Laurentide Ice Sheet

The Laurentide Ice Sheet was a massive ice sheet that covered much of North America during the last Ice Age, roughly 100,000 to 10,000 years ago. It was one of the largest ice sheets in Earth's history, extending from the Arctic down into present-day Canada and the northern United States. The weight of the ice shaped the landscape, creating features like the Great Lakes and adjusting Earth's crust. As the climate warmed, the ice melted, revealing the land beneath and influencing the migration of animals and humans across North America.