Geography · 2
Which river's source was mistakenly placed too far north on 18th-century maps, complicating early U.S.-Canada border negotiations?
Answer
Mississippi River
The 1783 Treaty of Paris defined the border using the Mississippi's source as a reference point, but the maps used showed it roughly 150 miles farther north than its actual location, creating a boundary that made no geographic sense.
💡 Did you know?
The US-Canada border was drawn by a mapmaker's error: the source of the Mississippi River was misplaced 150 miles north, creating a useless territory dispute.
Other options people guess
- Missouri River
- Red River
- St. Lawrence River
Topics
- borders
- united-states
- canada
- history
- maps
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