About 1,700 years ago, the hopewell people built nanih waiya, a great earthwork mound, which is still considered sacred by the choctaw. Besides being one of the longest rivers in the world, it also happens to be the widest. Mississippi river definition of mississippi river by the. The geology and physical geography of the mississippi drainage area are essentially those of the interior lowlands and great plains of north america. Explore the factchecked online encyclopedia from encyclopaedia britannica with hundreds of thousands of objective articles, biographies, videos, and images from experts. Averagesized dead zone forecasted for the gulf of mexico. The mississippi is the largest commercial river in the country and the thirdlargest river system in the world, and it carries the majority of the nations inland waterway tonnage. Translate mississippi river to english online and download now our free translation software to use at any time. If the missouri and mississippi rivers had been explored at the same time, the missouri, flowing all the way from montana, would probably have been considered the main stream. Only a year or two earlier, napoleon had been openly discussing the prospect of jumpstarting a new french empire along the lower mississippi river, but now, cashstrapped by endless war with great britain, he agreed to jeffersons terms. Wikimedia commons has media related to rivers of mississippi state pages in category rivers of mississippi the following 5 pages are in this category, out of 5 total. In the region of its headwaters are numerous lakes. Choctaw alternatively spelled chahta, chactas, tchakta, chocktaw, and chactaw are native american people originally from the southeastern united states modernday mississippi, florida, alabama, and louisiana. Mississippi river mississippi river physical features.
It is second in length only to the amazon river among south american rivers. Louis is known, rises near the canadian border at lake itasca in minnesota. This cumbersome quality of early 19thcentury steam engines led to their being used first on ships. Translate mississippi river in english online and download now our free translator to use any time at no charge. Ysyry parana is a river in south central south america, running through brazil, paraguay, and argentina for some 4,880 kilometres 3,030 mi. Browse kids articles by letter encyclopedia britannica. Factory ruined by fire in flood library of congress. The father of waters, the mississippi river is one of the longest in the world. Meanders are a phenomenon of elevation and erosion. Upper mississippi river definition by babylons free. The natchez were a native american people who lived along the mississippi river. Its drainage basin covers twofifths of the continental united states, extending from western pennsylvania to idaho and from canada to the gulf of mexico.
Mississippian culture kids britannica kids homework help. The mississippi river is the largest drainage basin in the united states. The chief river of the united states, rising in the lake region of northern minnesota and flowing about 3,700 km generally southward to enter the gulf of. On the basis of physical characteristics, the mississippi river can be divided into four distinct reaches, or sections. List of books and articles about mississippi river online. Louisiana also borders mississippi on the southwest. The mississippi river separates western mississippi from louisiana and arkansas. Mississippi river, the longest river of north america, draining with its major tributaries an area of approximately 1. The name mississippi comes from a native american name that means big river. They built their villages near what is now the city of natchez, mississippi. As other lines of transport became congested, the river was recognized as an increasingly valuable asset.
The mississippi delta encompasses the northwestern part of the state of mississippi, bounded on the west by the mississippi river fishing has always provided sustenance and recreation to the native peoples of what would become mississippi and to the europeans oh, you got to roll, just like a hunters hound, lord, if you cant roll. One of the worlds most extensive waterways, the mississippi river occupies a nearmythical role in the national psyche. The region includes 21 counties west of the tennessee river. Natchez 1911 encyclopedia britannica bible encyclopedia. Eads was the first bridge builder to employ the cantilever method, citation needed which allowed. Although the mississippi can be ranked as the fourth longest river in the world by adding the length of the missourijefferson red rock system to the mississippi downstream of the missouri mississippi confluencefor a combined length of 3,710 miles 5,971 kmthe 2,340mile length of the mississippi proper is comfortably exceeded by. Approximately 409 mi 658 km of the mississippi river flow through the state, with ports in natchez, vicksburg, yazoo county, greenville, and rosedale.
