Who decides how our states are shaped?

Question

When we were changing colonies, to states, what person, or persons, decided where the "lines" went, dividing the states?
And since the beginning of the states, have the lines ever moved since then?

Answer 1

The old professor says: The first US states were colonies and their borders were often fought over by Britain and France and Spain. Early surveys ended much of these claims and established "borders". Often rivers were the borders of choice and lines of latitude or longitude were used as guides for state lines.

As we moved west, a type of mapping using the range and tier system was common. Because this system was based on area squares called sections, many of the western states took on a rectangular shape. A section was a square mile. If rivers were 'handy", then they were also employed. Rivers did not have to be surveyed, and so were chosen for their ease.

State lines have changed quite a bit over time. Virginia lost a lot of territory on its western frontier. Also when W. Va was formed, Virginia lost more. The Florida panhandle was another piece of real estate that changed shape and size as new states were formed.

Answer 2

Natural boarders were often used to divide countries and states. That means rivers, lakes, mountain ranges, etc were the common dividing lines. The only problem is that these natural features change over time, especially rivers. Later on, the "square states" helped divide up the Louisana Purchase based on range-township
grids (a range is 6 miles East to West, a township is 6 miles North to South).

The state boundaries have changed a bit a few times. The most notably when Maine and West Virginia were formed. New Hampshire and Virginia were drasticly changed from larger states to smaller ones.

Answer 3

now, i'm pretty old at 57, and hear is what my great grandfather told me....he said the states shape was determined long ago, when they took cattle from place to place, the outline of states came from herding cattle and the trails they took.........if this is true or not.........not sure.....but stranger things are....

Answer 4

It is geographical.....