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 Travel
America
Learn before you travel. This section of Fun Easy
English focuses on facts and other cool stuff about
your favorite U.S. state. This is great English
reading practice. This page focuses on the state of
Mississippi. |
 Hey
if you cannot understand something on this page,
then use the Fun Easy English
dictionary
(opens in a new window) |
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 Mississippi
Spelling the name of this state out loud is a catchy
way to remember it, and a way to make sure you spell
it correctly. The name "Mississippi" comes from an
Indian word meaning "great waters" or "father of
waters." Mississippi entered the Union as the 20th
state in 1817. Considered part of the Deep South,
Mississippi, with its rich soil and many rivers, is
an agricultural state. The state flower is the
fragrant magnolia blossom, and the capital is
Jackson. |
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Mississippi
State Flag
The state flag of Mississipi has a square Union
canton in the upper left and three horizontal bars of blue,
white, and red (the same shades as the national colors of
the United States). The stars represent the original 13
colonies. |
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Source:
State Symbols USA |
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 Mississippi
State Facts
Picture: state seal of Mississippi |
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State Capital |
Jackson |
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Nickname |
Magnolia State |
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Motto |
Virtute et Armis (By valor and arms) |
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Statehood |
December 10, 1817 (20th) |
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Origin of Name |
Possible based on Chippewa Indian words "mici zibi,"
loosely meaning "great river" or "gathering in of
all water" |
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Largest Cities |
Jackson, Biloxi, Greenville, Hattiesburg, Gulfport |
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Border States |
Alabama, Arkansas, Louisiana, Tennessee |
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Area |
46,914 sq. mi.; 31st largest |
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State Bird |
Mockingbird |
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State Flower |
Magnolia (magnolia grandiflora) |
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State Tree |
Magnolia ( magnolia grandiflora) |
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State Song |
Go Mis-sis-sip-pi |
 Travel and
tourism site for Mississippi - This state travel and
territorial tourism site provides ideas for your vacations,
meetings, and more. |
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Mississippi Stories |
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Biloxi, Mississippi's Blessing of the Fleet
If you saw the movie "The Perfect Storm," then you know how
dangerous it can be to fish for a living. That's why every year at
the beginning of the shrimp fishing season in Biloxi, Mississippi, a
priest from St. Michael's Catholic Church blesses the shrimp boats.
The ceremony begins with the dropping of an evergreen wreath into
the water in remembrance of fishermen who have been lost at sea.
Then a colorful procession of more than 30 shrimp boats files past
the anchored "Blessing Boat," where the priest stands, sprinkling
holy water on each of the boats and blessing each one, asking for a
safe and successful fishing season.
Blessing of ships is an old custom that started in Europe and was
brought to America. Every time a boat is taken out into the water
there are potential dangers -- turning over (capsizing), springing a
leak, getting lost, or sailors falling overboard. There is also the
uncertainty of whether or not enough seafood will be caught to make
the trip profitable. The custom of blessing the shrimp boats started
in Biloxi in 1929 and will probably continue for a long time. |
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Mississippi Delta Blues and Heritage Festival
Think about all the emotions expressed in the music you listen to:
joy, happiness, loneliness, nervousness, and, of course, sadness.
Music with sad themes is often called the "blues."
Blues music developed in the United States among Southern blacks
after the Civil War. When slaves were brought to America from
Africa, they brought their musical traditions with them. Blended
with folk and popular music of whites, these African musical
traditions developed into the blues.
The blues is believed to have originated in the Mississippi Delta, a
wedge-shaped region in northern Mississippi between the Mississippi
and Yazoo rivers. This is a rural area where the poorest and most
disadvantaged black people lived -- this lifestyle created a need
for the expression of sadness that is so often sung in the blues.
The conditions in this area -- poverty, racism, and inhumane working
situations -- led many blacks to go north, to cities such as
Memphis, Chicago, St. Louis and Detroit.
