Why did the Mason-Dixon line arise? Detailed answer

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Why did the Mason-Dixon line arise? Detailed answer

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Why did the Mason-Dixon line appear?

The Mason-Dixon Line is the border that, on the eve of the American Civil War, separated the slave states from the free states, the southern part of the country from the north. This border originated in colonial times. The Penn family, which had holdings in Pennsylvania, and the Calvert family, which owned lands in Maryland, quarreled over the boundary between their holdings. This quarrel began in 1681.

Eventually, in 1763, the two families agreed to establish a boundary by measuring their holdings scientifically. They hired two English astronomers, Charles Mason and Jeremiah Dixon, to measure the property and set the boundary. The work was completed in 1767, and since then the boundary has been known as the Mason-Dixon Line. The border was marked with stone markers. But these stones were stolen by souvenir hunters. Now they have been replaced by permanent, solid signs.

The Mason-Dixon line became very famous. It was decided to measure again and prove its correctness. This was carried out in 1849 and tested at the beginning of our century. But Mason and Dixon were so accurate in their measurements that the line, after all the checks, turned out to be practically unchanged. This line separates Pennsylvania from Maryland and from part of West Virginia. The Mason-Dixon Line is now considered the border separating the northern states from the southern states, and runs along a latitude of 39 degrees 43 minutes 26,3 seconds.

Author: Likum A.

Random interesting fact from the Great Encyclopedia:

What is the largest flying bird?

The largest bird on earth cannot fly at all. This is an African ostrich. It reaches 2,5 m in height and weighs over 135 kg. It would be hard work to lift such a bird into the air.

Two species have the largest wingspan of flying birds: the albatross and the condor. Adult birds weigh about 13 kg.

A wandering albatross leads the parade of the largest flying birds. Its wingspan is more than 3,5 m. In the condor, this value reaches 3,5 m. Next comes the royal vulture. It lives in South America, Mexico and Central America. Its wingspan reaches 3 m.

The white pelican, the next largest representative (wingspan - more than 2,5 m), lives in Canada and the southern states, and flies to another coast in winter. The great bustard - a huge anseriform feathered bird - is related to the crane. It lives in Europe, Asia and Africa, with a wingspan of more than 2,5 m.

Next come the bald and golden eagles. Then cranes (with a wingspan of up to 2 m), brown pelican and buzzard have about the same size.

The flight speed of different birds varies greatly. The highest measured speed belongs to two swifts from India. They flew at a rate of 3,2 km, covering this distance in 36 and 42 seconds, that is, 274 and 320 km / h!

After swifts, probably the fastest birds are the marsh harrier and its relatives. They, according to known data, fly 264-288 kilometers per hour! Domestic pigeon - about 96 kilometers per hour, and hummingbirds - from 80 to 88 kilometers per hour!

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