How did the states of America get their shape?

lones78

"According to Stein, four elements influenced the shapes of the states: the American Revolution, the 1808 proposal for the Erie Canal, railroads and slavery. Before the American Revolution, the British crown created colonies that were diverse in size. After the revolution, the new bicameral legislature created greater parity among the states with regard to their size and shape. Founding Father Thomas Jefferson provided the underlying principle of all states being created equal, although he actually meant in size. After the revolution, Congress assigned Jefferson the task of devising how the Northwest Territory—land between the Ohio and Mississippi rivers—should be divided. He proposed that the region be divided into states having two degrees of latitude and four degrees of longitude, wherever possible." http://www.loc.gov/loc/lcib/0809/states.html Apr 26 10, 5:41 PM