I also wondered if it had more to do with the density of the European settlements as well, since most of our surviving records are probably from them.

SimpleStacker

It's cool how the coasts are so fractured into little groups while the midwest, arctic is big broad chunks.

My best guess is that this is caused by terrain - it's easier to defend a cove, peninsula, island, than it is open grassland. If mountains could support more people, maybe there would be a similar fracturing across mountains.

Not really sure how to explain the messy state of the American SW though. So maybe the phenomenon is caused by trade or something.

history

charts_and_maps

Indigenous American Nations, 16th century

k00b

It's cool how the coasts are so fractured into little groups while the midwest, arctic is big broad chunks. 

My best guess is that this is caused by terrain - it's easier to defend a cove, peninsula, island, than it is open grassland. If mountains could support more people, maybe there would be a similar fracturing across mountains. 

Not really sure how to explain the messy state of the American SW though. So maybe the phenomenon is caused by trade or something.