Final answer:
Physical geography influenced settlements in the Highlands and Pinelands, with their less arable land and difficult terrain resulting in lighter settlement compared to areas that were geographically advantageous for agriculture and trade.
Step-by-step explanation:
Physical geography played a crucial role in influencing settlement patterns in the Highlands and Pinelands during and after Colonial times. The Highlands, characterized by their rugged terrain, and the Pinelands, known for their sandy soil, were not as appealing to settlers as the more fertile and easily navigable lowlands.
These natural landscape features led to difficulties in farming, transportation, and communication, causing these areas to remain lightly settled for an extended period. In contrast, the areas with more accommodating geographic features experienced significant transformation due to colonial activities such as plantation agriculture, which drastically altered both the human demographics and the environment.
Intensive plantation systems required large labor forces mainly for seasonal work during planting and harvest peaks and led to the near elimination of local groups due to disease and subjugation.
The areas that were ultimately transformed by settlers often benefited from natural geographic advantages, such as accessible coastal areas that facilitated the establishment of ports and trade routes essential for the colonial economy.
Meanwhile, the less accessible Highlands and Pinelands, with their less arable land and inhospitable conditions, remained sparsely populated, maintaining some of their original characteristics well into the post-colonial period.