Is Florida East of the Mississippi River?
The Mississippi River is America’s second longest river and reaches a staggering 2,350 miles from its source in Lake Itasca, Minnesota, to the Gulf of Mexico.
The mighty waterway flows in a southerly direction and eventually splits into two large branches not far away from where Louisiana, Arkansas, Mississippi and Tennessee meet, one of which flows alongside the western border of Tennessee and finally the other runs through Arkansas and Louisiana to the Gulf of Mexico.
Clearly, any answer to the question of whether or not Florida is east of the Mississippi River will depend alternative routes a person could take to cross the river.
One popular, though time-consuming route, is to cross the river by taking a boat through the middle of the American Midwest. This trip of several days passes through the grandeur of the Mississippi’s variable shores, cuts through the heartland of green, rolling hills and can take the traveler to the Gulf of Mexico.
In this type of situation, Florida remains east of the river and this is an important fact for anyone planning a cross-country expedition from Florida to Idaho; because without taking a boat or ferry, one cannot easily cross the Mississippi by land. This makes the river into a natural border.
Another route or option for crossing the river is to do so through the Northwestern US. By beginning the journey in Minnesota and following the river downstream all the way to the Gulf of Mexico, Florida still falls on the eastern side of this route.
One could argue that due to the sheer size of the Mississippi River, the area that is east of the it has to be smaller than the region that is west of it.
In addition, putting the continental United States on a map reveals that many of the states that cut across the river (Tennessee, Arkansas, Mississippi, etc.) edge almost onto the east coast.
Tennessee and the Mississippi
Although Tennessee would ideally straddle the two sides of the Mississippi, the majority of the state falls to its west. This can be seen from the fact that states like Alabama, on the Eastern side of the river, have borders that reach no further west than Mississippi.
In terms of population, Tennessee has only one city with a population of over 500,000 people and this is located west of the river. This indicates that most of the state’s population is situated west of the Mississippi.
On the Eastern side, it is true that the states of Alabama, Georgia and South Carolina have a relatively large combined population, but they are more like satellites orbiting around Florida than within the orbit of the main land mass that used to be east of the river.
Comparing the two sides of the river, then, one can see how the area east of it has become less populated and less developed over time. This is largely due to the rise of industry in the Midwest and the population growth of cities in the West.
Despite this, though, and in spite of its geographical proximity to the river, Florida remains east of the Mississippi River.
Mississippi River vs. the Atlantic
Another way to look at the question of whether or not Florida is east of the Mississippi River is to consider the river’s relationship to the Atlantic Ocean. This ocean is, of course, what separates the United States from the continents of Europe and Africa and as such can be viewed as a boundary in and of itself.
The Mississippi River, while it is obviously wider and more impressive than any of the world’s oceans, can still be seen as an arm of that ocean in the sense that it is a passageway for the waters of the Atlantic.
Therefore, when one judges the question of whether or not Florida is east of the Mississippi River, it would make sense to also consider the Atlantic, due to their connection to each other. In this case, the answer is still yes; Florida is east of the Mississippi and, as a consequence, of the Atlantic as well.
One could also look at the geographical location of Florida, which is a coastal state, thus meaning that it is closer to the Atlantic than it is to the Mississippi. In this context, Florida’s position east of the Mississippi is further emphasised.
The Gulf Coast
The state of Florida does, of course, have a connection to the Gulf Coast, which is the portion of the southern United States that is located along the Gulf of Mexico and the Florida panhandle of which, acting as the “fingers” of the state, almost touch the shore of the Gulf of Mexico.
The Gulf Coast is seen as a region of economic growth and importance, as well as being seen as culturally significant. It is here that the blending of cultures occurs, as the various states and countries create new cultures as opposed to seeing each other as simply distinct entities.
However, the Gulf Coast is actually located slightly to the west of the Mississippi, meaning that this has no impact on the answer to the question of whether Florida is east of the river.
Therefore, when considering the geographical location of the United States as a whole, taking into account the position of the Mississippi River, the Atlantic Ocean and the Gulf of Mexico, it can be seen that Florida is situated east of the above mentioned three points and thus firmly east of the Mississippi River.
Conclusion
To summarise, Florida is located east of the Mississippi River and has been for a long time. It remains east of the river due to the way in which it is linked to the Atlantic Ocean, an ocean that forms a natural border for the United States. Furthermore, many of the states that cross the river (Tennessee, Arkansas, Mississippi etc.), edge almost onto the eastern coast, thus favouring Florida’s position as an eastern state.
