| In this modern age, haven't all earth's locations been | | | | that you know the "why," you are much more likely to |
| found, named, and mapped? Just about. | | | | remember the "where." |
| So, why geography? | | | | A set of eighteen learning standards has been created |
| The citizens of many of the world's countries still don't | | | | for the science of geography. These eighteen |
| realize that ignorance of geography can affect their | | | | standards are separated into six essential elements: |
| political stability, economic success, and environmental | | | | Physical Systems |
| health. Sure, it's important to know where things are | | | | 1. The physical actions that create the patterns of |
| located. But even more important is learning in what | | | | earth's surface |
| ways those places are affected by their environments | | | | 2. The features and spatial distribution of ecosystems |
| and their population. That, too, is geography. | | | | on earth's surface |
| Our survival is dependent on our awareness of things | | | | Places and Regions |
| like where the greatest amount of carbon dioxide is | | | | 3. The material and human attributes of places |
| being produced and where the rain forests are being | | | | 4. That people form regions to decode earth's |
| destroyed. It would help us to know why terrorists | | | | complexity |
| want to attack. To help tsunami survivors we need to | | | | 5. How culture and experience influence people's |
| know something about the places affected. | | | | understanding of places and regions |
| Geography is fundamental to all these things. | | | | The World in Spatial Terms |
| It's easy to see why people believe the myth that | | | | 6. How to use maps and other geographic tools and |
| geography is only mapmaking, map reading, and | | | | techniques to obtain, process, and describe information |
| knowing where everything is. For instance, TV game | | | | from a spatial viewpoint |
| show contestants will be asked questions such as | | | | 7. How to use mental maps to organize data about |
| "what is the river that flows through Zambezi, | | | | people, places, and environments in a spatial context |
| Zambia?" In cases like this, the answer can be known | | | | 8. How to study the spatial arrangement of people, |
| by having studied a map. Knowledge of where places | | | | places, and environments on earth's surface |
| and events are located is important and useful. | | | | Human Systems |
| Knowing where something happened gives the event | | | | 9. The features, dispersion, and migration of human |
| more significance. | | | | populations on earth's surface |
| Perhaps you've heard this story: A high school student | | | | 10. The features, dispersion, and intricacy of earth's |
| in the United States applied to a domestic university. | | | | cultural mosaics |
| The admissions employee that reviewed and denied | | | | 11. The patterns and networks of economic |
| the application noted that the applicant needed to go | | | | interdependence on earth's surface |
| through the foreign admissions office. The student was | | | | 12. The processes, patterns, and functions of human |
| from New Mexico. | | | | settlement |
| Geography is so much more than knowing where | | | | 13. How the forces of cooperation and conflict among |
| something is or happened. Do you know the capital of | | | | people influence the division and control of earth's |
| Bolivia? The answer is La Paz and Sucre -- two | | | | surface |
| different places. Here's why: In 1899 Bolivia's | | | | The Uses of Geography |
| Conservative Party was overthrown by the Liberal | | | | 14. How to apply geography to interpret the past |
| Party during the Federal Revolution. Tin mining, which | | | | 15. How to apply geography to interpret the present |
| was in the area of La Paz, had become an important | | | | and plan for the future |
| industry for the country, and tin entrepreneurs | | | | Environment and Society |
| supported the Liberals. So, the Liberals wanted to | | | | 16. How human actions change the physical |
| move the capital from Sucre to La Paz. They only | | | | environment |
| partially succeeded. The constitutional capital is now | | | | 17. How physical systems affect human systems |
| Sucre and the administrative capital is La Paz. Now | | | | 18. |