Introduction - State of Mississippi
Passed through by the longest river in the United States, the state of Mississippi is part of the Southeast region of the United States where the typical climate is hot and humid. The state borders Tennessee to the north, Alabama to the east, Arkansas to the west, and Louisiana and the Gulf of Mexico to the south. With all of its family friendly activities, the Mississippi Gulf Coast is a popular vacation spot for families. Historically speaking, there were once over twenty Native American Indian tribes who first inhabited the area where present day Mississippi lies. Read about what happened to them in the interesting facts section below as well as other interesting information and historical facts about this state written for kids and adults.Click here for a great selection of Amazon.com books about Mississippi.
State of Mississippi Quick Facts
- Mississippi was the twentieth state to be admitted to the union.
- Mississippi officially became a state on December 10, 1817.
- The state capital of Mississippi is Jackson, which is also the largest city.
- Mississippi ranks in 32nd place in terms of biggest (land area) U.S. states.
- Mississippi is the 31st most populated state in the U.S. (source 2013 United States Census Bureau estimate).
- The population of Mississippi is 2,991,207 (source 2013 United States Census Bureau estimate).
- The state flower of Mississippi is the Magnolia.
- Mississippi is nicknamed the "Magnolia State".
- Residents of Mississippi are called Mississippians.
- There are several major bodies of water in Mississippi which include the Mississippi River, Pearl River, Yazoo River and Big Black River. The major lakes include Sardis Lake, Arkabutla Lake, Grenada Lake and Ross Barnett Reservoir.
- The Mississippi state song is Go Mis-sis-sip-pi.
State of Mississippi Interesting Facts
- The world's first lung transplant took place in 1963 at the University of Mississippi by American surgeon, James Hardy.
- Root Beer was invented in Biloxi, MS in 1898.
- The Cotton Capital of the World, Greenwood, is where you will find Cotton Row, the 2nd largest cotton exchange in the nation.
- On January 8, 1935 American icon, Elvis Presley, was born in Tupelo. His home, Graceland, located in Memphis Tennessee is a major tourist attraction.
- Famous twentieth century authors from Mississippi include Tennessee Williams and William Faulkner.
- At 2,320 miles (3,734 km), The Mississippi River (also known as Old Man River) is the longest river in North America.
State of Mississippi Historical Facts
- Territorial conflicts between the French and English settlers during the 18th century contributed to the demise of many of the Native American Indian tribes that once inhabited the area. Some of the more well-known tribes include the Biloxi, Chickasaw, Choctaw, Natchez, and Yazoo.
- Out of any Confederate state, Mississippi lost the highest percentage of men in the Civil War. Out of 78,000 Mississippians who served in the Confederate military, 59,000 were either dead or severely wounded by the end of the war.
- During the Civil War, Mississippi became the second of eleven states to secede from the Union and join the Confederate States of America.
- In 1871, the town of Liberty became the first town in the U.S. to erect a Confederate monument to honor those killed in the American Civil War.
- Mississippi was the last state to repeal prohibition in 1966.