Mississippi History, Geography, Population, State Facts

The Magnolia State

Great Seal of the State of Mississippi

Adopted in 1817.

When Mississippi gained statehood in 1817, it decided to use the seal that it had been using since 1798 when Mississippi was still a territory. It bears a modified version of the arms of the United States. The eagle holds an olive branch and arrows, symbolizing the desire for peace but the ability to wage war. The outer circle of the seal holds the words "The Great Seal of the State of Mississippi".

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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.
Capital City: Jackson

Capitol Tour

Mississippi: State of Mississippi Official Web Site

Admission to Statehood: Click for Date & List

Airports: Airports Map ? Airport Links

Amtrak: South

Area: 48434 sq.mi, 32nd ? Land 46914 sq. mi., 31st ? Water 1520 sq.mi., 25th ? Coastline 53 mi., 18th ? Shoreline 359 mi., 22nd

Area Codes: Mississippi

Biographies: Famous People from Mississippi

Bird:? Mocking Bird

Border States: Regional List ??Alabama ? Arkansas ?? Louisiana ? Tennessee

Cam World: Live Web Cams

Climate: Mississippi

Community Pages: Mississippi Cities, Towns, Communities List

Constitution: 20th State

County Profile: County Map ? 82 Counties

Courts: Judicial System

Current Events: Mississippi News Headlines

Department of: Education ?? Licensure | Mississippi State University Land-Grant institution founded in 1862, located in Starkville, north-central Mississippi. | University of Mississippi An American Public University.

Driving: DMV

Economy: Agriculture: Cotton, poultry, cattle, catfish, soybeans, dairy products, rice.?? Industry: Apparel, furniture, lumber and wood products, food processing, electrical machinery, transportation equipment.

Flag: Mississippi (MS)

Flower: Magnolia ? Magnolia grandiflora

Cyndi's List ?? Historical Societies

Geographic Center: Leake, 9 miles westnorthwest of Carthage

Geology Maps: Miississippi

Ghost Towns: Ghost Towns

Governor: Office of Governor

Highest Point: Woodall Mountain; 806 feet, 47th

Highways: Mississippi Highways

History: History Timeline ?? Historical ??? Civil War

Hotels, Motels & Inns:

Kids Corner: State of Mississippi Kids Site

Library: Mississippi?

License Plates: Mississippi

Lighthouses: Biloxi

Lottery: None

Lowest Point: Gulf Coast; sea level, 3rd

Maps:

Media: Radio ? TV

Motto: Virtute et armis By valor and arms

Museums: The Virtual Library

Name: Mississippi name possible based on Chippewa Indian words "mici zibi," loosely meaning great river .

National Forest: Mississippi

Population: Quick facts ? 2,844,658; 31st, 12/00

Real Estate: Every Mississippi City, Town & Community

Representatives: Mississippi: House Members??? Mississippi: Senate Members?? US House: ? 110th Congress??? US Senate: ? 110th Congress

Road Side America: Mississippi

School Directory: Mississippi

Soil: Mississippi - Natchez

Song: Mississippi? ??

Sports: Mississippi Teams

State Parks: Mississippi

Symbols: Mississippi Symbols

Tourism: www.visitmississippi.org

Travel: Mississippi Travel

Tree: Southern Magnolia ? Magnolia grandiflora ?

Veteran Affairs: Mississippi VA

Visitor Guides: Mississippi The Mississippi Tourism Home Page.? | Mississippi Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks Hunting, Wildlife, Fishing and Golf in Mississippi.

Weather: Jackson, Jackson International Airport

White Pages: AnyWho.com ?- Over 90 million people listings, businesses, emails, & reverse telephone listings.

Yellow Pages:: Yellow Pages.com

Zoo: Jackson Mississippi Zoo