Why aren't there any large cities in this area?

[u/tycoon_irony]

[u/GargantuanCake]

Lack of water. Look at a map of how wet America is by region then check where the big cities are.

[u/Poochmanchung → u/GargantuanCake]

Most of that region isn't arid though. And they have the Missouri river. 

[u/i_enjoy_music_n_stuf → u/Poochmanchung]

THATS WHAT IM SAYIN. People keep saying no water or water trade highways. Maybe this is just because I work at a lewis and Clark museum but I thought it was general knowledge that tho MO is huge and was the trade highway for so so so many tribes. Not just that, because then it became the trade route for the fur trade, and after that it was the route for westward expansion. All of the criteria are there. Large migrations if people, large source of fresh water, abundant resources, an expansive trade highway that goes through LITERALLY all of this. But people are just saying erm no it’s because there’s no water and nobody there. BUT THERE IS WATER AND IM GENUINELY SO CURIOUS NOW AS TO WHY