The Peopling of Our Planet - Population Educationpopulationeducation.org/sites/default/files/peopling-of-our-planet.pdf · The Peopling of Our Planet. Page 3 Population Connection,

Population Connection, ©2015

ConceptGlobal population has grown exponentially since the Industrial Revolution. Advances in medicine, food and agriculture, and public health and sanitation have led to a global decline in the death rate and have been the primary drivers behind population growth in the 20th and 21st centuries.

ObjectivesStudents will be able to:• Explain the trajectory of human population growth from 1 CE to the present.

• Identify at least three scientific advances in medicine, food and agriculture, and public health and sanitation that contributed to population growth during the Industrial Revolution.

• Analyze population pyramids and make correlations between the population shapes and historical trends for a given time period.

SubjectsWorld History (General and AP), World Geography, AP Human Geography, AP Environmental Science

SkillsClassifying historic events, identifying trends, calculating percentages, creating and interpreting graphs, making predictions

methodStudents participate in an interactive story discussing how improvements in medicine, food and agriculture, and public health and sanitation during the Industrial Revolution contributed to population growth. They then create a poster capturing a “demographic moment in time” for different points in history.

introductionHuman population has grown exponentially over the past 200 years due to advancements in medicine, food and agriculture, and public health and sanitation. Understanding how these technological and social innovations improved quality of life by reducing mortality is critical to a complete understanding of demographic history. The impact of these advancements can be seen in the global population pyramids, which depict the configuration of a population as impacted by 80 years of economic, political, and natural events and also help predict future population trends.

Parts 1, 2 and 3 are in-class activities.

maTerials• Website: www.WorldPopulationHistory.org• Timeline Exploration Guide • Student Reading Cards• Student Worksheet• Population Pyramid graph paper• Chart paper• Colored pens/pencils• Rulers• Calculators• Exit ticket

Part 1Introducing World Population HistoryProcedure:1. Have students respond in writing to three true/false statements and justify their choices. Call on a few students to share their responses. a. Human population growth has remained constant throughout human history. b. A rising birth rate is the only contributing factor to population growth. c. Demographers can use current demographic data to make predictions about how population size will change in the future.

2. As a class, watch World Population, a 5-minute video showing the history of human population growth from 1 CE to the present and projected growth to 2050. The video streams from the website, www.WorldPopulationHistory.org.

3. Have students share their initial reactions. Refer back to the first true/false statement – Population growth has remained constant over time. Ask if any students would change their answers from true to false and have them elaborate.

4. Explain to students that human population has increased exponentially over the past 200 years. Prior to the Industrial Revolution, growth was slow and relatively steady because the birth and death rate were proportional. As the death rate declined, human population grew. Ask students to hypothesize what caused a decline in death rate during the Industrial Revolution.

Part 2Understanding Why We’ve GrownNow that students understand how population changed over time, they will explore why population exploded in the 1800-1900s.

Preparation, before class:Cut out the Student Reading cards and review the Timeline Exploration Guide. Familiarize yourself with the timeline on www.WorldPopulationHistory.org.

Procedure:Distribute the Student Reading cards to 12 students to read the cards when prompted. Follow the Timeline Exploration Guide, stopping at the listed milestones and discussing their significance in greater detail.

Part 3Creating Demographic Moments in Time: 1955-2015Students take a closer look at the last 60 years of population history by working in small groups to construct posters showcasing a demographic moment in time. You may want to have a sample poster ready to serve as a student exemplar.

Preparation, before class:Make a sample poster that includes the population pyramid for 1950 (see page 3) as well as five historic events, from the WorldPopulationHistory.org within the date range 1943-1957.

Procedure:Steps 1 and 2 are intended for a class that needs a refresher on how to construct and interpret population pyramids. If your class has already mastered this skill, skip to step 3.

1. Model how to construct a population pyramid using the global population for 1950 (provided below).

The Peopling of Our Planet

Page 1

http://worldpopulationhistory.org/wp-content/uploads/01-Timeline-Exploration-Guide.pdf

http://worldpopulationhistory.org/wp-content/uploads/01-Student-Worksheet.pdfhttp://worldpopulationhistory.org/wp-content/uploads/01-Population-Pyramid-Graph-Paper.pdf

http://worldpopulationhistory.org/wp-content/uploads/01-Student-Reading-Cards.pdf

http://worldpopulationhistory.org/wp-content/uploads/01-Exit-Ticket.pdf

Population Connection, ©2015Page 2

methodStudents participate in an interactive story discussing how improvements in medicine, food and agriculture, and public health and sanitation during the Industrial Revolution contributed to population growth. They then create a poster capturing a “demographic moment in time” for different points in history.

introductionHuman population has grown exponentially over the past 200 years due to advancements in medicine, food and agriculture, and public health and sanitation. Understanding how these technological and social innovations improved quality of life by reducing mortality is critical to a complete understanding of demographic history. The impact of these advancements can be seen in the global population pyramids, which depict the configuration of a population as impacted by 80 years of economic, political, and natural events and also help predict future population trends.

