Overview of Political Geography

Overview of Political Geography Political geography is a branch of human geography (the branch of geography concerned with understanding the worlds culture and how it relates to geographic space) that studies the spatial distribution of political processes and how these processes are impacted by ones geographic location. It often studies local and national elections, international relationships and the political structure of different areas based on geography. History of Political Geography Politische Geographie Another early theory in political geography was the heartland theory. In 1904, Halford Mackinder, a British geographer, developed this theory in his article, The Geographical Pivot of History. As a part of this theory, Mackinder said that world would be divided into a Heartland consisting of Eastern Europe, a World Island made up of Eurasia and Africa, Peripheral Islands, and the New World. His theory said that whoever controlled the heartland would control the world. Both Ratzel and Mackinders theories remained important before and during World War II. By the time of the Cold War, their theories and the importance of political geography began to decline and other fields within human geography began to develop. In the late 1970s however, political geography again began to grow. Today political geography is considered one of the most important branches of human geography and many geographers study a variety of fields concerned with political processes and geography. Fields within Political Geography European Union Modern political trends also have an impact on political geography and in recent years sub-topics focused on these trends have developed within political geography. This is known as critical political geography and includes political geography focused on ideas related to feminist groups and issues gay and lesbian as well as youth communities. Examples of Research in Political Geography Ellen Churchill Semple Today political geography is also a specialty group within the Association of American Geographers and there is an academic journal called Political Geography. Some titles from recent articles in this journal include Redistricting and the Elusive Ideals of Representation, Climate Triggers: Rainfall Anomalies, Vulnerability and Communal Conflict in Sub-Saharan Africa, and Normative Goals and Demographic Realities. To learn more about political geography and to see topics within the subject visit the Political Geography page here on Geography at About.com.

The Prairie Schooner, Americas Classic Covered Wagon

The Prairie Schooner, Americas Classic Covered Wagon The prairie schooner was the classic covered wagon that carried settlers westward across the North American plains. The nickname came from the typical white cloth cover on the wagon, which, from a distance, made it resemble the white cloth of a ships sails. Prairie Schooner The prairie schooner is often confused with the Conestoga wagon, but they are actually two very different types of wagons. Both were horse-drawn, of course, but the Conestoga wagon was much heavier and was first used by farmers in Pennsylvania to haul crops to market. The Conestoga wagon was often pulled by teams of up to six horses. Such wagons required reasonably good roads, such as the National Road, and were simply not practical for moving westward across the plains. The prairie schooner was a lighter wagon designed to travel great distances on rough prairie trails. And the prairie schooner  could usually be pulled by a single team of horses, or sometimes even one horse. As finding food and water for animals could present a serious problem while traveling, there was an advantage to using light wagons that required fewer horses. Depending on the circumstances, prairie schooners would also be pulled by oxen or mules. How They Were Used Adapted from light farm wagons, prairie schooners generally had a canvas cover, or bonnet, supported on wooden arches. The cover provided some protection from sun and rain. The cloth cover, which was typically supported on bows of wood (or occasionally iron) could be coated with various materials to make it waterproof. The prairie schooner would typically be packed very carefully, with heavy pieces of furniture, or crates of supplies, placed low in the wagon box to keep the wagon from tipping on rough trails. With the possessions of a typical family stowed aboard the wagon, there generally wasnt much room to ride inside. The ride was often pretty rough, as the suspension was minimal. So many emigrants heading westward would simply walk alongside the wagon, with only children or the elderly riding inside. When stopped for the night, families tended to sleep under the stars. In rainy weather, families would seek to stay dry by huddling under the wagon, rather than inside it. Groups of prairie schooners often traveled together in the classic wagon trains along such routes as the Oregon Trail. When the railroads expanded throughout the American West in the late 1800s there was no longer a need to travel great distances by prairie schooner. The classic covered wagons fell out of use but became an enduring symbol of the westward migration.