Geography and the Development and Diffusion of Human Society

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Geography and the Development and Diffusion of Human Society Diane Maunton Western Governors University Environmental or Physical Geographic Factors The two most significant geographic factors or environmental factors that contributed to the expansion and development of the United States were the Mississippi River and the discovery of the Cumberland Gap. This paper will discuss the geographic factors in the ancient civilization of Mesopotamia as well as the diffusion of tea. The Mississippi River or “Great River “is the third largest river in North America. It flows approximately 2350 miles from Lake Itasca through the central United States to the Gulf of Mexico. The Mississippi River water shed is the fourth largest in the world extending from the Allegheny Mountains to the Rocky Mountains. (National Parks Service, n.d.) In the 1800’s the Mississippi was controlled by the French until the Louisiana Purchase in 1803. Prior to the discovery of the Mississippi by the early American settlers, Native Americans lived in the lands surrounding it due to its abundance of life and resources. This enormous waterway offered travel, fresh water, food and became know to some as their Garden of Eden. It became a great source of trade and travel to the early American settlers. The Mississippi River and its western tributaries formed pathways for the Western expansion of the United States. It became central for the development of major cities. The Mississippi River and all of its resources played a major role in the development and expansion of the United States. The Cumberland Gap is a pass which runs through the Appalachian Mountains at 1304 feet in altitude. The passageway was well know by Native Americans but brought to the attention of early settlers around 1750 by Dr Thomas Walker. (Longfellow, 2013) Daniel Boone was hired in 1755 to explore and

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