Economic history

Economic Development in the 1930s: Balance Agriculture with Industry Lesson Plan

OVERVIEW

One of the primary goals of Mississippi governors and politicians of the 1930s was to stimulate economic growth in the state. Columbia's mayor, Hugh White, was elected governor of Mississippi in 1935. His political aspirations included developing the economic industrial base of the state through a plan that became known as BAWI (Balance Agriculture with Industry).  Even though few of the firms that were established under White's plan still exist, this economic vision acted as a catalyst in changing economic goals for a historically agricultural state.

The Depression and Hard Times in Mississippi Lesson Plan

OVERVIEW

It is difficult for today’s students to grasp the dire predicament of most Mississippians who lived during the Depression Era. Study of the events of that period will give students a useful historical base, but it alone cannot be expected to engender in them a deep understanding of the severity of the period. However, an examination of the lives of ordinary citizens as they shared their desperation in letters to their congressman will enable students to gain a clearer picture of the times. As students read the correspondence between Congressman William M.

Catfish Farming in Mississippi Lesson Plan

OVERVIEW

A casual discussion of Mississippi’s official state symbols in the classroom usually will produce some humorous answers. For example, the “mosquito” is the state insect, or perhaps it’s the fire ant! Rather than identifying the large-mouth bass as the state fish, students often will name the catfish and will only most reluctantly acquiesce when corrected. For years, the catfish has been favorite “eating” of Mississippians, many of whom caught them right out of a river or pond or bought them fresh from a local fisherman.

The Seafood Industry in Biloxi: Its Early History, 1848-1930 Lesson Plan

OVERVIEW

In the 19th century, a large seafood industry developed on the Mississippi Gulf Coast due in large part to new canning methods, production of commercial ice, financial investors, and the development of the railroad in the region. By the early 1900s, the coastal city of Biloxi became known as the “Seafood Capital of the World.” Workers migrated to the city for seasonal work in the factories, settled in the area, and added to the cultural landscape.

John Law and the Mississippi Bubble: 1718-1720 Lesson Plan

OVERVIEW

History has provided evidence that economic prosperity and stability is essential to the social stability of any nation or civilization. John Law was able to rally support for his own economic adventure, with the promise that France would become an economic powerhouse at a time when the country’s economy need rejuvenation. Unfortunately, the world of business has many unpredictable factors that can influence the outcome of events that appear to be a “sure thing.” John Law's Mississippi Company was an economic dream that was brought to an end by unpredictable factors.

Voices of Katrina

Theme and Time Period

The ferocity of Hurricane Katrina etched the date August 29, 2005, in the minds of everyone who experienced it. South Mississippians, and the thousands of people from across the country who came to their aid, are forever shaped by the disaster and its aftermath.

Not Just Farms Anymore: The Effects of World War II on Mississippi's Economy

Theme and Time Period

Mississippi, like most of America, responded with unbridled patriotism when the attack on Pearl Harbor in 1941 thrust the nation into World War II. Thousands of Mississippians entered the armed forces. In every community, citizens on the home front contributed to the war effort. They raised money in war bond campaigns. They collected scrape metal, rubber, and other materials to turn in for recycling.

Owen Cooper (1908-1986): Business Leader and Humanitarian

Theme and Time Period

When Mississippi faced tough economic and social problems after the Great Depression and World War II, Owen Cooper challenged Mississippians to band together and successfully solve them. Whether the need was for rural hospitals and affordable health insurance, production of a fertilizer that increased crop yield for a hungry world, better race relations, or spreading Southern Baptist missions around the globe, Cooper repeatedly led Mississippians to work together and make the seemingly impossible possible.

Farmers Without Land: The Plight of White Tenant Farmers and Sharecroppers

Theme and Time Period

For much of the 19th and 20th centuries, Mississippi was an overwhelmingly agricultural state. While farming provided a route to economic success for many White Mississippians, a number of White people could always be found at the bottom of the agricultural ladder, working as tenant farmers or sharecroppers, a status more typically associated with Black Mississippians in the century after the American Civil War.

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