Parts 1, 2 and 3 are in-class activities.

maTerials• Website: www.WorldPopulationHistory.org• Timeline Exploration Guide • Student Reading Cards• Student Worksheet• Population Pyramid graph paper• Chart paper• Colored pens/pencils• Rulers• Calculators• Exit ticket

Part 1Introducing World Population HistoryProcedure:1. Have students respond in writing to three true/false statements and justify their choices. Call on a few students to share their responses. a. Human population growth has remained constant throughout human history. b. A rising birth rate is the only contributing factor to population growth. c. Demographers can use current demographic data to make predictions about how population size will change in the future.

2. As a class, watch World Population, a 5-minute video showing the history of human population growth from 1 CE to the present and projected growth to 2050. The video streams from the website, www.WorldPopulationHistory.org.

3. Have students share their initial reactions. Refer back to the first true/false statement – Population growth has remained constant over time. Ask if any students would change their answers from true to false and have them elaborate.

4. Explain to students that human population has increased exponentially over the past 200 years. Prior to the Industrial Revolution, growth was slow and relatively steady because the birth and death rate were proportional. As the death rate declined, human population grew. Ask students to hypothesize what caused a decline in death rate during the Industrial Revolution.

Part 2Understanding Why We’ve GrownNow that students understand how population changed over time, they will explore why population exploded in the 1800-1900s.

Preparation, before class:Cut out the Student Reading cards and review the Timeline Exploration Guide. Familiarize yourself with the timeline on www.WorldPopulationHistory.org.

Procedure:Distribute the Student Reading cards to 12 students to read the cards when prompted. Follow the Timeline Exploration Guide, stopping at the listed milestones and discussing their significance in greater detail.

Part 3Creating Demographic Moments in Time: 1955-2015Students take a closer look at the last 60 years of population history by working in small groups to construct posters showcasing a demographic moment in time. You may want to have a sample poster ready to serve as a student exemplar.

Preparation, before class:Make a sample poster that includes the population pyramid for 1950 (see page 3) as well as five historic events, from the WorldPopulationHistory.org within the date range 1943-1957.

Procedure:Steps 1 and 2 are intended for a class that needs a refresher on how to construct and interpret population pyramids. If your class has already mastered this skill, skip to step 3.

1. Model how to construct a population pyramid using the global population for 1950 (provided below).



2. Display the “World Population Pyramid – 1950” and discuss the shape of the graph. Review the three primary shapes: triangle, rectangle and inverted triangle. A triangular shape means the population is growing, a rectangular shape means the population is stable, and an inverted triangular shape means the population is shrinking.

3. Divide students into groups of 2-3 and assign each group one of the following years: 1955, 1970, 1985, 2000, and 2015. Note: Larger classes will have multiple groups assigned to each year. On chart paper, each group will create a poster showing a “demographic moment in time” that includes a population pyramid for their given year and key demographic events from surrounding years.

4. Using the data for their assigned year on the Student Worksheet, students calculate the percentages for each age/sex cohort. Then, each group draws a population pyramid on the Population Pyramid graph paper. See Completed Population Pyramids.

5. Using the timeline on WorldPopulationHistory.orggroups should add at least five historic events to their poster. Each event should include the name of the event, the year(s), and a brief description. Students should limit their research on the interactive timeline to the date ranges below. The group(s) working on the 2015 poster may include predicted events.

Year (pyramid) Date Range (on timeline) 1955 1948-1962 1970 1963-1977 1985 1978-1992 2000 1993-2007 2015 2008-2022

6. Once the posters are complete, have students display them around the room in order by year. Instruct the students to complete a gallery walk, making note of any interesting trends they observe for each time period, as well as the following: a. General shape of each graph b. How graphs change over time c. Important historical markers d. Connections between the identified markers and population growth

7. Have students share their observations from the gallery walk and as a class, go through the Discussion Questions.

http://worldpopulationhistory.org


Global Population (1950)Age Group Males % Females %0-4 171,851,000 6.8% 165,581,000 6.6%5-9 137,992,000 5.5% 131,557,000 5.2%10-14 133,274,000 5.3% 127.012,000 5.0%15-19 121,693,000 4.8% 116,936,000 4.6%20-24 112,394,000 4.5% 109,387,000 4.3%25-29 96,594,000 3.8% 97,803,000 3.9%30-34 83,386,00 3.3% 83,551,000 3.3%35-39 80,597,000 3.2% 82,231,000 3.3%40-44 73,083,000 2.9% 74,400,000 2.9%45-49 63,136,000 2.5% 64,278,000 2.5%50-54 52,594,000 2.1% 55,014,000 2.2%55-59 42,523,000 1.7% 46,078,000 1.8%60-64 34,370,000 1.7% 39,052,000 1.5%65-69 25,050,000 1.4% 30,075,000 1.2%70-74 16,560,000 1.0% 20,800,000 0.8%75-79 14,923,000 0.7% 21,277,000 0.8%

Total 1,260,021,000 50.6% 1,265,128,000 49.4%

Global Total 2,525,149,000Source: United Nations


Discussion Questions: 1. Can you tell which year has the most people by looking at the graph alone?

