Laurentia

Laurentia (also known as the North American craton), like all craton land, was created as continents moved about the surface of the Earth, bumping into other continents and drifting away.

Many times in its past, Laurentia has been a separate continent as it is now in the form of North America. During other times in its past, Laurentia has been part of a supercontinent. It is named after the Laurentian Shield, which in turn is named after the St. Lawrence River.

Laurentia owes its existence to a network of Early Proterozoic orogenic belts. Small microcontinents and oceanic islands collided with the ever-growing Laurentia, and together formed the stable Archean craton we see today.