time the Civil War began, Mississippi was the fifth richest state in the world. Mississippi's natural conditions, namely the fertile soils and mild climate, perfect for growing cotton and ensuring the prosperity of the Magnolia State in the 19th century, are indirectly "to blame" for the slow growth of other industries.

Natural disasters also cause great damage to the economy of Mississippi. The "Great Mississippi Flood" in 1927, Hurricanes Camille in 1969 and Katrina in 2005, and numerous other natural disasters not only claimed hundreds of lives, but also greatly influenced the development of the state.