Michael T. WheelerSyracuse University, Geography

Notes 09/02

Class 01: IntroductionGEO105: World Regional Geography

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Introduction

• Class Introduction• Quick Instructor Bio

– Dissertation on the development of 3d, historical maps• Today’s class:

– How do geographers look at the world?– Some simple examples from North America– Administration: syllabus, assignments, tests, etc.

• Textbook:– Marston, Knox, and Liverman. World Regions in Global Context.

2nd Edition. 2005.

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What is World Regional Geography?

• Geography (from World Regions: In Global Context, p. 2)– Geography: study of natural and human features on Earth

Human Geography: Spatial organization of human activity

– Regional geography: individuality and interdependence of regions

• World Regional (WR, p. 36)– Informed regional geography understands places as

components of a constantly changing global system– In this sense, “all regional geography is historical

geography” [my emphasis]

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This Course

• My approach1. Show how physical environment has historically shaped

human activities2. Describe how, when, and why places have been integrated

into global systema) European empiresb) neighbors

3. Describe regions today a) Environmentb) Historical legaciesc) Relationship to global system (economics / trade)d) Individuality (primarily culture)

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Where are the city locations?Lecture slide 05

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City Location Factors

• Military Defense• Physical Geography

– Waterfalls • Limits of navigation• Water power [WR, 305]

– Biogeography• Disease• Crops

• Economic Geography (Trade and Transportation)– Intra-empire (tobacco: WR, 302-3)

• Navigable waterways– Interior (wheat)– Importance of Water Transportation

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Population Maps, British North America(future U.S.)

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Greater Trade Picture

• Early Chesapeake– Tobacco to U.K.– Slaves from Africa (or

Caribbean)• Later Chesapeake

– Sugar from West Indies to U.K.

– Wheat to West Indies– Settlement of interior– Development of towns

• Location adjusted to terms of trade

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What were the ‘Natural’ Transportation Routes?

WR, Figure 7.4: Physiographic regions of the United States and Canada (p. 295)

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French Empire in North America

France in North America, ca. 1750

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Comparing European Empires

• British colonies– Coastal– Primarily commercial crop production (agriculture)– Constrained by the Appalachians

• French colonies– Primarily fur trading and fishing– Great fluvial systems

• St. Lawrence River• Mississippi / Missouri / Ohio System

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NE North America Topography, 1800Lecture slide 12

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New York State Transportation Geography

See: WR, p. 332

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Responses to Erie Canal (RRs)Lecture slide 14

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American Core

• Transportation– Erie Canal– Big Four Trunk Line Railroads

• New York Central• New York and Erie• Pennsylvania• Baltimore and Ohio

• Seaborne Commerce– New York City– Philadelphia, Boston, and Baltimore

• American Core– Industrializing Northeast– Rapidly-growing Midwest

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U.S.-Canadian Core

Figure 7.33: Megalopolis and Main Street (p. 330)

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Break

Population Density Map of North America

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New France, 1750Lecture slide 18

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New France, 1750Lecture slide 19

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Canadian Shield

Figure 7.4: Physiographic regions of the United States and Canada (p. 295)

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St. Lawrence SettlementLecture slide 21

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Loyalist Exodus

• Loyalists– Reward with land for loyalty– Defensive buffer against future U.S. invasion– Understandably, strongly anti-U.S.

• Native Americans– Iroquois scattered throughout southwestern Ontario

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Military FrontierLecture slide 23

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Canadian Population, 1800Lecture slide 24

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Binding the Nation TogetherLecture slide 25

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Trans-Continental RailroadLecture slide 26

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Canadian Trade FlowsLecture slide 27

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Binding the ProvincesLecture slide 28

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Canadian Proximity to U.S.Lecture slide 29

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Québec problem, 1981Lecture slide 30

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Québec Separatist Movement

1995 Vote for an independentQuébec

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Cold War DefenseLecture slide 32

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Review

• General Themes– Physical Geography (Rivers, mountains, soil)– Trade – Transportation

• Specific Lessons– Imperial Legacies

• U.S.: British, relationship to West Indies• Canada: French, British

– Interdependence of northern U.S. / Canada– Canada

• Québec problem• Binding the Dominion together• Develop strong identity as not U.S.

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Break

Population Density Map of North America

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Rest of Class [1]

• Syllabus• Web Site

– http://classes.maxwell.syr.edu/geo105_f04• Textbook

– Historical Approach – some jumping around– Regional Approach – modern regions

• Tests– Mid-term, Final– Class Discussion Questions

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Rest of Class [2]

• Calendar• Assignments

– Topic1. Multi-Country Analysis2. Large Ethnic Minority within a country

– Geographic Examples• U.S. / Canada• India / Pakistan• Israel and Palestine• Belgium: ½ Walloon (French), ½ Flemish (Dutch)• Indonesia and East Timor

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Rest of Class [3]Lecture slide 37