Advanced Placement (AP) Human Geography Practice Exam

Which land survey method is characterized by long lots extending outward from river frontage?

1. Rectangular survey system

2. Metes and bounds system

3. Long-lots system

4. Township and range survey

The correct answer is: Long-lots system

The land survey method characterized by long lots extending outward from river frontage is known as the long-lots system. This method is primarily associated with areas in France and regions influenced by French settlement patterns, particularly in North America. The long-lots system is designed to allow as many properties as possible direct access to a waterway, which was essential for transportation and commerce in the early days of settlement. This configuration often results in narrow, elongated plots that extend away from the river, providing each owner the opportunity to utilize the river as a resource. In contrast, other land survey methods serve different purposes. The rectangular survey system is based on a grid layout developed by the Public Land Survey System in the United States, which does not prioritize river access in its design. The metes and bounds system relies on natural landmarks and often includes irregularly shaped parcels of land, but it does not create the distinctly long and narrow lots that characterize the long-lots method. The township and range survey method is similarly grid-based and organizes land into township squares, which again does not exhibit the long and narrow property shapes seen in the long-lots system. Thus, the long-lots system is uniquely identified by its design that facilitates access to waterways.