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Rio Grande
The Rio Grande runs through Colorado, New Mexico, Texas, and Mexico. Native American Tribes lived along/near the river, because it provided food and clean water. River was used to mark boundaries between Mexico and Texas as a republic and as a state. River was used by slaves to escape the United States. Because of the rivers proximity to Mexico, the major cities along the river have not grown. -
Mississippi River
The Mississippi River runs through or along 10 states. Native American Tribes lived along/near the river, because it provided food and clean water. Major modern cities developed along the river, because of the economical opportunities the river offered. Had to adapt to the floods and where the river was shallow--bridges and damns= work for people. Steamboat Era from 1830's-70's -- huge growth of metropolitan cities, and created jobs. Civil War-victory was pivotal to the Union final victory -
Yellowstone River
The river provides drinking water, irrigation water, transportation, electrical power, drainage, and food. In Montana the river has been used extensively for irrigation since the 1860s. Gold was discovered in the 1860's near Montana, and then again in the Black Hills area which was sacred grounds for Native American tribes.---- which led to the Great Sioux War of 1876-77. The US sent in troops to protect the miners, although they had violated the treaty, and to defeat the Sioux -
Yukon River
This river has been important to people native of the land, because of large salmon run that comes every year. The villages along the Yukon have historically and continue to rely on the salmon for their cultural, subsistence, and commercial needs. The Klondike Gold Rush started in 1896 and ended in 1999 The Yukon River has had a history of pollution from gold mining, military installations, dumps, wastewater, and other sources.
