How was state lines decided?

Answer 1

Each state is different.

Some possibilities:

1 - Natural geographic features
2 - British or other colonial land grants
3 - wars
4 - seemed like a good place to put it (big square western states)
5 - treaties with other countries

Answer 2

In the USA, generally by one of the following ...

1) A body of water, such as an ocean, lake, or river.

2) A surveyed straight line or curve. In other words, they picked a line and decided that's where the border would be. In Delaware, the circular part of the northern border is defined by a set distance from the courthouse in New Castle.

3) By treaty. This applies mainly to the international borders, such as the 49th parallel where it's the border between the US and Canada.

4) By watershed/drainage area. This includes borders such as New Hampshire/Quebec and the jagged part of Idaho/Montana. An interesting fact about the latter is that it was supposed to be the Continental Divide, but for the northern portion the surveyors followed the wrong mountain range, thus creating the Idaho Panhandle.

Answer 3

Good question. I don't have an expert answer but I have several notions about it.

In the old days it was arbitrarily defined and re-estimated all the time by War. Later, after things settled, railroad construction dictated major towns and cities and the in bet-weens were estimated by farm acreage and population. Natural environmental impediments were factored in as well.

In modern planning I believe it is done by county zoning. They try to allote area based on population and business borders; always cutting these off at the proper place. But even these change. Lines are not stictly designated since they change frequently (within set state line). These are townships and county expansiions. Do take my word on it though. This is just an accumulation of stuff I have read over the years.

Answer 4

Each state's borders were set by varying means. On the eastern seaboard the borders were set by the British government's grants creating colonies.

As you move toward the center of the country the nation the US government acquired large tracts that were divided by Congress into territories. Those borders changed over time for various reasons.

For example Arkansas was once part of the Missouri territory and was later split off as Missouri became ready for statehood. Legend has it that the Missouri "bootheel" was created to appease a wealthy land owner who wanted to be part of the state of Missouri rather than have the fewer rights granted to residents of territories. The western border of Arkansas once extended to include most of what is now Oklahoma and was removed to create land reserved for the indigenious people (Indians).

The northern borders of some states bordering Canada were set by treaty with the United Kingdom and the southern borders of some the states bordering Mexico were set by treaty with Mexico. The southern border of California I believe was set by the agreement to purchase the land from Spain.

Answer 5

Initially, each state claimed a certain amount of territory -- and settled disputes between themselves, usually by treaty.

After the US was founded, new states were created by application -- and the boundaries were usually either geographic features (rivers, mountain ridges) or based on geographic longitude and latitude lines -- which is why as you move further west (later states) -- the boundaries tend to be more straight lines.

Answer 6

Well, here in the USA... many of the State borders are determined by Rivers, Sea-Coasts, Oceans, and Mountain Ranges. Others are determined by lines of Longitude or Latitude, and others of course by our borders with Canada & Mexico.

WHAT the borders are would be determined by the CONGRESS (not the President).

Answer 7

Some states are decided by rives, some by Poltical decsions and some have just a natural Boundry IE Alaksa and Hawaii

Answer 8

State lines were decided in a helter skelter fashion during the great Western movement.

Answer 9

By the president and by wars.

Answer 10

by Salad Fingers......