Final answer:
Exploration of the MS, Arkansas River, CO, and NM was carried out by various expeditions, including the famous Lewis and Clark journey. Steamboat navigation later enhanced exploration and commerce on these rivers. Artists like George Catlin recorded the life and cultures along these rivers before major European settlement.
Step-by-step explanation:
The exploration of the Mississippi River (MS River), Arkansas River, Colorado (CO), and New Mexico (NM) was undertaken by several different explorers and expeditions throughout American history. Notably, the Lewis and Clark Expedition was a significant journey that took place from 1804 to 1806, led by Meriwether Lewis and William Clark, which was primarily focused on the exploration of the Missouri River and the lands west to the Pacific Ocean. While Lewis and Clark navigated and charted the Missouri, other explorers pushed into various territories such as the Arkansas River and areas of CO and NM. The Mississippi River itself had been explored by earlier European explorers, and the Arkansas River was one of the key rivers explored for expansion and trade.
Steamboats, as developed in the early 19th century, became the primary means for navigating America’s rivers, greatly contributing to the exploration and commerce along these waterways. By 1825, American explorers were navigating the upper reaches of the Mississippi River with steamboats, a testament to their importance in continental explorations. The commitment to exploring river systems was not only for the purposes of mapping and understanding the land but also to stablish commerce and assert control over the vast territories of North America.
Explorers like George Catlin also traveled along the great rivers, such as the Missouri, documenting native cultures before the significant changes that would come with European settlement, further emphasizing the role of river exploration in the historical narrative of the United States.