History of Mississippi

Mississippi was first home to the Paleo-Indians, Natchez, Yazoo, Pascagoula, and the Biloxi. The first European  to find Mississippi was Hernando de Soto in 1540.  In 1817 Mississippi became the 20th state of the Union. Since Mississippi is and Indian state, it got its name from the Indians. Mississippi means 'great waters' or 'father of waters', and mississippi got its name because of the Mississippi River running throught it.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_Mississippi https://wiki.answers.com/Q/How_did_the_state_of_Mississippi_get_its_name