Mississippi is the 20th state in the United States. For years its history has been shaped by issues such as slavery and race riots.
This is Mississippi
According to Acronymmonster, Mississippi is the name of the 20th state in the United States of America. It has been part of the Union since December 10, 1817 and borders the neighboring states of Louisiana, Arkansas, Tennessee and Alabama. The capital of Mississippi is Jackson. Most of the residents of the state, in which around 3 million people have a permanent residence, also live here. The name comes from Indian and was derived from the Mississippi River. The famous river of the same name flows west of this part of the United States. The state has a narrow coastal area on the Gulf of Mexico in the south. In addition, no other US state has as many black people as Mississippi.
The first residents of Mississippi
In the early days of Mississippi there were various indigenous tribes, including the Caddo, Natchez, and Chickasaw. The first Europeans on this territory were the Spanish navigator Hernando de Soto and the participants in his expedition. The first European settlement was in the area around Biloxi and consisted of French immigrants. In the early 18th century they had various conflicts with the Natchez. In 1763 the British were awarded the area east of the Mississippi River. The first major settlement in Mississippi was made up of British immigrants. Most of these people came from the middle class and left Europe for economic reasons.
Admission into the Union and race unrest as a central problem
Mississippi’s admission to the Union took place on December 20, 1817. It was the 20th state to be admitted to the union. In the 1830s, Mississippi fell into an economic crisis and had to declare national bankruptcy in 1840. In 1861, the state left the Union and merged with ten other southern states to form the Confederate States of America. Issues such as slavery and racial unrest played a significant role during this period. These problems carried over into the 20th century, which is why large numbers of dark-skinned citizens emigrated to the northern states. An important step was the decision of the Supreme Court in 1967 to allow mixed marriage. In the 21st century, Mississippi came into the focus of the media when Hurricane Katrina devastated the country in 2005.
The Mississippi Capital Region
The capital region encompasses southwest Mississippi. It stretches from the capital, Jackson, along many historic cities that line the Mississippi River.
The Mississippi coastal region
The coastal region encompasses the southeast of Mississippi and extends from Laurel to Hattiesburg on the Gulf Coast to the south.
Mississippi Delta
The Mississippi Delta region covers the northwest and west of Mississippi and borders the Mississippi River. This region includes cities such as Greenville, Tunica and Clarksdale.
The mountainous region of Mississippi
The northeastern hills stretch from the end of the Mississippi River Delta to the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains.
Middle East Mississippi
The Middle East region comprises the eastern part of Mississippi and is bordered by Alabama. This region includes the cities of Meridian, Columbus and Winona as well as Forest.
Largest Counties in Mississippi by Area
According to Countryaah, the biggest counties in Mississippi are listed as below:
| Ranking | County | Area |
| 1 | Yazoo County | 2,383 km2 |
| 2 | Bolivar County | 2,269 km2 |
| 3 | Hinds County | 2,251 km2 |
| 4 | Pearl River County | 2,103 km2 |
| 5 | Wayne County | 2,098 km2 |
| 6 | Copiah County | 2,012 km2 |
| 7 | Rankin County | 2,007 km2 |
| 8 | Kemper County | 1,984 km2 |
| 9 | Monroe County | 1,979 km2 |
| 10 | Holmes County | 1,958 km2 |
| 11 | Attala County | 1,904 km2 |
| 12 | Amite County | 1,891 km2 |
| 13 | Jackson County | 1,883 km2 |
| 14 | Washington County | 1,875 km2 |
| 15 | Madison County | 1,862 km2 |
| 16 | Greene County | 1,847 km2 |
| 17 | Marshall County | 1,829 km2 |
| 18 | Lauderdale County | 1,823 km2 |
| 19 | Noxubee County | 1,800 km2 |
| 20 | Jones County | 1,797 km2 |
| 21 | Sunflower County | 1,797 km2 |
| 22 | Clarke County | 1,790 km2 |
| 23 | Panola County | 1,772 km2 |
| 24 | Wilkinson County | 1,753 km2 |
| 25 | Jasper County | 1,751 km2 |
| 26 | Perry County | 1,676 km2 |
| 27 | Tallahatchie County | 1,668 km2 |
| 28 | Smith County | 1,647 km2 |
| 29 | Lafayette County | 1,634 km2 |
| 30 | Carroll County | 1,627 km2 |
| 31 | Scott County | 1,577 km2 |
| 32 | Winston County | 1,572 km2 |
| 33 | Leflore County | 1,533 km2 |
| 34 | Simpson County | 1,526 km2 |
