Topic 5.2: Settlement & Survey

How we divide land and where we build homes (PSO-5.B)

1. Survey Methods (PSO-5.B.3)

Select a system to see how it divides the landscape.

🌳 🪨 🌳 🏞️ 🌳 Select a Method

Metes and Bounds

Origin: Great Britain

Uses physical features of the local geography (trees, rocks, streams) to define boundaries.

  • Shape: Irregular, jigsaw puzzle-like.
  • Where: Original 13 Colonies (East Coast USA).
  • Cons: Features move (trees die, streams shift), causing disputes.

2. Settlement Patterns (PSO-5.B.2)

How houses are arranged in rural areas.

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Clustered (Nucleated)

Houses are grouped closely together, often around a central feature like a church, pub, or village green.

Why? Defense, shared resources, strong community.

Where? Europe, Sub-Saharan Africa, Colonial New England.