The name “Mississippi” derives from the Ojibwe (Chippewa) word “misi-ziibi,” which translates to “Great River” or “Big River.” The term is a combination of “misi,” meaning “great,” and “ziibi,” meaning “river.”
The river itself is one of the longest in North America, flowing approximately 2,340 miles (3,766 kilometers) from its source at Lake Itasca in Minnesota to its mouth at the Gulf of Mexico. It serves as a crucial waterway for trade and transportation, as well as a significant ecological and cultural resource.
The name reflects the river’s immense size and importance to the Native American tribes that lived along its banks long before European exploration. The Mississippi River has played a vital role in the history, economy, and culture of the United States as a whole, serving as a natural boundary, a means of transport for goods and people, and a symbol of the American frontier.