5.2 Settlement Patterns

What has changed how people interact with the physical environment?

• Spatial perspective

• Population density

• Rural regions

• Technology

Answer explanation

Technology has changed how people interact with the physical environment and the patterns of settlements.

Which of the following factors had the most influence on the types of crops grown by rural settlements?

• Soil types

• Climate

• Labor force

• Village size

Answer explanation

Soil types had the most influence on the types of crops grown by rural settlements, as soil types can determine what crops can be grown in an area.

What was a characteristic of North American farmers compared to farmers in many other parts of the world?

• They had access to more fertile land

• They lived in agricultural villages

• They created dispersed settlements

• They were given land by their governments

Answer explanation

They created dispersed settlements. In contrast to many parts of the world, North American farmers usually created dispersed settlements, patterns in which farmers lived in homes spread throughout the countryside. In Canada and the United States, the governments promoted westward expansion by giving farmers land—usually 160 acres—if they agreed to reside on it for several years. As a result, most farmers in North America lived near their fields, and agricultural villages were rare.

Which of the following is the most common reason for linear settlements?

• To be close to a transportation route

• To have access to fresh water

• To have shared services

• To encourage individual self-sufficiency

Answer explanation

To be close to a transportation route. Linear settlements along a river were common before industrialization because of the need for fresh water to irrigate crops. Today, the desire to be close to a transportation route is even more important. Small communities will sprawl along a railroad track or a metropolitan city will have multiple entry and exit points from an interstate highway.

What was the invention of Cyrus McCormick in 1831?

• Mechanical reaper

• Crop rotation

• More land

• Fewer laborers

Answer explanation

Mechanical reaper. Cyrus McCormick's invention of the mechanical reaper in 1831 reduced the need for human labor since the machine cut and harvested crops. This invention made it easier for more agricultural products to be grown on more land with fewer laborers.

What was the result of the British enclosure movement?

• Common land was shared among farmers

• Individual plots of land became smaller

• Farm size and production decreased

• Individual plots of land became larger

Answer explanation

Individual plots of land became larger. The British enclosure movement divided up common land that had been shared by farmers into individual plots, which resulted in larger plots of land for individual farmers.

Which of the following was a result of the Green Revolution?

• Small family farms thrived

• Agriculture was practiced in regions previously thought to be incapable of producing food

• Land-use patterns changed in size, scope, and organization

• Large corporate farms dominated the market

Answer explanation

Agriculture was practiced in regions previously thought to be incapable of producing food. The Green Revolution allowed agriculture to be practiced in regions of Mexico, India, and Indonesia, which were previously thought to be incapable of producing food. This impacted the size, scope, and organization of land-use patterns.

Which of the following is an example of a bound?

• From the oak tree, 100 yards north

• Corner of the barn

• Streams

• Roads

Answer explanation

Bounds covered larger areas and were based on larger features, such as streams or roads.

Which of the following is true regarding the Public Land Survey System?

• It was used by English colonists in America.

• It was based on measuring and recording the size of features on the earth's surface.

• It divided land into townships that were six miles long and six miles wide.

• It resulted in property boundaries with shapes other than squares and rectangles.

Which of the following areas have the best examples of the French long-lot system in North America?

• Quebec

• Louisiana

• Alberta

• Manitoba

Answer explanation

Louisiana. These two areas have the best examples of the French long-lot system in North America, as the passage states that French settlers in North America emphasized the value of access to a river for water and trade, and that the best examples of the long-lot system occur in Quebec and Louisiana. Alberta and Manitoba are not mentioned in the passage, so they are not correct answers.