One theory I've heard is that the prevalence of natural hazards in the US explain the comparatively lower level of development prior to arrival of Europeans - b

One theory I've heard is that the prevalence of natural hazards in the US explain the comparatively lower level of development prior to arrival of Europeans - basically any time the locals were getting somewhere some kind of catastrophe would befall them, and destroy their progress. Does make one think about the long term, especially with a more extreme climate expected to be on the way.