Us Rivers Quiz

Rivers have been central to American history, shaping exploration, settlement, trade, and culture. The great river systems of North America - Including the Mississippi-Missouri system, the Ohio, the Colorado, the Columbia, and the Rio Grande - Served as highways for Native Americans for thousands of years before becoming arteries of commerce and migration for European settlers and Americans pushing westward.

America's Greatest Rivers

The Mississippi River, running from Minnesota to the Gulf of Mexico, is 2,340 miles long and drains 40% of the continental United States. The Missouri River, its longest tributary, actually covers more miles (2,341) and is sometimes considered the true source of the Mississippi system. The Colorado River carved the Grand Canyon over millions of years and today is so over-allocated for water use that it rarely reaches the sea. State borders were often drawn along river lines - The Ohio and Mississippi rivers defined many Midwestern boundaries.

The Rio Grande forms much of the border between the United States and Mexico. The Columbia River in the Pacific Northwest is critical for hydroelectric power, generating more electricity than almost any other river system in the country. The Potomac River flows through Washington D.C. and was strategically vital during the Civil War. American geography is inseparable from its river systems, which continue to supply drinking water, agriculture, and recreation across all 50 states.