Ap Human Geography Research Paper

Harm de Blij’s Why Geography Matters: More Than Ever explains the necessity of geographic knowledge in today’s society and the need to further expand interactions within the United States and other countries. This novel expands on the economic, cultural, physical, and political geography of our nation. De Blij outlines on the importance of geographic thought by focusing on climate change, terrorism, the rise of states, and development in Africa.. I believe that while geography has proven to make a noticeable difference in the knowledge of our vast world, it will require an extensive amount of effort in order to make geography known.

Farm technology made a lot of progress from 1890-1920. Before this time, all the farming was done by hand. There were many inventions from wire to tractors to help make farming easier. Three inventions that really changed farming were gas tractors, cream separator and horse drawn combine.

The 120,000 square-mile area the Dust Bowl destroyed was Kansas, New Mexico, Texas, Oklahoma and Colorado. The Dust Bowl was a name given to the Great Plains region that was struck with a drought in the 1930’s. Before the Depression, many of the farmers in the Great Plains were over producing wheat due to the war. Farmers plowed more land and removed grass in order to make more room for their crops. Then the Depression hit and the demand for wheat decreased. Farmers did not need as much land as before so they left a majority of it unoccupied and bare. Since there was no grass to hold all the dirt down, when winds would pick up the loose dirt it would create dense dust clouds, that were also known as “black blizzards”. These storms ruined

Every civilization throughout history has their ups and downs. What if these ups and downs could all be connected back to one main factor, to one influence? Throughout history, it can be noticed that the location of a civilization affects the shape of its culture, economy, trade, and security of its borders. It defines which societies rise to power and which lose power. Geography influences history in many ways, as can be seen in the Indus Valley, Greece, and Aksum civilizations. The Indus Valley built large mud walls and drainage systems to lessen the effects of massive flooding. In Greece, many wars occurred between city states due to the differences in culture caused by separation by mountain ranges. In Aksum, they utilized their access to different bodies of water to become the head of trade. Each of these civilizations utilized their geography and its advantages, but also eventually fell victim to its disadvantages.

Over the last century, farming has changed exponentially, transforming food production. During the late 1800s, the industrial revolution revitalizes agriculture by bolstering crop and livestock productivity, spurring the second agricultural revolution. This revolution marks the creation of a commercial market for food. (Knox, 334) The third agricultural revolution, occurring after World War II, introduces mechanization, chemical farming, and manufacturing processing that still exists today; therefore, marking the transition from the family owned and operated farms to commercial farms. “Back around the turn of the last century, the average farmer could feed six or eight people. Now the average American farmer can feed 126 people” (Kenner). The standardization of fast food reconstructed the food preparation system. McDonald’s Speedee Service System introduced manufacturing production lines into a restaurant, transforming the farming into a food industry. (Knox, 341) Even though most food sold in supermarkets and restaurants is cultivated on corporate lands, surprisingly, farming is still believed to be a family business with locals living in small farmhouses.

In the 1920s new technology and industry for agriculture was increasing. New equipment was being invented to help farmers and their lifestyle. Tractors were upgraded to have internal combustion engines, rather than the old steam engines they once had the tractor was now allot like automobiles. The new technology that was used in tractors helped to open 35 million new acres to cultivation, the tractors were helping famers to produce more crops with fewer workers. New innovations were continuing to be invented, which was supposed to help farmers increase in production, but rather than increase the production decreased. The production was not growing as fast as the new technologies, which made over 3 million people leave agriculture altogether.

In Prisoners of Geography, Tim Marshall argues that geography constrains and shapes all nations and their leaders. Their actions are limited by mountains, rivers, seas, and concrete. He argues that to really understand world events, one must also consider geography. Physical characteristics affect the strengths and vulnerabilities of regions. In his book, Tim Marshall examines Russia, China, the Middle East, Latin America, the United States, Africa, Western Europe, Japan and Korea, and Greenland and the Arctic. In his examination of Latin America, he notes that bringing “Old World” knowledge and technology does little to improve a region if the geography is counterproductive. In the chapter on the Arctic, Marshall examines the Arctic’s unforgiving environment and the indisputable effects of global warming in the region.

