Climax. The climax is the point of highest interest and suspense in a story. The climax sometimes signals the turning point of action in a story or play. As you read, try to identify the climax of this story. Use the graphic organizer to the right to help you establish the climax.

• Geography and History Connection. “The Tale of Annie Christmas” is set in the Mississippi Delta, the place where the Mississippi River empties into the Gulf of Mexico. Two cities important to this tale are New Orleans and Natchez. New Orleans is located in southeastern Louisiana on drained swampland between the Mississippi River and Lake Pontchartrain. It is the only city in the United States that lies below sea level. Founded by the French in 1718, it was named after the ruling French regent of that time, Philippe Duc d’Orleans. Over the 18th century, New Orleans became home for many French and Spanish colonists, pirates, escaped slaves, and free African Americans. In December of 1808, Napoleon sold the entire Louisiana territory to the United States for $15 million. Today, New Orleans is one of the largest ports and exporters of oil in the United States and has maintained its diverse cultural and multiracial heritage.
• Natchez is located in southeastern Mississippi, perched 200 feet above the Mississippi River. The city is the oldest civilized settlement on the river—older than New Orleans by two years. The first Europeans to settle in Natchez were the French; however, the area had been inhabited for centuries by prehistoric Indians and later by the Natchez Indians. The city boomed in the first half of the 19th century with the exportation of cotton by steamboat. During that time, cotton was king and money was plentiful. The town’s mansions still exist, for they were spared during the Civil War.

For what trait or characteristic would you like to be known? Why?