2 Minute Tour of Mississippi: 50 States for Kids - FreeSchool

Mississippi is known as the Magnolia State. It was the 20th state to join the United States of America on December 10, 1817, during the presidency of James Monroe. The first European settlement in Mississippi was established by the French in 1699, with areas claimed later by the Spanish and then the British. After the American Revolution, the British surrendered control of the area to the United States. At the time, Native American tribes such as the Chickasaw and Choctaw still inhabited the state, as well as an unusually high amount of enslaved Africans. Due to Mississippi's dependence on enslaved labor to work profitable cotton plantations, it was the second state to secede from the Union leading up to the Civil War. In the years following the war, many of the freed former slaves began farming their own land. Over time, however, many African Americans moved north to avoid discrimination. Despite this, Mississippi still has the highest percentage of black people in its population of any state in the country. Today Mississippi is famous for its music. Delta Blues, named for the Mississippi River Delta, is one of the earliest known styles of blues music. Famous musicians from Mississippi include Elvis Presley, Robert Johnson, and B.B. King. Here's a little bit more about Mississippi. I hope you enjoyed learning about Mississippi, the Magnolia State.