Sienna: Arizona celebrates 4th of July by eating eggs that were cooked on the streets of Arizona.

In part six, I thought there was a lot of good information spread out in all of the chapters. The biggest thing that stood out to me were in chapter 25. I enjoyed the first sections that were expressed. I enjoyed the idea about how Jesus recruits heroes to join him in critiquing theocapitalism. I think this means that he reaches out to people who are going to attempt to make the kingdom grow. The four laws I thought were really interesting to process through. They had so many different concepts. The one thing I enjoyed was the first law and how it said that God does not think the economy is a bad thing. Even though so many times people will think God’s opinion is a certain way, however, we do not know how God truly feels.

In the book Why Geography Matters: Three Challenges Facing America; By Harm de Blij I learned many things and my perspective about the world and what's going on it has changed after reading this book. After reading this I wished that I had payed more attention to what was going on in the world and now, I will work hard to keep being aware of the world so I am no longer ignorant of it. Harm De Blij points out many things and makes clearer for me.In Why Geography Matters, Harm de Blij exhibits how geography's viewpoints yield one of a kind bits of knowledge into the inter connections that stamp out onto our ever changing world. The book talks about three major problems. The environment. China. Terrorism. These are three problems that shows how we need to get ready for a big environmental change, diffusing a cold war with China before it really starts,and crushing terrorism: the majority of this requires geographic information.Harm De Blij makes a call to restore topography to America's instructive educational programs.

Growing up, I have always had an interest in geography and thinking about different countries and what makes them the way that they are. I have not been in a geography class since middle school and Human Geography was a class that made me think about things I have never thought of before. The readings of both Kropotkin and Mackinder brought up very interesting points, some that conflict and others that agree. Each author writes in a way that stimulates and makes you think about geography and certain topics in different ways which I find to be very rare in writings from this time period. Discussing Kropotkin’s and Mackinder’s general ideas, points they disagree or agree on, and my own views on the topic will all be discussed in this final paper.

Agriculture is the modification of Earth’s surface through the cultivation of plants and animals through the cultivation of plants and animals to obtain economic gain. It was also a key development for the rise of the domestication of animals. Although, its origins cannot be documented for certainty because agriculture began before recorded history, scholars believe that it was started in Southwest Asia. Also, agriculture entails selective breeding of animals with combinations of inherited characteristics that benefits humans. Around the world, agriculture’s steps are the same, but the type of animals that were raised or cultivated differently. Agriculture is the human control of the environment.

The agricultural technology that was invented during the medieval ages resulted in social and economic developments which affected the lives of those living in that period. The new machinery allowed the townspeople to grow a surplus of food and in result learn new specialties and trades. “When these people could produce a surplus, they were freed to do other things, which provided the basis for towns, cities, and civilization”( flowofhistory.com). Civilian life was made more comfortable because of the advancements that were made through the ages.

Human civilization evolved over a period of time. People’s life, behaviour and adoption have been changed from gathering and hunting to urbanization stage. In the beginning, people were depending on gathering and hunting then they reached the stage of cultivation of crops and this way agriculture began. At that time people did agriculture from bare hands, later on, plough developed. At that time, agriculture production is low because of lack of agricultural knowledge and technological inputs were also low which bind the whole family to work in agriculture fields. After 1750s industrial revolution began and it led to advances in agricultural technology that greatly increased food production, which allow other people to pursue other work. At that time horsepower came into use and machinery like steam engine used in the agricultural process. Tractors were used for ploughing. In 1701 Jethro Tull’s used drill ways of sowing seed in rows, in the place of broadcasting. The industrial revolution changed the whole pattern of agriculture. This phase is also known as agriculture revolution in the modern world. Technology is the main driving force for this

Regional Diversity: This element of diversity is closely related to the ethnicity and religious, but there are significant differences. There are six major geo-political regions, comprising of ‘related’ ethno-linguistic groups. The national politics tend to revolve around issues of representation from these six regions. A company such as our shoe company may not have to branches in each region, but in dealing with the public, it would help the image of the company if it is not seen to be dominated by any one of the