History of the Mississippi- 1700s
- 1763: Mississippi passed into English control after the French and Indian War
- 1781-1783: Mississippi River divided into two sections North and South (America controlled the North and Spain the south)
- 1797: Spain ceded Mississippi to United States
- 1798: Mississippi organized as American territory
- 1798-1820: 222,000 immigrants moved to Mississippi (majority slaves)
- The immigration movement came in two distinct waves, before the war and after
- Post War Flood Reasons: high cotton prices, elimination of indian titles to land, new and improved roads and the acquisition of new direct outlets to the gulf
- State of contrast
- prospered through cultivation of cotton and cash crops
- fertile grounds for black musicians
- much of life around the river was easy
- cultural and complex people
Buffalo were very useful....
- teeth and bones for ceremonial rattles, knives, arrowheads, shovels, sleds, clubs and dice
- hides became teepee covers, clothes, shoes, belts, bags, arrow quivers and dolls
- headresses made of hair
- tongue, heart and liver were eaten
- horns carved into spooons, cups, decorations
- muscles cut into strips and preserved as jerky
- tails became whips and brushes
- fat used in soap. cooking oil, soup
- hooves boiled down as glue
Battle of New Orleans
- Most famous battle of the war
- Andrew Jackson led U.S. to victory
- Battle continued after war ended
- December 22 shots were fired and lasted for 7 days
- More than one battle
- Surprise attacks at Bonaventura (first move)
- January 9, 1815, final move across the Stubble - plains of Chalmer
- 2,600 men dead, wounded, and captured (8 dead/ 13 wounded)
Sites Along the River
- Fort Snelling
- Minnesota
- Minneapolis
- Baton Rouge
- Louisiana
The Native Americans used the river for....
- food
- fishing
- trade
- bathing
- travel
- entertainment
Mississippi River (1780's-1850's)
Physical Features
- tall grass prairies
- oak savannahs
- floodplain forests
Native American Tribes
- Biloxi
- Chickasaw
- Choctaw
- Natchez
- Tonica
- Quapaw
- Ofo
Geography
- 2,320 miles long
- widths range from 20 feet to a mile wide
- States it crosses through include Minnesota, Wisconsin, Illinois, Missouri, Iowa, Kentucky, Tennessee, Arkansas, Mississippi and Louisiana
- Starts in Canada, ends in Gulf of Mexico
- Second largest river
- slow moving
- many rivers branch off of it
By: Maddy, Ryan, Trevor and Jack
Culture
- Mardi Gras (created March 3 1694, France) and other local celebrations
- People of color lost freedom after Louisiana purchase
- French was commonly spoke language
- Most culturally complex people in North America
- Democratic culture
- Flat boats and steam boats for transporting goods
- Play cards, drink, fight, rest
- French colonists established Catholic Church
1800-1861
- 1801/1802: Natchez trail developed as mail route and major road
- Capitol moved from Natchez to Washington, Mississippi
- 1805: Choctaw sold 4.5 million acres of land to America
- 1812: The War of 1812 begins and Mississippi rakes control over west Florida territory; war ends in 1815
- 1816: Treaty with Choctaw Indians opened land around Tombigbee Prarie for settlement
- 1817: Mississippi becomes 20th state
- 1830: All Choctaw territory east of Mississippi added to U.S. Choctaws left state; all Choctaw territory north ceded to U.S. (moved to Oklahoma)
- 1850: Congess gave Mississippi three million acres of swamp
- 1861: Civil War begins
Other Major Battles
- Creek War (1813 - August 1814) - U.S., Lower creeks, Cherokee, Choctaw (7,000) 584 killed - Red Stick Creek (4,000) 1,597 killed
- Battle of Jackson (May 14, 1863) - Union victory
- vast amounts of high quality cotton (inexpensive) attracted plethora of settlers from GA and Carolina's
- mixed crops (tobacco wasn't profitable)
- 1778 - 1820: 5,000-222,000 (majority slaves)
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