History Shaped by Geography

Jasper Anderson

Geography shapes us as we shape geography

So, what exactly are we talking about when we talk about geography? Sure, we can go with the simple explanation of it and say that it is the physical form of our earth, but in reality there is more to geography than just that. In this book I will be explaining what the 5 themes of geography are and how they shape the west.

What Is Geography Really?

In order to redefine our understanding of what the word Geography means, we must first learn the 5 “themes” of Geography. These 5 themes describe different categories of the Academic study of Geography. These themes are movement, human environment interaction, region, location, and place. The comic on the previous page talks a bit about the definitions of the different themes. Geographers use these themes to categorize different geographical subjects.

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What Made And Makes The West?

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The things that make and shape the west relate HEAVILY to the five themes. If you look around in a culturally significant place you will begin to notice the themes everywhere.

One of the themes that I noticed heavily shaping our lives as people in the west is place. Place has 2 categories, cultural and physical. I’d say the names of these two categories speak for themselves.

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Example of cultural vs physical place

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This is where you will help your reader understand 'What made and makes the West' a second piece of your keystone evidence that helps you explain your answer the driving question to the reader.

Each page has a suggested photographic evidence stop from our field study. The next page is where you will add your descriptive writing when we get home. For now, that page is where you should record a quick audio reflection for the photo to help you remember how you felt this photo showed what made and makes the West while reflecting one or more of the Five Themes of Geography.

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The last spike

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Reflection 1: Last Spike

I can connect this photo on the previous page to geography and its influence on the social, political and and economic change happening in the west through it representing the completion of the CPR (Canadian Pacific Railway). This historical event impacted all of Canada, and it also connects to the theme of movement because the CPR moved and moves ideas, people and objects.

This railway was a step to take in order to connect Canada, and it even caused towns to be built specifically for the railroad (this will be spoken on more later), called railroad towns.

My connection to this geographical place is that most of my ancestors would not have moved here if the CPR was not built.

Downtown Calgary

Reflection 2: Downtown Calgary

This photo that I made in Downtown Calgary shows the theme of human environment interaction, because Downtown Calgary was only created through modification of the natural environment.

This photo represents the physical environment influencing the nature of political, social, and economic change in the west because Calgary was established to pave a way for treaties with the First Nations people.

My personal connection to the geographical place in this photo is in my family tree. Lots of my family on my dad’s side lives in Calgary.

Calgary Zoo

Reflection 3: Calgary Zoo

The photo I have on the previous page was taken at the Calgary Zoo. It shows the theme of human environment interaction and also maybe a little bit of physical place. The red bamboo in the photo shows how us as westerners have a will to connect to the rest of the world.

You can see what historically made and makes the west through this photo because of how it shows that we as a society want to learn from other countries and study the world’s wildlife. You can see it influencing social change in the west by helping us to keep our minds open when it comes to different places around the world.

My personal connection to this photo is that when my dad when on his year long trip to Japan he saw red bamboo and got to take a piece home with him.