| 35 | Calhoun County | 1,520 km2 |
| 36 | Warren County | 1,520 km2 |
| 37 | Lincoln County | 1,518 km2 |
| 38 | Leake County | 1,510 km2 |
| 39 | Harrison County | 1,505 km2 |
| 40 | Newton County | 1,497 km2 |
| 41 | Neshoba County | 1,476 km2 |
| 42 | Franklin County | 1,463 km2 |
| 43 | Coahoma County | 1,435 km2 |
| 44 | Marion County | 1,404 km2 |
| 45 | Itawamba County | 1,378 km2 |
| 46 | Jefferson County | 1,344 km2 |
| 47 | Chickasaw County | 1,300 km2 |
| 48 | Lowndes County | 1,300 km2 |
| 49 | Lamar County | 1,287 km2 |
| 50 | Pontotoc County | 1,287 km2 |
| 51 | Claiborne County | 1,261 km2 |
| 52 | DeSoto County | 1,238 km2 |
| 53 | George County | 1,238 km2 |
| 54 | Hancock County | 1,235 km2 |
| 55 | Forrest County | 1,210 km2 |
| 56 | Yalobusha County | 1,210 km2 |
| 57 | Adams County | 1,191 km2 |
| 58 | Oktibbeha County | 1,186 km2 |
| 59 | Tippah County | 1,186 km2 |
| 60 | Tunica County | 1,178 km2 |
| 61 | Lee County | 1,165 km2 |
| 62 | Stone County | 1,153 km2 |
| 63 | Lawrence County | 1,116 km2 |
| 64 | Sharkey County | 1,109 km2 |
| 65 | Tishomingo County | 1,098 km2 |
| 66 | Webster County | 1,096 km2 |
| 67 | Grenada County | 1,093 km2 |
| 68 | Choctaw County | 1,085 km2 |
| 69 | Humphreys County | 1,083 km2 |
| 70 | Union County | 1,077 km2 |
| 71 | Prentiss County | 1,075 km2 |
| 72 | Covington County | 1,072 km2 |
| 73 | Issaquena County | 1,070 km2 |
| 74 | Clay County | 1,059 km2 |
| 75 | Pike County | 1,059 km2 |
| 76 | Jefferson Davis County | 1,057 km2 |
| 77 | Benton County | 1,054 km2 |
| 78 | Montgomery County | 1,054 km2 |
| 79 | Quitman County | 1,049 km2 |
| 80 | Tate County | 1,046 km2 |
| 81 | Walthall County | 1,046 km2 |
| 82 | Alcorn County | 1,036 km2 |
LANDMARKS IN MISSISSIPPI
While a large part of the culture is more about music, Mississippi also has some other cultural highlights to offer.
Windsor Ruins at Port Gibson
The old Windsor Ruins plantation is located in southwest Mississippi not far from the city of Port Gibson. It was built between 1859 and 1861 and was the largest plantation and villa of its type in Mississippi. Today visitors can see the remains of the villa. The stone pillars were also used as film locations for films due to their mystical appearance.
Beauvoir (Jefferson Davis Home) in Biloxi
The Beauvoir or Jefferson Davis Home was the home of President Jefferson Davis after the American Civil War. The house, built in 1848, once stood on an area of 2.4 km². Today visitors can visit a 210,000 m² area, on the bottom of which the building still stands. There is now a museum there.
Fort Massachusetts at Gulf Port
Fort Massachusetts is a former US Army fort on West Ship Island not far from Gulf Port. This was built between 1859 and 1866 and was in service until 1903. The brick building is now part of the Gulf Islands National Seashore and visitors can access it via passenger ferry.
Mississippi Governor’s Mansion in Jackson
The Mississippi Governor’s Mansion is the residence of the Mississippi Governor. It was built between 1839 and 1842 in the Greek Revival style.
Rowan Oak in Oxford
The Rowan Oak was the former home of the Nobel Prize winner for literature William Faulkner, who lived here for 30 years. It was also built in the Greek Revival style in 1840. In 1972 the University of Mississippi bought the house and turned it into a memorial. Visitors can tour the house and property or take a guided tour.
New State Capitol in Jackson
The New State Capitol in Jackson is the parliament of the state of Mississippi. It was built between 1901 and 1903 and is still the seat of parliament today. The building is in a French Beaux Arts style and on its top is a 2.50 meter high gilded eagle with five meter long wings spread out.
Old State Capitol in Jackson
The Old State Capitol is the old parliament of the state of Mississippi. It was built in 1837 and used until 1903. The building has a neoclassical style and is about 28 meters high. Today there is a museum here, which is dedicated to its own history and the history of the state of Mississippi.
Old Vicksburg Bridge
The Old Vicksburg Bridge spans the Mississippi near the city of Vicksburg. It is 2,605 meters long and is one of the historic buildings. It should also serve as a reminder of the Battle of Vicksburg.
John C. Stennis Space Center at Gulfport
The John C. Stennis Space Center is on the Louisiana border and is the largest test facility for rocket motors. It was built in 1961 and is about 55 km² in size. So far, the drives for the Apollo program, the Space Shuttle and the SpaceShipOne have been built and tested here. The visitor center has exhibitions on NASA and space travel.