Mississippi Land Fever

About Mississippi Land Fever

A land speculation frenzy in the Mississippi Territory and Alabama in the early 1800s. Settlers and speculators bought large tracts on credit, expecting rising prices. The panic of 1819 caused land values to collapse, leaving many bankrupt. Andrew Jacksons land policies encouraged speculation by accepting paper money for federal land purchases. The bubble contributed to the formation of new states including Alabama in 1819 and Mississippi in 1817. The collapse devastated the Southern frontier economy for years.