Mississippi Land Company facts for kids
The Mississippi Land Company was a group of people who joined together in 1763. They wanted to buy large areas of land in North America. This happened right after the British won the French and Indian War (1754–1763).
The company aimed to get land in a huge area that used to belong to New France. This land was located between the Appalachian Mountains and the Mississippi River. France gave this land to Britain after the war ended.
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What Was the Mississippi Land Company?
The Mississippi Land Company was created by important people from the British colony of Virginia. Some of these members included George Washington, John Augustine Washington, Richard Henry Lee, Arthur Lee, and William Fitzhugh.
What Did They Want to Do?
The company hoped to start a brand new colony in the area known as the Mississippi Valley. They asked the British King for a huge piece of land, about 2.5 million acres (10,000 square kilometers). This land is now part of the states of Illinois, Kentucky, and Tennessee. It also included the important spot where the Ohio River meets the Mississippi River.
Why Didn't the Company Succeed?
The timing for the Mississippi Land Company was not good. Soon after they formed, the British government made a new rule called the Royal Proclamation of 1763. This rule temporarily stopped British colonists from moving west into new lands.
What Happened Next?
Even though the boundary line from the proclamation was moved further west in later years, the Mississippi Company never received the land they wanted. Because they couldn't get the land, the company stopped operating around 1770.
