US Territory

Mississippi

The southern coastal strip of present-day Mississippi was part of Spanish West Florida, a province of the Spanish Empire from 1783 until 1821. At its greatest extent, the colony included what are now the southernmost parts of Mississippi and Alabama. Much of its territory was gradually annexed by the United States in the West Florida Controversy, and present-day coastal Mississippi was annexed either before or during the War of 1812, prior to Mississippi statehood on December 10, 1817.

Admission date
December 10, 1817
Historic sites
1,547
Military engagements
655

Pre-contact era

Indigenous peoples inhabited the region for thousands of years, with evidence found through archaeological excavations and earthwork mounds. Native American traditions were preserved through oral histories.

Colonial history

Initial colonization of the region was carried out by the French, including along the Gulf Coast.

France ceded control over portions of the region to Spain and Britain, particularly along the Gulf Coast. Spanish West Florida initially had the same borders as the erstwhile British colony.

Spanish West Florida was a province of the Spanish Empire from 1783 until 1821. Present-day coastal Mississippi was part of this territory. Southeastern Louisiana and present-day coastal Mississippi and Alabama were annexed either before or during the War of 1812.

Territorial period

Whereas Southeastern Louisiana and present-day coastal Mississippi and Alabama were annexed either before or during the War of 1812, the land that makes up present-day Florida was not acquired until several years later. Much of the territory was gradually annexed by the United States in the West Florida Controversy.

Statehood

On December 10, 1817, Mississippi became a state of the United States.

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Overview
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The Land
The historic sites and place names around the location, and how this land was settled and used.
Geology
The bedrock beneath the site, its age and rock type, reaching back millions of years.
LiDAR Terrain
Laser-scanned terrain that reveals earthworks and old features hidden in the landscape.
Conflict & War
The battles, raids and skirmishes fought near here, across every era of American conflict.
The Civil War
The Civil War on this ground, 1861 to 1865: who held it, and the battles, camps and regiments nearby.
The Soldiers
The men who marched from here in the Civil War, named and traced where the record allows.
Native Heritage
The Native nations who held this land, mapped across time from before European contact to today.
Settlement
Who claimed and held this ground, from Indigenous homelands through the colonial powers to the United States.
The Community
How the town grew, who came, and what kind of place it became, traced through the census record.
Rivers & Rail
The rivers, canals and railroads that connected this place between 1830 and 1911.
Notable People
The people born, buried or genuinely tied to this exact place, with their stories.
Historical Maps
Historic maps of the location layered over how it looks today.
Finds & Access
Museum objects tied to the area, and the laws on searching, collecting and access here.
Literature
The old books, county histories and archives that mention this place, quoted with their sources.
Spotlight
A deep dive into the most remarkable, lesser-known history of the place, traced back to the record.
Points of Interest
The most significant historic sites and landmarks near the location, and why they matter.
Timeline
The whole story of the location told era by era, from first peoples to the present day.
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Regional histories

Coastal Mississippi Spanish West Florida
›
Interior Mississippi Territory
›

Explore Mississippi records

1,547
National Register historic sites
National Register listings ›
655
Military engagements
Military history records ›
6
Civil War regiments
Union, Confederate, USCT ›
9
Indigenous groups
Heritage records ›
6
Notable figures
Born in Mississippi ›
21
Colonial-era events
1492 to early statehood ›
Mississippi counties
Census population history ›
Sources

State history content adapted from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License. Historic sites data: National Register of Historic Places, National Park Service (public domain).

About Mississippi

When did Mississippi become a state?
Mississippi is a US territory, not a state.
What European powers colonized Mississippi?
The territory that became Mississippi passed through several colonial periods. Initial colonization of the region was carried out by the French, including along the Gulf Coast. France ceded control over portions of the region to Spain and Britain, particularly along the Gulf Coast. Spanish West Florida initially had the same borders as the erstwhile British colony. Spanish West Florida was a province of the Spanish Empire from 1783 until 1821. Present-day coastal Mississippi
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