Geographic and Environmental Factors
Themes in U.S. & World History;
Geographic and Environmental Factors
An example of physical geographic factors that contributed to the development and expansion of the United States are the Appalachian Mountains and the discovery of the Cumberland Gap. The second geographical factor that significantly contributed to the development and expansion of the United States is the major rivers of the Midwest regions such as, “The Mississippi, Ohio, Missouri, Illinois, and other rivers knit together the American nation over the course of a century” (River Towns, River Networks, 2012).
The early colonists had trouble passing over the Appalachian Mountains due to the extremely difficult environmental conditions that these mountains posed. The early colonists had to endure harsh and brutal surroundings (that they often didn’t survive) in order to be able to reach the other side. “The Appalachian chain is a barrier to east-west travel as it forms a series of alternating ridgelines and valleys[->0] oriented in opposition to any road running east-west” (Wikipedia, 2013). This cross-mountain trek was imperative in order for early settlers to migrate westward and thus expand the United States. As a consequence of the serve conditions, the Appalachian Mountains kept westward expansion from occurring at a faster pace and is actually one of the reasons why colonies developed more rapidly in the east while the west came to be seen as a hostile territory by most colonists. This all changed with the discovery of Cumberland Gap.
On the boards of the U.S. states Tennessee[->1], Kentucky[->2], and Virginia[->3] is Cumberland Gap which is a pass through the Appalachian Mountains. The moment colonists discovered the Cumberland Gap turned out to be an essential time in American history. “With the formation of the United States, an important first phase of westward expansion in the late 18th century and early 19th century consisted of the migration of European-descended settlers
Geographic and Environmental Factors
An example of physical geographic factors that contributed to the development and expansion of the United States are the Appalachian Mountains and the discovery of the Cumberland Gap. The second geographical factor that significantly contributed to the development and expansion of the United States is the major rivers of the Midwest regions such as, “The Mississippi, Ohio, Missouri, Illinois, and other rivers knit together the American nation over the course of a century” (River Towns, River Networks, 2012).
The early colonists had trouble passing over the Appalachian Mountains due to the extremely difficult environmental conditions that these mountains posed. The early colonists had to endure harsh and brutal surroundings (that they often didn’t survive) in order to be able to reach the other side. “The Appalachian chain is a barrier to east-west travel as it forms a series of alternating ridgelines and valleys[->0] oriented in opposition to any road running east-west” (Wikipedia, 2013). This cross-mountain trek was imperative in order for early settlers to migrate westward and thus expand the United States. As a consequence of the serve conditions, the Appalachian Mountains kept westward expansion from occurring at a faster pace and is actually one of the reasons why colonies developed more rapidly in the east while the west came to be seen as a hostile territory by most colonists. This all changed with the discovery of Cumberland Gap.
On the boards of the U.S. states Tennessee[->1], Kentucky[->2], and Virginia[->3] is Cumberland Gap which is a pass through the Appalachian Mountains. The moment colonists discovered the Cumberland Gap turned out to be an essential time in American history. “With the formation of the United States, an important first phase of westward expansion in the late 18th century and early 19th century consisted of the migration of European-descended settlers
Bibliography: Egypt. (2012, May 15). Retrieved January 28, 2013, from Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Egypt#Prehistoric_Egypt Gabriel, B (2006-2012). Geography and Development: Diffusion of Human Societies. Soomo Publishing. Wikipedia. (2013, January 20). Appalachian Mountains.