The
history of the Southern United States reaches back hundreds of years and includes the
Mississippian people, well known for their mound building. European history in the region began in the very earliest days of the exploration and colonization of North America. Spain, France, and England eventually explored and claimed parts of what is now the
Southern United States, and the cultural influences of each can still be seen in the region today. In the centuries since, the history of the Southern United States has recorded a large number of important events, including the
American Revolution, the
American Civil War, the ending of
slavery, and the
American Civil Rights Movement.