AP Human Geography



Chapter 8/ Political Geography Key Issue 1:

"Where are states located?"

1. Problems of defining states

2. Development of the state concept

1. What do contemporary human geographers emphasize? Why? Give reasons (3)

2. What does "political geography" do?

3. What is "the challenge" of political geography?

4. Case study: why does the political situation "work" in Alsace-Lorraine? Not in Ljubljana or Zagreb?

5. What are the "regions"? How does this relate to political geography? Why is this important in context of the Cold War and post-Cold War eras? .

6. How many countries on the planet in-the 1940's? 2077 (Do you begin to see why grandparents get confused?)

7. What is the difference between a "state" and "sovereignty"? How does the USA fit into this question?

8. Antarctica-what's the political story? What is the Treaty of Antarctica (1959)? What did it decide?

9. How did Korea get divided? When, where, how, by whom? The current status?

10. China & Taiwan- what does China say? What do the Nationalists claim? The rest of the world? The US government?

11. Sahrawi Republic- Who claims it? What country colonized it?

12. Who has the largest (land mass) state? How big? Who else is "big"? List large to small) what is a "micro-state"? How small? Who are they?

13. How the world was "divided" pre 1800?

14. Ancient states: City-state- what? Who?

15. What did the Roman Empire control? How big? Why did it collapse?

16. What was the basis for modem western Europe?

17. Colonies: - what are they? Who used them? Why? When?

18. Imperialism/define/who? #1, #2

19. What is the downside of the legacy of British colonialism?

20. Are there colonies in 2009? If yes, where?

CH 8/Political Geography Key Issue 2:

Why do Boundaries Cause Problems?

• Shapes of states

• Types of boundaries

• Boundaries inside states

1. What is the geographic definition of a boundary? Why are geographers interested?

2. How does the shape of a state affect it?

3. What are the 5 basic shapes of states? Describe each, with examples, giving benefits/issues. (I would set up a chart for this one.)

4. What is a "land locked" state? Examples? Why is this problematic?

5. Landlocked South Africa (here we go again): Issues? Discuss Zimbabwe.

6. Frontier- define-issues? Where do they exist today?

7. What are the 3 types of physical boundaries? Why do they work? Fail? Where are they-best examples? What is the issue with ocean boundaries? What is the "territorial limit"? What is the "law of the sea"?

8. Cultural boundaries (4 types) - why do they work/fail? Where are they? Explore DEEPLY Eastern/Southern Europe.

9. What is a unitary state? Where does this idea work? What is a federal state? What are the two exceptions to the above, as to "where it works best"?

10. Current world- which is the trend - unitary or federal? Why? Look at France and Poland/describe their situations.

11. What is gerrymandering?

A. Define it

B. What is the history?

C. Types (3) list then describe

D. What is at work in the USA now?

E. What is the US Supreme Court ruling with respect to gerrymandering?

Ch 8/ Political Geography

Key Issue 3:

'Why do states cooperate with each other"?

A. political & military cooperation

B. economic cooperation

1. What is the UN? Why join? What is its' purpose? Membership level in 1945? 2007? When & why the rapid increase in membership? What was the predecessor organization? Why did it fail? Who are permanent members of the UN Security Council? Why them? What is the main problem with UN troops?

2. "Era of Two Superpowers": Who? Cold War Era? Before WWI?

3. What is the "balance of power"? What is the role of the "ally" or "satellite"? What is meant by the phrase "the two superpowers collected allies like works of art"? Were there problems with this arrangement? How do superpowers maintain strength in regions not contiguous to their territory?

4. What is NATO? What does the acronym stand for? What is the purpose of NATO? Who are member-nations?

5. What is the Warsaw Pact? Member nations?

6. Objectives of NATO/Warsaw pact?

7. What was the Cuban Missile Crisis"? Describe.

8. Why did the US lack support of the UN for the war in Iraq?

9. Are the NATO/Warsaw Pacts still in effect? Needed? Why/why not?

10. What is the 'OSCE"? # Members? Who?

11. "OAS"? Who? Why was Cuba suspended in 1962? Purpose of organization?

12. "AU"? Purpose?

13. What is the "contemporary" pattern of global power?

14. What is the European Union? Why founded? Purpose? Members? Did it work?

Ch 8/Political Geography Key Issue 4:

"Why has terrorism increased"?

a. Terrorism by individuals & organizations

b. State support for terrorism

1. Define terrorism. What is the goal? Where does the term originate? Its' history?

How is that different from the French predecessor?

2. How many heads of state have been assassinated? Who? How does assassination differ from terrorism? Whys is this a political conundrum?

3. Terrorism on American citizens~ how widespread? What did it take to make the

average "Joe" pay attention? Why? .

4. 9/11: what was the toll?

4. What/who is Al- Qaeda? Osama bin Laden? What/why the "fatwa"?

5. What is a "sleeper"? Who are they & what do they do?

6. IS Al-Qaeda a single unified organization? If not, what is it? Example? How do

they "justify" attacks? Why is this problematic?

8. How do Middle Eastem states support terrorism? (3) Example(s)?

9. Why did he USA attack Afghanistan in 2001? How deep was the problem?

10. Iraq? How did the USA justify attacks? Is this only recent? What was "Desert Storm"? Was the USA supported by the world community? Why/why not?

11. Was there "evidence" of "weapons of mass destruction"? What? The UN conclusion?

12. What is a "regime change"? What did the USA want to do? Why? Why is it not a popular proposition?

13. Iran? What is the problem? The history?

14. Case study revisited- even though most Western European countries are stable, peaceful and accepting, there is a fear. What is it? Is it well grounded?

15. "Global Forces, Local Impacts": look at the local scale in Iraq. Describe the many divisions of local tribes. Explain why this is an issue.

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