Fun and Basic Facts about Mississippi
Basic Facts
 Known as the Magnolia state
 Home of the first bottled Coca-Cola
 Catfish capital of the world
 Most tree farms of any U.S. state
 Most churches per capita of any U.S. state
Food – Catfish
Mississippi is the Catfish capital of the world, and an annual catfish festival
is held in Belzoni, Mississippi. Not only is Mississippi the catfish capital,
but it is also home to good foods such as fried chicken, sweet tea, and
barbecue. Hunting and fishing are two of Mississippi’s most premiere
outdoor activities with an environment throughout the state that is great for
doing both.
There are many different types of catfish, but four main types exist in and
around Mississippi. One of the most dominant catfish is the flat head. As
seen above, the flat head catfish typically has some brown and green mottled
color. A catfish weighing more than 4 or 5 pounds is typically a flat head,
and on average these types of catfish out weight all the rest.
Customs – Farming
An area in Mississippi that is world famous for many things is the
Mississippi Delta region. This region consists of channel deposits from the
migration of the Mississippi River back and forth across the channel. Like
other areas consisting of delta deposits, the area is rich in relation to farming.
This has made the Mississippi Delta (also referred to as the Mississippi
Alluvial Region) one of the most productive farming areas of the south.
Mississippi has approximately 38,000 agricultural farms that average 136
acres. Sharecropping was a way of life in the Mississippi Delta early on, but
now a large part of the region is commercial farms. Even though the crops
are changing and the type of farming operation has changed, farming in
Mississippi still has lots of family heritage tied up in it.
Mississippi typically ranks third in the nation in producing cotton which is
the states most valuable crop. Soybeans rank second, and corn is fast
approaching both cotton and soybean. Mississippi also grows wheat, rice,
sweet potatoes, and various other crops. Not only is agricultural farming big
in Mississippi, but tree farming and catfish farming are also big. Mississippi
also has good grazing land and produces lots of chicken and beef for harvest.
Music – Home of the Blues
Mississippi, although home to many other things, is not the true home of the
blues. It is actually speculated on where the exact home of the blues really
is, but the Mississippi Delta is definitely known for the blues. Originally a
mix of European and African twists, the blues was supposed to represent
melancholy and depression. During the time of slavery in Mississippi, the
slaves often sang songs or chants known as the blues to publicize their
oppression as a people.
In the 1920’s, the blues became a craze in American Society. W.C. Handy
made it popular with his “Memphis” and “St. Louis” blues. Although
popular, the blues really did not cross cut cultural boundaries until the
1960’s. Many of the most influential names in the Blues music arena were
from the state of Mississippi. To name a few, John Lee Hooker, B.B. King,
Mississippi John Hurt, and R.L. Burnside were some of the originators of
blues during this time.
Mississippi is home to a great number of blues artists besides just the ones
mentioned. In fact, the Mississippi Delta region has produced a vast
majority of the greatest blues singers to ever live. A good place to learn
more about the blues in Mississippi is the Mississippi Blues Hall of Fame in
Clarksdale, Mississippi.
Authors – William Faulkner
Mississippi has not only produced many great blues artists, but it has also
been the breeding ground for significant literary figures. Literary geniuses
William Faulkner, Eudora Welty, and Tennessee Williams were all born in
Mississippi.
William Faulkner was born in the small northern Mississippi town of New
Albany, in 1897. His family later moved to Oxford which Faulkner called
his home spot. During his career, Faulkner wrote 20 novels and numerous
short stories and essays. In comparison to other Southern writers, he was
one of the few who understood the Southern culture and Southern social
class structure so well. He often fragmented chronological events, fused
different aspects of Southern culture, and left out specific details in his
works. This was his style, and he is world renowned for his works and is
definitely one of the best Southern writers ever known. His home, Roanoke,
can be visited in Oxford, Mississippi.
Coloring Pages and Map outlines
Coloring book of Mississippi
http://www.dmr.state.ms.us/Kids/coloring.htm
Color the flag
http://www.enchantedlearning.com/usa/flags/mississippi/mississippiflag.shtml
Outline map of Mississippi
http://www.worldatlas.com/webimage/countrys/namerica/usstates/outline/ms.htm
Activities
Activity #1 – Crop identification
Idea
It is important for kids to know what various crops look like and be able to
identify them. Mississippi has a lot of history in agriculture and farming,
and it would be beneficial for the kids to learn what some of the popular
crops in Mississippi are and what they look like. Gather an example of 5
different crops. It would be best if these were cotton, soybean, corn, a sweet
potato, and wheat. Most of these should be easy to come by in North
Mississippi. Let the kids feel each sample and describe it orally with them.
This activity is more geared toward looking and listening as well as getting
them to practice writing the names of the crops.
Purpose
The purpose of this activity is to let the kids become familiar with different
crops of Mississippi. It will also get them more involved with learning
about their home state and its agriculture. It is also meant to develop their
listening and identification skills.
Materials:
1 ear of corn with the husk
1 sweet potato
Wheat stalks
Cotton samples with shell if possible
Soybeans
Activity #2 – Blues on my mind
Idea
The idea behind this activity is to acquaint the kids with great blues music
and some of the Mississippi artists that made it. Print out pictures of each of
the following blues greats:
Junior Kimbrough
Bo Diddley
R.L. Burnside
John Lee Hooker
B.B. King
Introduce each of them to the kids and spell their name. After showing them
a picture of each, play one music file from each of the artists while holding
up the picture of who is performing it. Then, after letting them listen and
learn the names of the artists, play the same sound files out of order and let
them match the picture with the artist.
Purpose
Blues music has always been associated with the Mississippi Delta.
Listening and learning about the blues introduces one of the different regions
of Mississippi and one of the major cultural donations it has made to the
entire state of Mississippi.
Materials:
8.5x11 printouts of the five blue’s artists
One sound file or recording from each of the five artists
A worksheet with the names printed and the song titles for matching