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Without looking it up, what's the longest river in the US? I could swear being taught it was the Mississippi. Just found out it's the Missouri River. When did this change?

Without looking it up, what's the longest river in the US? I could swear being taught it was the Mississippi. Just found out it's the Missouri River. When did this change?

(post is archived)

[–] 3 pts

Probably depends on the metric you use to define the biggest. The longest river is Missouri it's a lot more snakey so it's longer. The Mississippi has a lot more water in it, which is probably the better metric for largest river.

[–] 3 pts

Mississippi river is more valuable because it is wider and empties into a port. Since the Missouri empties into the Mississippi, even goods transported by the Missouri end up on the Mississippi, so it gets more recognition.

[–] 3 pts

Hey, this is what Theo was talking about when I woke up. I guessed the same.

[–] 2 pts

Where did you read this?

[–] 2 pts

Someone mentioned it in conversation right before I posted this. I Googled it and sure enough the Missouri River is said to be longer. Granted I don't trust Google.

[–] 2 pts

The Missouri River is literally only a mile longer than the Mississippi.

[–] 3 pts

This is really screwing with my head. Everyone I ask here says the Mississippi because we were taught that in school. How could I not know this unless it's a mandela effect. I'm almost 50 years old and this simply hurts my head. I grew up along the grand Ole Mississipp.

[–] 1 pt

Born in the late '80s, was taught the missouri's longer

[–] 2 pts (edited )

The watercourse from Montana to the Gulf of Mexico should be called the Missouri and the Mississippi from Minnesota to the confluence should be considered a tributary.

Probably just a matter of delineation. When does a river begin? End? What do you call the river when it meets another river, which wins?

[–] 1 pt

I missed you

Are you the General Smedley Butler? Is war a racket?

[–] 1 pt

Are you the German shepherd?

[–] 1 pt

Denial.