Factors That Influence Settlement Patterns
- 1 Physical Environment. One of the most basic factors affecting settlement patterns is the physical geography of the...
- 2 Transportation Systems. Settlement patterns have always been affected by the technology available to settlers, and...
- 3 Economic Concerns. Economics often drive settlers to seek opportunity in new places,...
Full Answer
What factors affect settlement patterns?
Factors That Influence Settlement Patterns. Settlement patterns are the ways in which human settlements are distributed across the earth’s land, including the locations of cities, towns and even individual homes. Where people settle is determined by a wide range of factors related to both nature and human society.
What determines where people settle?
Where people settle is determined by a wide range of factors related to both nature and human society. Examining the reasons behind different settlement patterns is an important part of understanding the geography of the world we live in. One of the most basic factors affecting settlement patterns is the physical geography of the land.
How do government policies affect settlement patterns?
The government’s land policies can also have a lasting effect on settlement patterns. Today many city governments enforce zoning rules, controlling the growth of settlements by allowing people to live in some areas but not others.
Why did settlers move to the west in the 1800s?
In the 1800s, the American West and other parts of the world saw settlements spring up along the newly built railroads, and today highways and roads form an even bigger factor. Economics often drive settlers to seek opportunity in new places, creating their own settlements or increasing the size of existing ones.
What are environmental factors?
Environmental factors create either livable or unlivable conditions which influence where humans decide to settle and why. Learn more about the role of Agrarian societies in determining where humans settle, and how resources or events draw people to areas to live. Updated: 11/07/2021
Why was the gold rush so important?
And then there were the rarer, expensive natural resources, like gold, silver and oil. The gold rush was a rapid movement of people because of the discovery of gold, especially to California and other parts of the Western United States in the 19th century. When we discovered gold, people saw their opportunity to get rich and rushed to find their own piece of the prize.
What natural resources allowed us to manufacture and build our products?
The presence of wood, stone and metal ores allowed us to manufacture and build our products. And because these natural resources could be sold, a settlement located near any of these things tended to do very well for itself. And then there were the rarer, expensive natural resources, like gold, silver and oil.
Why are people drawn to Northern Canada?
But it's not just natural resources and money that attracts people to an area, because they have to actually live there. A warm, temperate and pleasant climate can be attractive to people. There was never the same number of people migrating to Northern Canada as there were to the United States, and climate is a big reason for that.
Why are cities along rivers?
This even influences us today - many of the oldest cities are along rivers, either because of those same farming reasons or because it allowed for boats to sail down the river, carrying goods to be traded.
What are the natural resources that attract people to an area?
And then there were the rarer, expensive natural resources, like gold, silver and oil. But it's not just natural resources and money that attracts people to an area, because they have to actually live there, too. A warm, temperate and pleasant climate can be attractive to people.
What were the Northern colonies' problems?
The Northern colonies were very rocky and difficult to grow simply enough to food to survive, let alone export. The southern/middle colonies, however, had great soil and plenty of water that made cash crops such as tobacco and rice thrive
How did the new communities that developed with in fluxes of new European immigrants mixing with native White Americans create communities answer?
The new communities that developed with in fluxes of new European immigrants mixing with native White Americans created communities with strongly mixed cultures that tended heavily towards the new or European immigrants who attended to Live within their own miniature communities. The pre-existing communities we're affected by the fluctuations in population as well, giving birth to many often racial movements that discriminated against certain nationalities
How did the English treat the natives?
The english were by far the harshest in their treatment with the native population. Within the first couple of years the English used the natives for trade for food, and once they were self reliant the English had no use for the natives. Their immune systems were to weak to be enslaved and fresh land for tobacco, the cash crop, was needed. So the English pushed the natives off their homeland and committed war against them. (Ex: King Philip's War). The Spanish were probably the second harshest against the natives. They conquered and defeated the natives, but also had them assimilate into their lifestyle. The wanting of gold influenced the Spanish so they enslaved the natives to find gold for them. Also, because part of the Spanish reason for exploration was to expand christianity the attempt at civilization and converting natives into christians made the natives seem less like savages and more like people to the europeans. The dutch and French colonies treated the native population very similarly. They were both trading colonies that did not encroach very far onto the land. Also, they had to maintain good relationships with the Native Americans in order to trade with them so they did not enslave or murder nearly as bad as their European counterparts
How did the Organization of America's geography lead to the prosperity of certain trades in certain areas?
The Organization of America's geography lead to the prosperity of certain trades in certain areas such as; agriculture in the fertile south and manufacturing in the Rocky north. This drastic difference in economic identities resulted in sectionalist views ultimately resulting in hey government with multiple views on what was best
Why did the colonists feel entitled to the Ohio River?
Colonists felt that they were entitled to the Ohio river area after they had fought the French and Indian war. The Proclamation of 1763 angered them and made by many simply ignore the British authority. Since America was formed by a rebellion the government had to be careful about becoming another "british parliament" that would squash rebellions with force
How did the idea of "life, liberty, and happiness" and "all men are equal" affect the way men?
The idea of "Life, Liberty, and Happiness" and "all men are equal" affected the way men in the government thought of slavery. They realized that they were hypocrites for not letting this apply to slaves, but because it was the only form of labor they had the government kept slaves oppressed. Women were affected by the American Revolution. The idea of "republican motherhood" came into play and their jobs as rearers of the children became more and more important
What did the Native Americans do to survive?
The Native Americans relied on their environment, they would hunt, fish, and gather food. They wouldn't waste any part of the animal. The meat was used for food and the hides were used for clothing. Once the Europeans came in contact with these relations in North America they began to use the land for economic gain instead of using it for survival like the Native Americans
How did the settlements of the 1800s affect the world?
Settlement patterns have always been affected by the technology available to settlers, and especially by methods of transportation. In the past, when boats were the best way to transport goods and people, most major settlements were located next to the sea or rivers. In fact, the world’s biggest cities today are still located next to water, though transportation technology has allowed inland regions to be populated too. In the 1800s, the American West and other parts of the world saw settlements spring up along the newly built railroads, and today highways and roads form an even bigger factor.
What is the pattern of settlement?
Settlement patterns are the ways in which human settlements are distributed across the earth’s land, including the locations of cities, towns and even individual homes. Where people settle is determined by a wide range of factors related to both nature and human society.
Why did settlers come to cities?
Historically, settlers often came in search of places to start farms, and later they came to cities to look for jobs.
Why is climate important for settlement?
One of the most basic factors affecting settlement patterns is the physical geography of the land. Climate is key, because if a place is too dry, too cold or too hot, it’s more difficult for large numbers of people to settle there, especially if they make their living from farming. The land itself is important too because some types of soil are much better for agriculture than others, or they support different types of crops. Though modern transportation allows people to settle farther from where their food is farmed, places with wet, mild climates are still more densely populated than places that are very dry or very cold.