How did the geographic factors of Virginia affect the growth and location of its cities? How did the geographic factors of Virginia affect the growth and location of its cities?

How did land and water forms make cities grow? All the areas shown in red are cities in Virginia.

Cities developed along the Atlantic Ocean, the Chesapeake Bay, and the major rivers in Virginia. Cities developed along the Atlantic Ocean, the Chesapeake Bay, and the major rivers in Virginia.

Virginia’s earliest cities grew here, near the Chesapeake Bay and the Atlantic Ocean.

Why did cities develop along the Atlantic Ocean?

Cities developed in areas of Virginia that had access to the Atlantic Ocean, because goods could be shipped from there.

At first, ships had only sail power.

Today, freighters are powered by oil, but they still load on the docks of Virginia’s cities.

Cities developed around the mouth of the Chesapeake Bay, where the Bay meets the Atlantic Ocean. Mouth of the Chesapeake Bay

Cities developed around the mouth of the Chesapeake Bay because of its rich natural resources and its natural harbor.

Cities developed around the mouth of the Chesapeake Bay because of its rich natural resources.

Cities developed around the mouth of the Chesapeake Bay because of its natural harbor. Cities developed around the mouth of the Chesapeake Bay because of its natural harbor.

A city that developed around the mouth of the Chesapeake Bay was Norfolk Norfolk. It had rich natural resources and a natural harbor.

Hampton Another city that developed around the mouth of the Chesapeake Bay was Hampton. It had rich natural resources and a natural harbor. Another city that developed around the mouth of the Chesapeake Bay was Hampton Hampton. It had rich natural resources and a natural harbor.

A third city that developed around the mouth of the Chesapeake Bay was Yorktown Yorktown. It had rich natural resources and a natural harbor.

Cities also developed along the Fall Line, because it was a natural barrier to river transportation.

The Fall Line is where the waterfalls begin.

Waterfalls are found where the land is hilly. Waterfalls are found where the land is hilly.

Because of the waterfalls, and rocks in the river, it is too dangerous for big boats to go inland, away from the ocean, past the Fall Line.

So big ships had to stop at the Fall Line and unload.

Businesses developed in places where the big ships unloaded.

There were good jobs loading and unloading large ships.

People bought goods headed in both directions and sold them to people who took them to their destinations.

One city that developed at the Fall Line is Richmond. One city that developed at the Fall Line is Richmond.

Richmond is at the Fall Line on the James River. Richmond is at the Fall Line on the James River.

Cities also developed along rivers. Cities also developed along rivers.

Cities developed along rivers because rivers were the main transportation routes in early Virginia. Cities developed along rivers because rivers were the main transportation routes in early Virginia.

Cities needed to be near rivers so people could send their crops down the river to market.

A city that developed along the Potomac River is Alexandria. A city that developed along the Potomac River is Alexandria.

Cities developed in the Shenandoah Valley. Cities developed in the Shenandoah Valley.

In the Shenandoah Valley, cities developed because of its rich soil. In the Shenandoah Valley, cities developed because of its rich soil.

In the Shenandoah Valley, cities developed because of the natural shelter of the mountains. In the Shenandoah Valley, cities developed because of the natural shelter of the mountains.

The mountains gave the cities shelter from strong wind and bad weather. The mountains gave the cities shelter from strong wind and bad weather.

In the rich soil of the Shenandoah Valley, German and Scots-Irish settlers could grow more than they needed for their families.

The protection of the mountains gave them better weather for better and bigger crops. The protection of the mountains gave them better weather for better and bigger crops.

They sold their big crops for cash. Cities became places for them to sell crops and buy things for their families. They sold their big crops for cash. Cities became places for them to sell crops and buy things for their families.

Other people bought the crops in the cities of the Shenandoah Valley, and distributed them to still other people. So the cities grew. Other people bought the crops in the cities of the Shenandoah Valley, and distributed them to still other people. So the cities grew.

Harrisonburg is a city in the Shenandoah Valley that grew because of the rich soil and the natural shelter of the mountains. Harrisonburg is a city in the Shenandoah Valley that grew because of the rich soil and the natural shelter of the mountains.

Winchester is another city in the Shenandoah Valley that grew up because of the rich soil and the natural shelter of the mountains. Winchester is another city in the Shenandoah Valley that grew up because of the rich soil and the natural shelter of the mountains. Bridgewater College, where Mrs. Flora went to college, is in Winchester.

So we see that cities developed, or grew, all over Virginia. So we see that cities developed, or grew, all over Virginia. Our city, Danville

And geography, or land and water, had a big effect on where the cities grew. And geography, or land and water, had a big effect on where the cities grew. May you grow up straight and strong. Mrs. Wooding