Discover the impact this mighty river has had on our country in this nonfiction Ready-to-Read! The Mississippi River starts in northern Minnesota at Lake Itasca and travels all the way to the Gulf of Mexico. Along its route, people use it to ship goods and simply enjoy its splendor and beauty. -- Provided by amazon.com

A chronicle of the Mississippi River in the first half of the nineteenth century--before it was tamed by commerce and technology--draws on first-hand accounts to describe life along the river, natural and man-made disasters, acts of piracy, and cultural celebrations.