It generally flows to the east and southeast as it traverses the u. Entry for natchez 1911 encyclopedia britannica one of 8 bible encyclopedias freely available, this resource contained over 40 million words in nearly 40,000 articles written by 1,500 respected authors. The choctaw are descendants of the peoples of the hopewell and mississippian cultures, who lived throughout the east of the mississippi river valley and its tributaries. Its name derives from a native american word meaning great waters or father of waters. Additionally, the lumbee are also the largest tribe living east of the mississippi river who have not been recognized by the u. Subwatershed definition by babylons free dictionary. Mississippi river simple english wikipedia, the free. At its widest point, the mississippi river is over seven miles eleven kilometers wide. The gulf of mexico lies to the southeast mississippi is a low and fairly flat state. The focus of the system, the floodplain of the lower. This mississippian culture is best known for building mounds of earth. It is located in the midwestern united states, flowing southwesterly from western pennsylvania south of lake erie to its mouth on the mississippi river at the southern tip of illinois.
In the united states, the mississippi drains about fortyone percent of the countrys rivers. In the beginning the discordant relationship of machine weight to power production was a problem, but the ability to enlarge ships to a much greater size meant that the engines did not have to suffer severe diminution. On the eastern rim of the delta are the loess bluffs, marking the beginning of the highlands. The river is divided into the upper mississippi, from its source south to the ohio river, and the lower mississippi, from the ohio to its mouth near new orleans. It is the first encyclopedic treatment of the state since 1907. Mississippi river, the central artery of the river system which drains the greater part of the united states of america lying between the appalachian mountains on the east and the rocky mountains on the west.
There are suggestions below for improving the article. To the native american peoples of the river, the mississippi was both highway and larder. From the headwaters at lake itasca, minnesota, the river flows approximately 2000 kilometers 1250 mi to cairo, where it is joined by the ohio river to form the lower mississippi river. Mississippi river students britannica kids homework help. The anaconda plan is the name applied to an outline strategy for suppressing the confederacy at the beginning of the american civil war.
Sign up for our britannica for parents newsletter for expert advice on parenting in the 21st century. The 3,658 miles of the mississippi river makes it one of the longest rivers in the world. The mississippians lived in both large and small communities. The upper mississippi is further divided into three sections. The choctaw language belongs to the muskogean linguistic group. Mississippi river, the longest river of north america. English wikipedia the free encyclopedia a drainage basin or catchment basin is an extent or an area of land where surface water from rain, melting snow, or ice converges to a single point at a lower elevation, usually the exit of the basin, where the waters join another waterbody, such as a river, lake, reservoir, estuary, wetland, sea, or ocean.
Encyclopaedia britannica defines the meander, a component of a river system, as an extreme ubend in the course of a stream, usually occurring in a series. For a drop of water to travel the mississippi rivers entire length, it takes 90 days. Apr 25, 2017 the mississippi river is the largest river in the united states. The mississippi river was a toxic mess long before the oil spill. Mississippi on pohjoisamerikan toiseksi pisin joki. The territory drained by the mississippi river and its tributaries includes the greater part of the united states of america lying between the alleghany mountains on the east and the rocky mountains on the west, and has an area 1,244,000 square miles considerably larger than all. The mississippi river is a river in the united states. These freshwater fish, native to east asia, have colonized the mississippi river and threaten to spread into the great lakes. The concept of channeled surface flow, however, remains central to the definition.
Photo, print, drawing aerial view of the marine angel, the largest vessel to travel the mississippi river and the illinois waterway, as it rounds a sharp bend in the chicago river, chicago, illinois. Michael aaron dennis subscribers go to britannica s premium service to view the full article and related links. Proposed by generalinchief winfield scott, the plan emphasized the blockade of the southern ports, and called for an advance down the mississippi river to cut the south in two. According to britannica, this river was known to mohicans as great waters constantly in motion and it begins in lake tear of the clouds in new. The word mississippi itself comes from misi zipi, the french rendering of the anishinaabe ojibwe or algonquin name for the river, misiziibi great river in the 18th century, the river was the primary western boundary of the young united states, and since the countrys expansion westward, the mississippi river has been widely considered a convenient if approximate. Encyclopedia of mississippi history volume 1 internet archive. A comprehensive suite of elearning resources designed for all ages and abilities with articles, videos, educator tools, ebooks, research guides and more. Ohio river from wikipedia, the free encyclopedia jump to navigation jump to search. The eads bridge, constructed from 1867 through 1874, was the first bridge of a significant size with steel as its primary material, and it was the longest arch bridge in the world when completed. The source of the mississippi is lake itasca in minnesota, near the border with canada. Society requires artifice to survive in a region where nature might reasonably have asked a few more eons to finish a work of creation that was incomplete.