No, the graphs display percentages not population numbers.

2. In 1955, the youngest cohorts (0-15) represented 35.6 percent of the total population. Today they represent 26.1 percent of the total population. Does this mean that there are fewer children ages 0-15 today than there were in 1950?

No, there are actually more children ages 0-15 today than here were in 1950. It is important to note that the percentages are proportional to the total population. To find out if there are more children between the ages of 0 and 15 in 2015 than there were in 1955, we must reference the data sheet. When we do, we can see that children ages 0-15 in 2015 significantly outnumber their 1955 cohorts.

3. What does the shrinking percentage of youths mean in terms of our projected population growth?

It means that a smaller percentage of the population will enter their reproductive years compared to previous generations. Using trends in global total fertility rate (the average number of children a woman will have in her lifetime), we can predict what effect these cohorts will have on the shape of future pyramids. When fertility is high (average number of children per woman exceeds 2), the base of the pyramid will grow; when fertility is low (average number of children per woman is lower than or equal to 2), the base of the pyramid will shrink or stay the same.

4. In 1955, the oldest cohorts (>65) represented 5.1 percent of the total population. Today, adults over 65 years old represent 8.1 percent of the total population. Are there any challenges to caring for a growing aging population?

Yes. Possible answers include: increased expenditures on healthcare, greater need for nursing homes and hospitals, and a growing need for doctors and nurses.

5. Looking at the five pyramids, which year appears to have the slowest rate of population growth?

2015. The bottom of the graph is closer to a rectangle than a pyramid and starts to show a more uniform population size across cohorts. The slower rate of growth can be attributed to declining fertility rates. Total fertility was 5 children per woman between 1950 and 1955. Today (2010-2015), it is 2.5 children per woman. Women are having fewer children. And their children, based on current UN projections, are also expected to have fewer children.

6. Based on the changing shapes of the graphs, how do we expect the global population to grow in the future?

Population will continue to grow, but at a slower rate than in the past. Currently, the UN projects population to level off between 10 and 12.5 billion by the year 2100. It is important to note that, while population growth is slowing, the sheer magnitude of our numbers (over 7.3 billion in 2015) will have considerable impacts on our environment, policy, economies, and culture.

7. Based on the 2015 graph, how would we expect the population pyramid to look in 2030? In 2050?

The graph should continue to become more rectangular in shape.

8. Ask students to recall the advances in medicine, food and agriculture, and public health and sanitation made during the Industrial Revolution and their impact on population growth. Are we still advancing in those fields today? Can you identify any evidence on the timeline of advances in more recent years?

Possible answers include: Medicine: the birth control pill, malaria eradication efforts, the polio vaccine, the eradication of smallpox, and the discovery of the HIV virusFood and Agriculture: the Green Revolution and the introduction of genetically modified organisms (GMOs) in foodPublic Health and Sanitation: The United Nations Millennium Development goal for safe drinking water

AssessmentMonitor students’ involvement in the various class discussions covering the World Population Video and the guided timeline exploration. Collect the completed posters, assessing each based on the accuracy of the pyramid and the appropriateness of the historic milestones, and monitor students involvement in the gallery walk and class discussion of the posters.

You may also use the provided four question exit ticket.

Exit Ticket Answers: 1.) c 2.) b 3.) Answers will vary 4.) Student responses should link improvements in sanitation and public heath to lowering the spread of infectious or bacterial diseases. Extra Credit) d

9. Looking at the historical markers on your poster, do any of them fall outside the categories of medicine, food and agriculture, and public health and sanitation? If so, how are these events related to population? Do they have a positive or negative impact on the planet?

Yes, many historical markers fall outside of medicine, food and agriculture, and public health and sanitation. Possible answers include: environmental issues, social milestones, political events, and wars. Impact will vary depending on the event, and many will have both positive and negative impacts. For example, the Green Revolution led to an increase in global crop production, but it also popularized industrial farming, which elevates the demand for fertilizers, GMOs, and pesticides.

10. Looking specifically at the 2015 poster, are the markers mostly negative or positive? If negative, what might need to happen to mitigate these challenges and how might population play a role?

Answers will vary. If many of the selected answers are negative explore solutions related to consumption, sustainable management of resources, and the role of girls’ education in economic development.



Discussion Questions: 1. Can you tell which year has the most people by looking at the graph alone?

