Chapters 1-3 -Teachers Notes/ World Political Geography

Front 1

Hobbs describes, there are “six essential elements of geography

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1. the world in spatial terms
2. places and regions
3.physical systems
4.human systems
5. environmental and society
6. uses of geography

Hint 1

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Front 2

Another summary of what geography is all about is known as the Five Themes of Geography. The National Council for Geographic Education an the Association of American Geographers developed this list.

Back 2

1. location, place, human-environment interaction, movement, region

Hint 2

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Front 3

The impact of humans on geography and therefore the environment is particularly noticeable in

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the United States

Front 4

Forests and grasslands have been supplanted by

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human farming first and later settlement in dense populations.

Front 5

The speed with which people can cross the globe means that reintroduction of disease can occur because in many cases the __

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natural immunity acquired by earlier generations have been lost

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Social instability and disruption can further add to the problem. For example, individuals delivering polio vaccine to rural areas in Pakistan are being __

Back 6

killed by the Pakistani Taliban.

Front 7

__ gives us other perspectives from which to observe the world but the earlier terminology

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the space age

Front 8

If the map changes significantly over a short period of time, less than 30 years a generation, it will be __

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a signal of development

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The rise of ________ is one of the outcomes of such growth.

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energy cost

Front 10

__ have delayed the worse so far by finding other sources of energy and by improvements in energy efficiency

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developed states

Front 11

For Hobbes, the answer is that regions help

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simplify analysis of human activity.

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Regions are

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subdivisions of space are human constructs

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Three types of regions are recognized by geographers

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formal, functional, and vernacular regions

Hint 13

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Front 14

A “formal region (also called

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a uniform or homogeneous region

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A “formal region

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is one in which all the populations shares a defining trait or set of traits.

ex: regional boundaries (country or state)

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A “functional region (also called

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a nodal region

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A “formal region

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is a spatial unit characterized by a central focus on some kind of activity (often an economic activity.

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At the center of a functional region, the activity is more intense, whereas toward the edges of the region

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the defining activity becomes less important.

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A “vernacular region (or

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perceptual region

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A “vernacular region

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is a region that exists in the minds of many people.

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A “vernacular region may play an important role in cultural identity, but does not necessarily have

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official or clear-cut borders.

Front 22

Florida has moved toward becoming a blue or purple state. Red here refers to consistently voting for

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Republicans for President

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Blue states conversely vote Democratic while states that are swing states are labeled

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purple.

Front 24

The eight regions used here are pretty standard but understand they did not exist in some cases

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25 yrs ago

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Another label used for these regions is ____ which simply indicates that the two or more diverse cultures and economics come into collision with each other.

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“shatter belt”

Front 26

Mexico and the U.S. A native Hispanic culture was already in existence in the Southwest before the U.S. annexed the region into its boundaries after __

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the Mexican-American War that started in 1846

Front 27

The U.S. as a result of the war absorbed a significant Hispanic population along with __

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Indian tribes

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transition zones can be particularly troublesome given the need to maintain control over their borders while encouraging

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trade across the border.

Front 29

For many states, control over their border regions is a major priority

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because immigrants are always trying to cross the border

Front 30

Russia’s eastern republics which butt up against China are continually confronted with Chinese immigration into the area. Given the fact that Russia’s population is in decline, the Russian fear is that _-

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the Chinese in time will effectively take control over the area and expand their borders to incorporate their settlers

Front 31

Greek city states back in 400 BC were similar in that armed people were sent to establish Greek colonies so you had Athens establishing colonies which eventually

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became part of their empire

Front 32

environment provides opportunities but also __

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imposes limitations

Front 33

Many people viewed the sea as protection from other countries that is why the US saw isolation from other countries as __

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a safe place to be. (It would trade with other states but would not become involved in the strife and wars of the old continent)

Front 34

The US sea protection lasted until WWI and ended after WWII not because the geography changed but the technologies had advanced to the point that the U.S. could no longer depend __

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on its distance from Europe and Asia.

Front 35

In an increasingly interconnected world, the U.S. found itself either leading or

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being pressured to help solve threats to peace

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Within a generation, the United States moved from outsider to the ultimate insider in world politics (because of the advanced technology) – its geography never changed but

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U.S. interpretation of the rest of the world did.

Front 37

Israel for example is stuck in a dangerous neighborhood and that is unlikely to change quickly. These situations point out the other reality of geography: geography is binding because

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it is physically permanent.

Front 38

Regardless of their wishes, people and their land cannot move. For the Haitians for example moving out of the path of hurricanes would

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immeasurably help their society prosper.

Front 39

“Geography does not determine behavior but heavily influences

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what is thought possible or necessary by political actors.”

Front 40

What allows many states to spend their moneys as they go is the hope that “peak oil” for them has not occurred yet. Peak oil occurs when __

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the global oil reserves are tapped out

Front 41

Lack of control in some states reflects the fact that many of the residents are

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not supportive of the state where they happen to be located

Front 42

The process of evolution is simply how a society develops

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economically and politically

Front 43

There are seven basic components of the state for our purposes:

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1] land territory; 2] permanent resident population; 3] government; 4] organized economy; 5] circulation system; 6] “Sovereignty;” and 7] Recognition.

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Permanent resident population is a critical for

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sustaining a claim over territory.

Front 45

The third characteristic is a

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government a straight forward concept but note that it does not indicate an effective government – one capable of controlling what occurs within its boundaries. Many states lack that control over what occurs within its boundaries.

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Fourth is an organized economy – a concept that incorporates several aspects including

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a transportation system along with an economic system

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The economy and the government are tied into the existence of the fifth item,

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a circulation system

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A circulation system can incorporate a road system or even a post office as in the U.S. – the latter allows for __

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transmission of information and ideas across the populace which help the society grow economically and otherwise.

Front 49

The most common form of government is __

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what is termed a unitary state. Where the central government is supreme.

Front 50

The second pattern is the federal system. One definition is: “A federal government is the common government of a federation. The structure of federal governments varies from institution to institution. Based on a broad definition of a basic federal political system, there are _

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two or more levels of government that exist within an established territory and govern through common institutions with overlapping or shared powers as prescribed by a constitution

Front 51

The United States is an example of a

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federal government.

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The third and weakest form is the

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confederacy or confederate form of government.

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Now we get to the other side of the question, defining what constitutes a nation. The simplest is “a group of people.” A more elaborate definition of nation is:

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"a reasonably large group of people with a common culture, sharing one or more important cultural traits, such as religion, language, political institutions, values and historical experience (positive or negative).”

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What makes a nation important is that emotional linkage which plays out in the world as

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nationalism

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Nationalism is the linkage of emotion with a political entity called the

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state

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The intensity of this linkage is sufficient to motivate individuals to __

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die in support of their country or state

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A nation-state is simply a nation with a

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state wrapped around it.

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ndividuals learn nationalism in school rituals such as

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flag salute and singing patriotic songs plus public ceremonies such as commemoration of past sacrifices and victories.

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Examples of nationalism:

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Fourth of July, Memorial Day, Veterans Day and Thanksgiving