The Mighty Mississippi

The name means, simply, “big river.” From northern Minnesota to the Gulf of Mexico, it flows some 2,400 miles through the heartland of America. It is the Mississippi, and its saga of adventure, conquest, disaster and riches is the story of America itself. The Mighty Mississippi journeys along the river and through its past, from St. Paul to New Orleans, from its formation during the Ice Age to the ambitious 20th century attempts to tame its waters. It is a spellbinding tapestry of cotton kings and riverboat gamblers, Native American legends and devastating floods, the tales of Mark Twain and the chords of the blues.

The Mighty Mississippi would be useful for classes on American History, Maritime History, Economic History, American Culture and Geography. It is appropriate for middle school and high school.

Born of the Ice Age

This episode of The Mighty Mississippi traces the origins of the great river to the Ice Age. It examines the formation of the river and its impact on early Native American cultures through the age of European discovery and exploration.

• amarack
• annex
• bog
• commandeer
• conquistador
• delta
• foreboding
• gouge
• grandiose
• guile
• intractable
• labyrinth
• laconic
• meandering
• mercenary
• nomadic
• oblige
• reconnoiter
• rivulet
• secular
• sediment
• sullen
• tributary
• yeoman

Discussion Questions

1. The Mississippi River is more than just a river; it is an historical agent. How is the river both a force of nature and a force of history? How can it be both provider and destroyer? How was it the road to freedom and the road to slavery simultaneously?

2. Discuss how the tale and history of the Mississippi is the saga of America itself.

3. Describe the formation of the Mississippi River from its inception during the Ice Age.

4. The waters of the Mississippi, especially in its southern region, are a chocolate brown hue. What gives the waters of the river its unique brown color?

5. Discuss how anthropologists think the Americas became inhabited.

6. How did the Mississippi get its name? Are there other American locations (rivers, states, cities, etc.) that got their name in the same way?

7. When Europeans arrived in the Americas, they were the first white persons Native Americans had ever seen. What were some of the reactions of Native Americans to the European explorers?

8. DeSoto's cruelty to Native Americans was harsh, destructive and extreme. But even more destructive to Native Americans than DeSoto's behavior was the European introduction of new diseases. How did these new diseases affect Native Americans? Why were they so susceptible? How did these diseases change the course of American history?

9. When DeSoto died his men tried to keep his death a secret from Native Americans. Why was it so important for them to hide his death?

10. Discuss the impact of the Louisiana Purchase on American history, expansion, and economics.

Extended Activities

1. On a map of the United States, trace the route of the Mississippi from its origins in St. Louis to its completion in New Orleans.

2. Create a poster or chart that illustrates the formation and evolution of the Mississippi River.

3. Using the medium of your choice, create a model of a keelboat that was once the dominant mode of transportation on the river.

Related Videos

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Air Dates

• June 07, 2004