Considering that the original 13 colonies were founded in the eastern seaboard of the country and that until the post WWII period the major population centers shifted from the East to the West of the country it is only natural and logical. Indeed, the eastern seaboard was the most industrialized and populated area of the USA for a long time and most immigrants entered the country through New York. Pennsylvania was also heavily industrialized and a major mining area.
With more immigrants pouring in every year, the potential for more criminal acts increased and to keep up, more prisons were necessary. There is also the huge factor of labor rights activism, which was criminalized by employers and judges in order to keep workers docile and submissive. Many strikers and labor unions were incarcerated as well and more prisons were needed for that purpose.
In the form of Egyptian hieroglyphs –emerged in Africa from the 4th century BCE. In Ethiopia, the Ethiopic script was developed in the 4th century CE, and in Sudan the Meroïtic script was created about 180 BCE. The Tifinagh script is of particular importance for West Africa.
They did not want to travel long distances.
Harappan seals have shown connections to the Mesopotamian civilization. The seals date between 1872-73 CE. The structure of the seals are similar to that of the Mesopotamian civilization and provide evidence for the trade existing between the two civilizations.