Louis, missouri, for 190 miles 310 km to its confluence with the ohio river at cairo, illinois. Translate natchez to english online and download now our free translation software to use at any time. The culture ended by about 1700, but many of the mounds still stand. With federal initiative, new barge lines were organized, and by 1931 the annual barge traffic moving along the river was twice the volume moved in any single year. Mississippi is located in the southeastern united states. That stream has pride of name, of course, but the missouri, which begins some nine thousand feet above sea level in the rocky mountains of montana and joins the upper mississippi at st. Ship the steamboat britannica encyclopedia britannica.
The eastern boundary of the state, separating it from. Mississippi river synonyms, mississippi river pronunciation, mississippi river translation, english dictionary definition of mississippi river. Once these issues have been addressed, the article can be renominated. According to the 2000 us census report, the population of the city of pembroke, north carolina, is 89% lumbee indian and that of the county is nearly 40% lumbee. The mississippi river is known for the large, paddle wheelpropelled steam boats that sail on it. A credit card is required to validate your free trial. To license this film and get a higher quality version for broadcastfilm purposes, contact av geeks llc. A tribe of indians who formerly lived near the site of the city of natchez, mississippi.
This section is for geographical concepts and for specific places. One of the major rivers of north america, the mississippi river has been a focal point in american history, commerce, agriculture, literature, and environmental awareness. The ohio river is a 981mile 1,579 km long river in the united states. The length of the mississippi river from its source in lake itasca in northwestern minnesota to its mouth in the gulf of mexico flows 2,348 miles. Red river of the north river, north america britannica. Hydronymy, a subset of toponymy, the taxonomic study of placenames, is the study of the names of bodies of water, the origins of those names, and how they are transmitted through history. Hydronyms may include the names of rivers potamonyms, lakes, and even oceanic elements. It is the third largest river by discharge volume in the united states and the largest tributary by volume of the northsouth flowing. The mississippi river was a toxic mess long before the oil spill, 2014 your bibliography.
Silicon valley is an economically mature region whose childhood and adolescence were paid for by u. Mississippi river encyclopedia britannica britannica. Aerial view of the marine angel, the largest vessel to. Geography city continent mountain desert north pole ocean rainforest river sea. Editors may also seek a reassessment of the decision if. According to the united states army corps of engineers, if it is measured from the upper red rock reservoirwhich leads to its longest branch, the missourithe mississippi flows 3,658 miles 5,887 kilometers to the head of passes in the delta. To the east is alabama and to the north is tennessee. Mississippi river kids britannica kids homework help. The upper mississippi would have been named a tributary of the missouri, which would thus have been the longest river in north america. Kids encyclopedia facts use the search form above to search over 700,000 articles in the kiddle encyclopedia.
The mississippi river lies entirely within the united states. The river s source basin lies in the western united states in colorado, specifically the arkansas river valley, where the headwaters derive from the snowpack in the sawatch and mosquito mountain ranges. Mississippi river presentation by ashley neill on prezi. Mississippi river geography bibliographies cite this for me. The choctaw are descendants of the peoples of the hopewell and mississippian cultures, who lived throughout the east. Mississippi river modern commercial activity britannica. Be on the look out for the britannica for parents newsletter to. On the deltas western rim a highly fertile band of lowlands parallels the mississippi river from vicksburg, south to the louisiana border. Oishimaya is an indian native, currently residing in kolkata. The writings of mark twain have made the river a part of american legend. It rises in lake itasca in northern minnesota and drains in the gulf of mexico. The mississippi river played an important role in the lives of many native americans who lived in the upper mississippi valley, such as the santee dakota, the illinois, the kickapoo, and the ojibwe, as well as those tribes in the southern valley, such as the chicksaw, the choctaw, the tunica, and the natchez. Mississippi river mississippi river modern commercial activity. Mississippi, constituent state of the united states of america.
