Human activity has major effects on geography. When studying the earth you can come to several conclusions about the geography of any particular civilization. Distribution of life in the civilization allows you to analyze whether their geography is their own destiny. Do people control their own destiny? Is geography something that people can control? Technology is really the key to why geography can be overcome by any people. Throughout the history of the earth we have seen many countries leave their homeland. Most of these countries however, are those that are not landlocked. Countries which were not landlocked organized themselves and set sail for new territories to explore. Boat technology allowed for travel, resulting in the whole world becoming more accessible and allowing people to overcome what was thought to be indestructible geography. Obviously access to the sea lowers transport costs and aids economic growth. Yet this mattered less in earlier centuries. Even in some ancient civilizations, they learned to overcome the problem of not having technology. The original silk route from China to Europe used the camel rather than the ship. Only when ship design became advanced from the 15th century onwards did sea-borne trade gain centre-stage. India and China however, were landlocked and were by far the greatest industrial powers in the world till the Industrial revolution. Technology, not geography, helped temperate agriculture and industry to zoom ahead. One way a country overcomes geographical isolation is to improve its transportation infrastructure. Better roads, ports, paths, and other modes of transport provide access to world markets. But a country can only derive full benefits from these investments against a backdrop of good trade and macroeconomic policies. Consequently this leads to the belief that people again control the thought of their own geography. Note that Europeans migrated in enormous numbers to warmer climates from the 17th century onwards. However these warmer climates were not always easy to live in. The conditions that a person living in a tropical climate would put up with were far greater than those who live in the subtropics. Global warming has been a huge concern in the entire world. In The Wealth and Poverty of Nations, David S. Landes argues that Europe's temperate climate encouraged hard work and capitalist development, while the heat of the tropics brought reliance on slaves. The communications revolution has shrunk distances. Bangalore, currently the software capital of India with Hyderabad a close second, has proven that landlocked countries can do just as well and that overcoming geography can happen.
As new ideas traveled main trade routes, such as the Silk Road and the Mediterranean, the effects of such were felt through an influx of contact between countries due to increased desire for new information and countries gaining a larger presence on the world stage. This phenomenon can also be seen through the lens of cultural exchange that took place during this same time period in Eurasia. A major component of the Eurasian trade networks, such as the Silk Road and Indian Ocean, was that they fostered interregional contacts that had ceased to previously exist. When a country had a desire for study or technology, they earned more respect on the global stage. This can be further examined by looking at Marco Polo’s voyage into Asia.
One theme that is evident throughout Blij’s “Power of Place” is the concept of culture regions mainly his analysis of formal, core, and periphery areas. To introduce the idea of culture regions he mentions how the many of the world’s underdeveloped and poor nations are part of the world’s periphery. In particular, referring to Blij’s map on page 14 many of the developed countries are among the world’s core nations: Japan, Australia, United States, Canada, and Western Europe. Blij explains through his diagram that the peripheries are located in Southeast Asia, Africa, South America, and the Middle East (14). Blij des...
In the book “Why Geography Matters More Than Ever”, the author, Harm de Blij, discusses the importance of geography, how it can affect us in any place or any time, and why it matters. But most importantly, he succeeds to advance our perception of the world’s geography. Throughout the book de Blij highlights the many benefits of being educated about geography. He explains that it is important that we are informed about this topic so we can be more prepared for the events happening around the world. This book illustrates just how essential it is to be well-educated when it comes to geography.
In an increasingly global world geography matters now more than ever. With so many groundbreaking technological advances within the last 50 years the world is rapidly evolving into a more interconnected and codependent society. These strides of advancement not only allow for international business interactions, but it allows instant communication to make business more cohesive. As a more interconnected society it is important for every person to understand the locations and cultural motivations of the people they interact with. These subject matters are suggested and discussed in “Why Geography Matters…More Than Ever!”
