North American rivers have long been vital routes for native tribes and later European explorers. In the 1500s, French explorers began navigating rivers like the St. Lawrence, discovering abundant fish, wildlife, and encountering Native American tribes who hunted beavers. These explorers brought beaver pelts back to Europe, where they became popular for making hats. This led to further exploration and travel along North America’s river networks in search of beaver pelts, eventually leading to the establishment of trading posts and permanent European settlements. The St. Lawrence River, which connects to the Atlantic Ocean, is a major waterway that, through the St. Lawrence Seaway—a system of canals, locks, dams, and lakes—allows ocean-going ships to access the continent’s interior.
The Mississippi River, North America’s main river, flows about 3,766 km (2,340 mi) through the central United States, from its source in Minnesota to its delta in Louisiana and the Gulf of Mexico. Spanish and French explorers first navigated the Mississippi in the 1500s and 1600s. The United States acquired almost the entire Mississippi River valley from France in the 1803 Louisiana Purchase. The river soon became a key route for traders and settlers traveling on rafts and barges.
The introduction of steamboats marked a new industrial era on the Mississippi, with paddlewheelers transporting goods up and down the river. These workboats were soon joined by cruise ships and other luxury vessels. Author Mark Twain, who once piloted steamboats on the river, vividly described this era in his book “Life on the Mississippi.” Over time, the Mississippi’s significance as a trade route grew, and today it carries cargo ships and barges that can stretch for more than a kilometer, transporting massive quantities of petroleum, coal, and other heavy goods.
The Colorado River is renowned for creating the Grand Canyon in Arizona. Over millions of years, the river has carved its way through rock layers, forming the canyon. Once flowing through flat land, the Earth’s crust gradually rose, exposing the land and allowing the river to merge with the terrain. Today, the Grand Canyon is about one and a half kilometers (one mile) deep at its deepest point and 29 kilometers (18 miles) wide at its widest.