The winding, epic history of one of America's greatest natural wonders. The mighty Mississippi River has wound its way through our country's heartland—and the course of history—for thousands of years. Formed when the last glaciers of the Ice Age melted, the river became a 2,550-mile-long drainage basin for almost half of the United States. Before Europeans arrived in the New World, it was a means of exploration and trade for Native Americans. It later witnessed some of the most pivotal events in American history, from the Revolutionary War to the Trail of Tears to the Civil War. It has survived flooding, earthquakes, and hurricanes.Linda Vieira and Higgins Bond use their talents and expertise to explore the science and the history of the great Mississippi River, showing us why the Ojibwe Indians called it "Mes-sipi," Father of Running Waters. Read Less