The Southern states along the Gulf of Mexico have very different stories. Alabama, the "Heart of Dixie," was a key battleground in the Civil War, as well as during the African American civil rights movement one hundred years later. In Louisiana, Spanish, French, African, Caribbean, Cajun, and other influences blended together over centuries to create a unique and fascinating culture. Mississippi, in the Deep South, is the birthplace of a distinctive form of American music: the blues, which in turn helped to spawn rock and roll. This book in the LET'S EXPLORE THE STATES series provides information about these three unique states, from their geography, history, and government to their economy, population demographics, and major cities.