The blues did not vanish from the Mississippi countryside, however,
and in 1978, the Mississippi Delta Blues and Heritage Festival was
founded to celebrate and promote the blues and the culture of the
Mississippi Delta people. What started out on the back of a flatbed
truck is now the oldest and largest blues festival in the South,
with 20,000 visitors and performances on three festival stages. |
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Mississippi's Rock of Gibraltar
Do you know about the Rock of Gibraltar at the southern tip of
Spain? The Greeks believed that Gibraltar was one of the Pillars of
Hercules and no one dared sail beyond it. Later, when it came under
British control, it became known as a symbol of British naval
strength and was known as "the Rock." During the Civil War, a city
in Mississippi was called "The Gibraltar of the Confederacy;" do you
know which one it was?
The mighty Mississippi River flows past the historic city of
Vicksburg. Built on a strategic location halfway between Memphis and
New Orleans, Vicksburg became an important stronghold during the
Civil War. It was known as "The Gibraltar of the Confederacy"
because the Battle of Vicksburg was one of the Civil War's longest
and most important campaigns. The city's eventual surrender in 1863
gave Union forces control of the Mississippi River and divided the
South.
The Mississippi River has played a large part in the development of
Vicksburg. In an 1873 flood, the river changed course and destroyed
what was left of the city after the Civil War. The Great Mississippi
River Flood of 1927 also had devastating effects on the city. After
both of these natural disasters, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
provided assistance to Vicksburg by building canals, levees and
other structures to protect this river city. |
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Source:
Library of Congress |
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 National
Forests of Mississippi
The following is a description of national
forests in the state
of Mississippi. There are no national parks
or monuments in this state. If you plan to visit or live
in Mississippi for awhile then you should
definitely plan to visit some of these
fantastic places. |
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National Forests |
 Bienville
Located in central Mississippi, this forest
includes several lakes and reservoirs and
Harrell Prairie, the largest and least
disturbed prairie in the state. Bienville
Pines Scenic Area includes 189 acres (76 ha)
of old-growth forest. It is managed
collectively with Mississippi's five other
National Forests. |
 Delta
Delta National Forest contains the only
bottomland hardwood forest in the National
Forest System, located in the floodplain of
the Mississippi River.[18] The forest
includes the Green Ash-Overcup Oak-Sweetgum
Research Natural Areas, which is a National
Natural Landmark because it contains remnant
bottomland old-growth forest. |
 De
Soto
De Soto National Forest contains
Mississippi's only wilderness areas: Black
Creek and Leaf River. The Black Creek and
Tuxachanie National Recreation Trails
provide 60 mi (97 km) of hiking
opportunities. Black Creek has been
designated a National Wild and Scenic River
for 21 mi (34 km). |
 Holly
Springs
In north-central Mississippi, Holly Springs
National Forest has small lakes in upland
forests and unique bottomlands. Chewalla and
Puskus recreation areas surround the
namesake lakes and have boat launches. |
 Homochitto
Located in southern Mississippi, this forest
is named for the Homochitto River, meaning
"Big Red River." Most of the forest is
densely forested hills, but there are
recreation facilities at Pipes Lake, Clear
Springs, and Mount Nebo. |
 Tombigbee
Located in northeastern Mississippi,
Tombigbee National Forest covers rolling
hills that were abandoned farmland before
the forest was established. It is managed
together with Mississippi's other National
Forests. |
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Cool America |
 About the U.S.A.
About the U.S.A. is an American
Studies reader that examines the customs, government, and history of the
United States of America. The text provides a wealth of information on U.S.
geography and history; the roles of local, state, and federal government;
national holidays and symbols; the Constitution; and citizenship. The book,
which was written for intermediate to advanced learners of English, contains
a range of activities for language students to practice listening, speaking,
reading, and writing. (opens to a new PDF window)
Great English reading
practice. |
 About
America
Learn about the fascinating history and government of
the United States of America. Lessons include content on
American Government, American History, and Integrated
Civics. Handouts with interactive games and
student-centered activities encompass all four language
skills: speaking, listening, reading, and writing.