Big black river, river that rises in northcentral mississippi, u. Concrete channel of the mississippi river basin model overtaken by soil and vegetation in 2010. The arch was designed by the famous architect gauteng. While its estimated length of 4,000 miles 6,400 kilometers. Below is a list of some articles and categories to help you research different topics for school homework help, homeschooling and general education.
Red river of the north, river flowing through the northern united states and southern manitoba, can. Modern usage includes rivers that are multichanneled, intermittent, or ephemeral in flow and channels that are practically bankless. Fringes also touch upon the rocky and appalachian mountain systems and upon the rim of the canadian laurentian shield to the north. Tell us a little about yourself so we can customize your encyclop. The word stream derived ultimately from the indoeuropean. In about ad 800 groups of native americans developed a culture along the mississippi river and in what is now the southeastern united states. Pesticide concentrations in water from a southern louisiana marsh.
Big black riverrailroad bridge spanning the big black river near vicksburg, mississippi. It consists primarily of flat lands that have rich soil and vast floodplain areas for the mississippi river of the three regions, west tennessee is the most sharply defined geographically. From the earliest days until railroads were built in the western united states, the mississippi and its branches carried. Missouri river students britannica kids homework help. A drainage basin or catchment basin is an extent or an area of land where surface water from rain, melting snow, or ice converges to a single point at a lower elevation, usually the exit of the basin, where the waters join another waterbody, such as a river, lake, reservoir, estuary, wetland, sea, or ocean. You will not be charged during your free trial, and you can cancel at any time. Mississippi river wikisource, the free online library. Father of waters britannica blog encyclopedia britannica. New orleans has been described as the birthplace of jazz. It is located on the mississippi river and has a land area of 169 square miles. For example, a tributary stream of a brook that joins a.
Mississippi river was a good articles nominee, but did not meet the good article criteria at the time. Depicts the culture of old louisiana, including such aspects as slavery on cotton and cane plantations, the prevailing french language, mississippi river trade, education, religion and music. West tennessee is one of the three major regions called grand divisions of the state of tennessee. The arkansas river is a major tributary of the mississippi river. Mississippi river history, physical features, culture.
Mississippi became the 20th state of the union in 1817. This past may, discharge in the mississippi and atchafalaya rivers was about 4 percent above the longterm average between 1980 and 2017. It rises in the basin of itasca lake, in northern minnesota, and flows mostly in a southerly direction to the gulf of mexico. The mississippi encyclopedia includes solid, clear information contained in a single volume, offering with clarity and scholarship a breadth of topics unavailable anywhere else, with entries on every county, every governor, and numerous musicians, writers, artists, and activists.
They form when the velocity of the water moving downstream erodes one bank and deposits alluvial materialssand, rocks, and sedimenton the other. Army corps of engineers, in conjunction with the mississippi river commission, extended the levee system beginning in 1882 to cover the riverbanks. World war i produced a major resurgence in river trade. Meander maps illustrate the mississippi rivers geological. The upper mississippi river is the portion of the mississippi river upstream of cairo, illinois, united states. Eads designed and built the first road and rail bridge to cross the mississippi river at st. The mississippi river system, also referred to as the western rivers, is a mostly riverine network of the united states which includes the mississippi river and connecting waterways. The mississippi river is known as the middle mississippi from the upper mississippi river s confluence with the missouri river at st.
706 1331 816 1486 1369 139 715 1405 134 982 345 647 54 1206 810 1461 431 627 1378 240 864 231 553 550 416 511 1410 489 230 310 861 1015 730 736