The Mississippi River

1
The Mississippi River

• Old Man River

2
Background

• By 1800 1 million people lived between the
  Appalachian Mts. and the Mississippi River
• Most were farmers
• Grain
• Wheat, barely, rye
• The only way to transport goods was to use the
  Mississippi River
• From the Ohio-Mississippi

3
The Mississippi River

• Met up with 12 other major rivers
• Allowed for quick and easy transport to New
  Orleans
• Took just over a month to get from Pittsburgh
  area to east coast via New Orleans

4
Flatboats

• Flatboats-boats made of logs tied together
• No engine
• Relied on the rivers current

5
Problems

• Trip was dangerous
• Native American attacks
• Pirate raids
• The port of New Orleans was often closed by the
  Spanish