Population distribution describes the

relation of people to the physical features and to each other

The population distribution and composition of the United States when it first became a country can best be described as spread along the East Coast, consisting of approximately 20% of people of African descent and the rest primarily of western and northern European ancestry. Most were of British ancestry, followed by German and Dutch. Since they had come from Europe, most people settled close to the Atlantic Coast. Those of African descent generally did not have the same choice of movement, and lived along the East Coast as slaves. It should be noted that the term East Coast refers to a broad region, extending inland from the Atlantic Ocean. Not everyone lived literally on the seacoast.