Mississippi is a southern state located in the United States of America. Its capital its Jackson. French colonists arrived in the region in 1699 and founded the town of Natchez on the Mississippi River, which became an important trading post. British, French, and Spanish colonizers controlled the area throughout the eighteenth century and relied heavily on the slave trade and labor for the local economy. Mississippi became a state in 1817. It seceded from the Union in 1861 at the beginning of the American Civil War. The siege of Vicksburg, Mississippi was one of the most important battles in the war. After the Civil War, African American citizens faced considerable prejudice and systemic racism. Mississippi is known for its role in the development of Blues music, and notable Mississippi authors include William Faulkner, Eudora Welty, Tennessee Williams, and John Grisham.