What is the history of the rocky mountains?

The Rocky Mountains, a major mountain range in North America, formed over 80 million years ago during the Laramide Orogeny, a period of intense geological activity. This orogeny was driven by tectonic plate interactions, which caused the uplift of the Earth's crust. Over millions of years, the range was shaped by erosion, glaciation, and volcanic activity. Historically, the Rockies have been crucial for Indigenous peoples, European exploration, and later became significant for mining, agriculture, and tourism in the United States and Canada.