For example, how the Spaniards conquered the Inca because geography was on their side. They received information/ technology from their neighbors, had books, writing, forging techniques, etc. When the Inca had limited resources, no form of writing, books, only had the llama, and were sheltered from the world. How germs, animals, steel, and writing separated these societies from one another because of how geography “raised” these people for over centuries. The world is unequal because of the exposure everyone has to different geography. Some civilizations have more to offer than other civilizations because they would make use of what they have. Being able to make use of things handed to us in our face helped to create things that allowed us to prosper. Geographic luck and exposure have separated people for centuries, and it has shown through the technology some of us have today compared to the late and undeveloped
Kenneth Pomeranz‘s The Great Divergence tries to examine the classic question of ‘How do we account for the economic divergence between Europe and Asia? He acknowledged that ‘a surge in European technological inventiveness was a necessary condition of the Industrial Revolution’, but stressed on the crucial role of ‘coal and colonies’ and their critical geographic location, in lifting the constraints for sustained growth of per capita income. First the local coal deposits in Europe were closer to the cities than in China and this gave Europe a clear advantage. Second, the off-shore colonies, in particular, the closeness of Europe to the New World resources (Jones 1981, Wrigley 1988, Allen 2009) helped Europeans to overcome the difficulties
For instance, the human population trebled from about 1000-1350 and main reason is due to migrations (Davis, 245). Civilizations such as Vikings, Saracen, and Magyar migrated to Northern Europe and France (Davis, 250). Hence, the area of northern Europe and France was open and deserted and fully of resources such as food, animals and spaces (Davis, 250). Therefore, due to the affluent of quantity resources, this cause an attraction and driven a massive of people and civilizations to migrated in northern Europe and France. As results, there were increases and spread of population rapidly that filled the spaces and by 1300-1350 Europe was closed and the frontier was gone (Davis, 250). Furthermore, the drastic increased of human population in northern Europe and France led into a crisis of an economic and agricultural causing drought and poverty. Reason being there was a limitation and regulation. Limitation at some level of scarcity of one or more resources such as food, transport or space and regulation that brings the population to the limits set by the environment (Davis, 249). The increase of human populations totally occupied the deserted space and demands a higher quantity of food supply, in which creating a limitation and regulation in the population. For example, the pressure for land resulted in restriction of the use of forests, decrease in the size of the farms,
Many important events in United States history have been influenced by geography. Geographic factors or conditions include location, size, climate, natural resources, and physical features. These events in turn have had political, social, and economic impacts on the development of the United States.
In ancient civilizations, geography affected them in so many ways, like the climate, resources, and the landscape that they use. The climates affect them because monsoons were offend common that brought heavy rain and wind to the area. The mountains provided them with protection against invasions, but the mountains were also used for trading with other to get the resources that they needed.
Geography is the study of the physical features of the earth and its atmosphere, and of human activity as it affects and is affected by it, including the distribution of populations and resources, land use, and industries. Environmental influences, such as cost, changing weather, climate patterns, their potential impacts, and the threat of spreading diseases, are of increasing concern. Geography allows us to participate and enjoy our planet. It gives us a sense of reference to where we live and where we may be going in relationship to where we have been, and the appreciation of the world we live in. Anthropology is the study of human kind and culture, everybody wants to know where and how humans came to be. Our daily lives such as family, friends, co-workers and the under...
As Americans we live in isolation, surrounded by advertisements, electronic screens, fast food, the internet, etc. We live these lives while thousands scream out in hunger and thirst begging to nourish their families. Living lives in excess, often unknowingly supporting a system that is not sustainable, breeds capitalism, and unplugs us from the rest of the world. Having been raised in a typical suburban home my ideas of culture were going to Olive Garden or walking by Riverside in Minneapolis. However, Geography 111 has challenged what I believed, truly allowing me to grasp that I am not part of solution I am problem that spreads neocolonialism, capitalism, and western culture wherever a profit can be made. Learning about these topics and combining it with a geographical perspective I know will enable me to break from the molds and forge new paths.
Geography affected a lot of how cultures developed throughout history, one of the things that started this evolutionary race, was climate. Climate has always been different across the globe because of the tilt of the earth. The tilt of the earth determined the distance and direction of where
Before I dive into the past history and how it transformed the topic of Geography, I would like to first define what geography is. Geography, in simple terms, is the “study of the world, both near and far” (Bonnett, 2008, p. 1). For the greater part of the human history, the term ‘geographical knowledge’ was coined to define the survival of the human population on the local level. Knowledge regarding the local landscape meant the difference between life and death. As societies grew, so did the push for advanced technology, not only were people growing food and raising livestock, but now they could now focus on more specialized skills. They started to explore their surroundings and came into contact with other groups of people, allowing humans
Geography is a branch of science that seeks to learn about the physical aspects of the earth, and how human activity is having an impact on it. War, on the other hand, is a militaristic conflict between two opposing parties, where violence and strategic thinking plays a big part. War relies on several aspects in Geography to help win battles such as using maps to have an overview of a battlefield, understanding how the land can be used to a commander’s advantage, and so on. Wars or other kinds of militaristic conflicts can sometimes occur due to the nature of Geography in many ways: expanding the territory of a country, conquering another nation for its resources, or for other reasons. Geography matters very much in warfare because the types
different parts of the world. In India, there is a great diversity which exists in the socio- economic and regional backwardness.