How has Physical Geography Shaped US History?

Question

this question has been buging me.. please help(:

Answer 1

The Appalachian mountain range prevented rapid expansion westward from the centrally located colonies, i.e. Virginia, but with hardy explorers such as Daniel Boone, states like Tennessee and Kentucky slowly became populated by European descendants.  Also, the Ohio and Mississippi Rivers became major thoroughfares for trade and settlement, thus eventually became hotly contested during times of war, most notably the War of 1812 and the American Civil War.

I would say the most important aspect of U.S. geography is the actual size and subsequent philosophy of Manifest Destiny, which drove U.S. Presidents and military leaders to wage war against foreign nations and Native Americans to claim for the American government, all land from the Atlantic to the Pacific.

Those are the most basic, general answers.  I really could write a book answering this question because it covers every aspect of American history, from war and politics to agriculture, commerce, and industry.

Hope that helps!

Answer 2

In the first place, it's distance from empirical Europe allowed it to remain unconquered for as long as it was. In the era of the first European settlers in America, European kingdoms had already expanded across all of their continent, and much of asia, africa, and australia.

--Is this a short answer question, or an essay?