Mississippi Territory

The Mississippi Territory was created by Congress in April 1798 from lands north of the 31st parallel that Georgia had claimed. It was the first American territorial government to include parts of present-day Alabama, and it lasted until the eastern half became the Alabama Territory in 1817 [1]. This entry explains how the territory was formed, how its population grew and how it became the setting for the migration known as Alabama fever.

Why Congress created it

After the Treaty of Paris in 1783, the United States held British claims to the lands east of the Mississippi, including present-day Alabama. Both Spain and the United States claimed parts of the Gulf region until the Treaty of San Lorenzo in 1795 fixed the boundary at the 31st parallel. In April 1798, Congress created the Mississippi Territory from the lands north of that line that Georgia had claimed, and in 1802 Georgia gave up its claims to the area [1][2].

Settlements

In 1804, the territory had two white settlements: St. Stephens on the lower Tombigbee River and Natchez on the lower Mississippi. The rest of the land was held by Native nations, including the Choctaws, Chickasaws, Creeks and Cherokees, and it was gradually opened to settlement through treaties. St. Stephens, a Spanish fort and then an American trading post, is described in St. Stephens (Territorial Capital) [1][3].

Adding the Gulf coast

In 1811 and 1812 Congress claimed the area between the Pearl and Perdido rivers and added it to the Mississippi Territory, naming Mobile as its administrative center. The Spanish garrison at Mobile surrendered to U.S. forces in April 1813. The story of that transfer is in Spanish West Florida [2].

Population and growth

The population of the Alabama portion grew from about 1,250 in 1800 to 9,046 in 1810 and 127,901 in 1820. By 1820, enslaved people made up about 31 percent of the population. Migrants from neighboring southern states were drawn by cheap land and new opportunity, a movement often described as catching “Alabama fever” [1]. See Alabama Fever (Land Rush).

Division in 1817

On March 3, 1817, Congress created the Alabama Territory from the eastern half of the Mississippi Territory. The western half became the state of Mississippi later that year. William Wyatt Bibb of Georgia was named governor of the new Alabama Territory [1][4]. The next stage of the story is in Alabama Territory.

Why it matters

The Mississippi Territory established the legal framework through which land was surveyed, sold and governed. It also shaped the borders of Alabama, whose northern and southern lines were fixed by the same boundary surveys. For the later history see the main Alabama profile [1][2].

FAQs

When was the Mississippi Territory created? In April 1798.

Did it include Alabama? Yes, until 1817, when the Alabama Territory was created from its eastern half.

What were its first settlements? St. Stephens on the Tombigbee and Natchez on the Mississippi, in 1804.

How fast did the population grow? From about 1,250 in 1800 to 127,901 in 1820 in the Alabama portion.

What is Alabama fever? The rush of settlers into the area in the early 1800s.

Sources

1. Encyclopedia of Alabama: Territorial Period and Early Statehood
2. Encyclopedia of Alabama: Spanish West Florida
3. Encyclopedia of Alabama: St. Stephens
4. Encyclopedia of Alabama: William Wyatt Bibb (1819-20)

Editorially reviewed by Specialty Digest Editorial TeamLast reviewed November 10, 2026Researched and drafted with AI assistanceReport an issue