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The Influence of Geography on Colonial Development

Uploaded by littleindian on Nov 26, 2006

A nations’ success is based upon a variety of factors including geography. The Atlantic Ocean, Rocky Mountains, Mississippi River, the Great Lakes, and diverse climates have influenced Colonial Development. They have helped colonies thrive by providing natural resources, extensive waterways for trade and exploration, and a fertile land for prosperous agriculture.
The Atlantic Ocean had encouraged successful development of colonies on the Eastern Coast of the United States. A region that was affected by the Atlantic Ocean was the Mid-Atlantic, referring to the land between New England and parts of Virginia. In the Mid-Atlantic, rivers flowed into the Atlantic Ocean creating routes for trade and colonization. Large cities formed where bodies of water connected with the Atlantic Ocean because ports could be formed and there was a food supply, fish. Baltimore is located on the Chesapeake Bay and served as a commercial port and grew exponentially during the 18th and 19th centuries. Sugar was imported from colonies in the Caribbean to Baltimore to be redistributed to other colonies. The shelf life of sugar, flour, and other goods being imported increased because Baltimore was closer to the Caribbean in relation to where New York was. Because of the prolonged self life, profits on sugar increased. Baltimore soon became a major industrial city, bringing in large amounts of money and goods for the growing United States.
Colonization of the American West was motivated by economics and the belief that America had the right to expand its’ borders. From British Columbia to New Mexico, the Rocky Mountains were a primary location for Americans to expand into because of its’ vast economic opportunities. Fur was the primary attraction of the Rocky Mountains and many companies took advantage of the opportunity to set establish trading posts. The Northwest Company and the Hudson’s Bay Company had trading posts in the Rockies and these became some of the first white settlements in the region. In 1859, with the discovery of gold, the mining industry increased. Not only were there significant deposits of gold, but there was copper, lead, silver, and zinc which was also being mined.
The Mississippi River and its’ many tributaries form an extensive internal waterway that flows from Minnesota to the Gulf of Mexico. The Mississippi River acts as a border for several states, including Arkansas, Iowa, and Illinois. Before...

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Uploaded by:   littleindian

Date:   11/26/2006

Category:   American

Length:   4 pages (789 words)

Views:   3980

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