Great English reading practice for
beginning to intermediate students. |
 American Teens Talk!
Americans Teens Talk! is a collection of interviews of
American high school students. Each interview is accompanied by vocabulary
notes and discussion questions. The interviews in American Teens Talk! give
learners a view into the lives of adolescents in the U.S. Through the
written format of the interviews, learners are able to increase their
vocabulary, practice their reading and listening skills, engage in
discussions, and learn more about U.S. culture. These
interviews come with audio programs.
Great English listening and
reading |
 Sing Out Loud Children's Songs
Sing Out Loud Children's Songs includes popular children's songs in the U.S.A. Posters accompany the
individual Sing Out Loud Children's Songs. These
songs come with audio programs.
Great English listening and reading
practice. |
 Sing Out Loud Traditional Songs
The Sing Out Loud Traditional Songs
collection contains 13 traditional American folk songs and song lyrics.
Listen to the songs online, read the lyrics, and collect the posters that
accompany the songs. These
songs come with audio programs.
Great English listening and reading
practice. |
 Sing Out Loud American Rhythms
Do you love music? Want to use it
to learn English? Check out the hip-hop inspired song "Peace" from Sing Out
Loud American Rhythms. American Rhythms includes a variety of musical genres
from many different artists in the U.S.A. These songs will appeal to teens
and young adults. These
songs come with audio programs.
Great English listening and reading
practice. |
 Route
66 - Famous American Road
U.S. Route 66 (US 66 or Route 66), also known as the Will Rogers Highway, the
Main Street of America or the Mother Road, was one of the original highways in
the U.S. Highway System. The highway, which became one of the most famous roads
in the United States, originally ran from Chicago, Illinois, through Missouri,
Kansas, Oklahoma, Texas, New Mexico, and Arizona before ending in Santa Monica,
California, near Los Angeles, covering a total of 2,448 miles (3,940 km). It was
recognized in popular culture by both the hit song "(Get Your Kicks on) Route
66" and the Route 66 television show in the 1960s. |
Route 66: The Highway That's the Best
(Beginner - Listening)
A video lesson which shows you an interesting place in America.
The English is
spoken at 75% of normal speed.
Great English listening practice.
This video shows travel along Route 66, the most famous road in
America. |
Chicago: The Start of Route 66
(Beginner - Listening)
A video lesson which shows you an interesting place in America.
The English is
spoken at 75% of normal speed.
Great English listening practice.
This video shows travel along Route 66, the most famous road in
America. |
Going West for Decades on Route 66
(Beginner - Listening)
A video lesson which shows you an interesting place in America.
The English is
spoken at 75% of normal speed.
Great English listening practice.
This video shows travel along Route 66, the most famous road in
America. |
Arizona: The Spirit of Route 66
(Beginner - Listening)
A video lesson which shows you an interesting place in America.
The English is
spoken at 75% of normal speed.
Great English listening practice.
This video shows travel along Route 66, the most famous road in
America. |
Route 66 California: The End of the Trail
(Beginner - Listening)
A video lesson which shows you an interesting place in America.
The English is
spoken at 75% of normal speed.
Great English listening practice.
This video shows travel along Route 66, the most famous road in
America. |
Ten Must-See Route 66 Attractions
(Beginner - Listening)
A video lesson which shows you an interesting place in America.
The English is
spoken at 75% of normal speed.
Great English listening practice.
This video shows travel along Route 66, the most famous road in
America. |
Four Famous Foods On Route 66
(Beginner - Listening)
A video lesson which shows you an interesting place in America.
The English is
spoken at 75% of normal speed.
Great English listening practice.
This video shows travel along Route 66, the most famous road in
America. |
International Tourists Drawn to Route 66
(Beginner - Listening)
A video lesson which shows you an interesting place in America.
The English is
spoken at 75% of normal speed.
Great English listening practice.
This video shows travel along Route 66, the most famous road in
America. |
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