First explored for Spain by Hernando
de Soto, who discovered the Mississippi River in
1540, the region was later claimed by France. In
1699, a French group under Sieur d'Iberville
established the first permanent settlement near
present-day Ocean Springs.
Great Britain took over the area in 1763 after the
French and Indian Wars, ceding it to the U.S. in
1783 after the Revolution. Spain did not relinquish
its claims until 1798, and in 1810 the U.S. annexed
West Florida from Spain, including what is now
southern Mississippi.
For a little more than one hundred years, from
shortly after the state's founding through the Great
Depression, cotton was the undisputed king of
Mississippi's largely agrarian economy. Over the
last half-century, however, Mississippi has
diversified its economy by balancing agricultural
output with increased industrial activity.
Today, agriculture continues as a major segment of
the state's economy. For almost four decades
soybeans occupied the most acreage, while cotton
remained the largest cash crop. In 2001, however,
more acres of cotton were planted than soybeans, and
Mississippi jumped to second in the nation in cotton
production (exceeded only by Texas). The state's
farmlands also yield important harvests of corn,
peanuts, pecans, rice, sugar cane, and sweet
potatoes as well as poultry, eggs, meat animals,
dairy products, feed crops, and horticultural crops.
Mississippi remains the world's leading producer of
pond-raised catfish.
The state abounds in historical landmarks and is the
home of the Vicksburg National Military Park. Other
National Park Service areas are Brices Cross Roads
National Battlefield Site, Tupelo National
Battlefield, and part of Natchez Trace National
Parkway. Pre–Civil War mansions are the special
pride of Natchez, Oxford, Columbus, Vicksburg, and
Jackson.
On Aug. 29, 2005, Mississippi was hit by Hurricane
Katrina, killing hundreds, mostly in Harrison
County. |
