Figure 1.--This stereoview card shows African Americans, including children, chopping cotton on a Mississippi cotton farm around the turn of the 20th century. Thai would hve been just before the Grest Migration began.

The area of the modrn stte of Mississippi was domimated by ther Native American Mississippi Culture. The Choicktaw were especially important. The writtem history of Mississippi began with Spanish exploter Hernan de Soto (1500–1542) was fiest encvountered bd crossed the Mississippi River (1540). The aea of the time was consudered Spnish and or French territory. and known as part of the Louisiana Territory. The first European settlement was a French base along the Gulf coast (1699), by European settlement beyond New Orleabs was still limited to a few French and Spanish plantation using slave labor. The French and English fought the French and Indian/Seven Years War for contol of North Anerica. The British won (1763). Then the American Colonists gained control after the Revolutionary War (1783). The terrioryv was of limited value until Eli Whitney's cotton gin made cotton a profitable crop (1793). Mississppit became a state named after the river that forms its western noundary n(1817). The Choktow signed a treaty opening up cotton lands (1830). Southern planters began moving west, acquirting slaves from the upper south ehere soils were being exhausted. The term 'sold down the river' entered the Americn lexicon. Mississippi become one of the Deep South states based on cotton and slave labor. Half of the state's population became slaves. Foryines were mae as cotton became Americva's modst vlubke cop. The rising Abolitionist Movement turned the planters agsint the Union leading to secession and Civil War. Misissippi became one of the Confederates states. Vicksburg was one of the key battles (1863). After th War, cotton continued to be important to Mississippi, bur declined in importanbce to the overall economy. Emsncupotuoin was trafically followed bt aentury of Jim Crow. Continued reoression led tio the Great MJgration to Northern and Midwestern cities. Air coindutiined bgan serious economic change throughout the South and Southwest (1920s). Mississippi was at or mnear the bottom og the sttes in most metrics, understandble when you realize that human capital is any state or country's primary assett. Thus the term, 'Thank God for Mississippi" saving otyhr sttes from bing the bottom. Finally Jim Crow was dismanteld by the Civil Rights Movement (1960s). Mississippi and the iher Deep South states began to develop more properous economies, but continue to rank low in most meterics. It is unclkear why. Woke though claims 'white priblidge' and 'imstitutionl rcism'. There is no real evidence of tyhis, only the state's low mum,bts. Mainliine media and academic censorship has prevented comdideration of otyher explntions such as th failie of liberal policies.

Created: 5:56 PM 4/14/2022
Last updated: 5:56 PM 4/14/2022