POLITICAL ORGANIZATION OF SPACE

POLITICAL GEOGRAPHY

• The study of the political organization (borders) of the planet

• Political borders constantly change due to the unification or separation of territories or countries

• Since the beginning of human history, humans have divided their living space in political units

POLITICAL BORDERS 3000 BC - 2013

• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ewd4l2rD2_U

• Why do you think borders have changed so many

times in the past 5,000 years?

• Do you think the borders will continue to change?

Why?

Draw Political Borders – National Geographic

http://education.nationalgeographic.com/m

edia/file/Draw_Political_Borders.pdf

NATIONALISM

• Independent nations develop due to nationalism –

extreme patriotism and love for one’s country

BOUNDARIES

• A state or territory is separated from its neighbors by

boundaries – invisible lines that mark the extent of a

state’s territory and the control that its political

leaders have

Geometric Boundaries

PHYSICAL BOUNDARIES

• Boundaries established by rivers, oceans, deserts, mountains, etc.

• These boundaries are easy to see and are usually unchanging

• Many territories fight over boundaries near water for easier access to food and trade routes

CULTURAL BOUNDARIES

• Boundaries set by ethnic differences, especially

those based on language and religion

TERRITORIAL MORPHOLOGY

• Term that describes the shapes, sizes, and relative

locations of states

• Determines the opportunities available to a country

and the challenges they may face

STATE SHAPES: COMPACT

• In a compact state, the distance from the center to any boundary is about the same

• If the capital city is located in the center, then it is easier for the leader to rule

• It also promotes good communications among all regions

STATE SHAPES: PRORUPTED

• It is a compact state

with a large

projecting extension

• These exist in order

to reach natural

resources

STATE SHAPES: ELONGATED

• These states have a long and narrow shape

• Usually have communication and transportation problems, especially if the capital is not centralized

STATE SHAPES: FRAGMENTED

• It has several discontinuous pieces of territory

• Any state that is composed of islands is considered fragmented

• Either separated by water or by intervening states

STATE SHAPES: PERFORATED

• A state that completely surrounds another state

• Perforated states land-lock (no access to water) the states they surround

• The inside state must rely on the importation and exportation of all resources from the perforated state

THE DEVELOPMENT OF NATION-STATES

• Sovereignty – the ability

of the state to carry out

actions or policies within

its borders independently

• The first nation-states

developed in the Fertile

Crescent where

individual city-states

made up one large

empire

THE DEVELOPMENT OF NATION-STATES

• Following the Crusades (Muslims vs. Christians; 1095-

1291), monarchs consolidated their power into the

first medieval European nation-states

• England

• France

• Spain

COLONIALISM

• Many European nations

began developing

colonies in the 17th, 18th,

and 19th centuries

• Colonies were

established as political,

economic, and cultural

principles on a territory

that was uninhabited or

sparsely inhabited

COLONIALISM IN THE AMERICAS

• Great Britain colonized the Americas in the 17th century for “God, Gold, and Glory!”

• Sent missionaries to spread Christianity

• Wanted more natural resources for Britain’s economic gain

• More territory = More power!

IMPERIALISM

• European nations also began taking over other

regions of the world, especially Asia and Africa, in

order to expand their territory and gain natural

resources during the Industrial Revolution

“The sun never sets on

the British Empire.”

THE BERLIN CONFERENCE

• Powerful nations throughout Europe began competing for territory in Africa

• To prevent wars in the African colonies, 14 European nations met at the Berlin Conference in 1884 to divide up the land

• No African leaders were invited and the divisions were not made according to linguistic or ethnic differences

SUPERIMPOSED BOUNDARIES

• Boundaries

forced upon

an existing

cultural

landscape by

a colonial or

political

power without

regard for

cultural

barriers

THE TREATY OF VERSAILLES

• After World War I ended in 1918, the Allied Powers (America, England, France, Italy) wrote the Treaty of Versailles

• The treaty broke up the territories of the Austro-Hungarian Empire and dissolved the Ottoman Empire

• It also formed Yugoslavia in Eastern Europe

SUPRANATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS

• Global organizations established primarily to

prevent world wars and to protect countries from a

foreign attack

THE UNITED NATIONS (U.N.)

• Established in 1945 to prevent a 3rd World War

• Protect countries from foreign attack

• 192 members (nations)

• All members can meet and vote on issues without resorting to war

UN SECURITY COUNCIL

• There are five permanent members of the United

Nations that cannot be removed

• The Security Council consists of the victorious Allied

Powers in World War II:

• U.S.

• Great Britain

• France

• Russia

• China

EUROPEAN UNION • Established in 1958 to heal the scars from World War II in Western Europe

• Promotes economic development and free trade within Europe

• The Euro became the common currency of all countries in the E.U.

• Created the world’s wealthiest market

POLITICAL GEOGRAPHY

• Sovereign countries must establish some type of government to maintain control and keep peace

• National governments usually transfer some of their authority to local government units

• Unitary State – most of the power stays in the hands of the central government (England)

• Federal State – grants strong power to units of local government within the country (the U.S.)

ELECTORAL GEOGRAPHY

• Boundaries are drawn in each state to separate legislative (law-making) districts to ensure that each district has an even population

• Redrawn every 10 years according to Census

• State legislatures redraw lines in most of the US

S.C. STATE GOVERNMENT

GERRYMANDERING

• The process of redrawing legislative boundaries for

the purpose of benefiting the political party in

power (Republicans vs. Democrats)