This is especially true with geography. The political implications of hastily drawn borders are one example, but even which states get established at all.
For instance, in 1606, the Dutch were the first Europeans to step foot in Australia, but they do much. They thought the land was too arid and resource-deficient, so they mostly just created maps of the Australian coastlines and kept their focus on the East Indies. Australia wasn’t colonized until the late 18th century, just because the British were more optimistic about it.
This is especially true with geography. The political implications of hastily drawn borders are one example, but even which states get established at all.
For instance, in 1606, the Dutch were the first Europeans to step foot in Australia, but they do much. They thought the land was too arid and resource-deficient, so they mostly just created maps of the Australian coastlines and kept their focus on the East Indies. Australia wasn’t colonized until the late 18th century, just because the British were more optimistic about it.