No, the graphs display percentages not population numbers.

2. In 1955, the youngest cohorts (0-15) represented 35.6 percent of the total population. Today they represent 26.1 percent of the total population. Does this mean that there are fewer children ages 0-15 today than there were in 1950?

No, there are actually more children ages 0-15 today than here were in 1950. It is important to note that the percentages are proportional to the total population. To find out if there are more children between the ages of 0 and 15 in 2015 than there were in 1955, we must reference the data sheet. When we do, we can see that children ages 0-15 in 2015 significantly outnumber their 1955 cohorts.

3. What does the shrinking percentage of youths mean in terms of our projected population growth?

It means that a smaller percentage of the population will enter their reproductive years compared to previous generations. Using trends in global total fertility rate (the average number of children a woman will have in her lifetime), we can predict what effect these cohorts will have on the shape of future pyramids. When fertility is high (average number of children per woman exceeds 2), the base of the pyramid will grow; when fertility is low (average number of children per woman is lower than or equal to 2), the base of the pyramid will shrink or stay the same.

4. In 1955, the oldest cohorts (>65) represented 5.1 percent of the total population. Today, adults over 65 years old represent 8.1 percent of the total population. Are there any challenges to caring for a growing aging population?

Yes. Possible answers include: increased expenditures on healthcare, greater need for nursing homes and hospitals, and a growing need for doctors and nurses.

5. Looking at the five pyramids, which year appears to have the slowest rate of population growth?

2015. The bottom of the graph is closer to a rectangle than a pyramid and starts to show a more uniform population size across cohorts. The slower rate of growth can be attributed to declining fertility rates. Total fertility was 5 children per woman between 1950 and 1955. Today (2010-2015), it is 2.5 children per woman. Women are having fewer children. And their children, based on current UN projections, are also expected to have fewer children.

6. Based on the changing shapes of the graphs, how do we expect the global population to grow in the future?

Population will continue to grow, but at a slower rate than in the past. Currently, the UN projects population to level off between 10 and 12.5 billion by the year 2100. It is important to note that, while population growth is slowing, the sheer magnitude of our numbers (over 7.3 billion in 2015) will have considerable impacts on our environment, policy, economies, and culture.

7. Based on the 2015 graph, how would we expect the population pyramid to look in 2030? In 2050?

The graph should continue to become more rectangular in shape.

8. Ask students to recall the advances in medicine, food and agriculture, and public health and sanitation made during the Industrial Revolution and their impact on population growth. Are we still advancing in those fields today? Can you identify any evidence on the timeline of advances in more recent years?

Possible answers include: Medicine: the birth control pill, malaria eradication efforts, the polio vaccine, the eradication of smallpox, and the discovery of the HIV virusFood and Agriculture: the Green Revolution and the introduction of genetically modified organisms (GMOs) in foodPublic Health and Sanitation: The United Nations Millennium Development goal for safe drinking water

AssessmentMonitor students’ involvement in the various class discussions covering the World Population Video and the guided timeline exploration. Collect the completed posters, assessing each based on the accuracy of the pyramid and the appropriateness of the historic milestones, and monitor students involvement in the gallery walk and class discussion of the posters.

You may also use the provided four question exit ticket.

Exit Ticket Answers: 1.) c 2.) b 3.) Answers will vary 4.) Student responses should link improvements in sanitation and public heath to lowering the spread of infectious or bacterial diseases. Extra Credit) d

9. Looking at the historical markers on your poster, do any of them fall outside the categories of medicine, food and agriculture, and public health and sanitation? If so, how are these events related to population? Do they have a positive or negative impact on the planet?

Yes, many historical markers fall outside of medicine, food and agriculture, and public health and sanitation. Possible answers include: environmental issues, social milestones, political events, and wars. Impact will vary depending on the event, and many will have both positive and negative impacts. For example, the Green Revolution led to an increase in global crop production, but it also popularized industrial farming, which elevates the demand for fertilizers, GMOs, and pesticides.

10. Looking specifically at the 2015 poster, are the markers mostly negative or positive? If negative, what might need to happen to mitigate these challenges and how might population play a role?

Answers will vary. If many of the selected answers are negative explore solutions related to consumption, sustainable management of resources, and the role of girls’ education in economic development.



Below is a detailed description of how to facilitate class discussion using the website www.WorldPopulationHistory.org. The purpose of the discussion is to explore the impacts advances in medicine, food and agriculture, and public health and sanitation had on population size.

The Student Readings column contains the text from all 12 student reading cards in order. Cards are divided into five categories: Pre-Industrial Population Growth (2), Medical Advances (3), Food and Agriculture Advances (3), Public Health and Sanitation Advances (3), and Global Impact (1).

The Teacher Prompts column is divided into two parts, timeline milestones and teacher-led discussion prompts. The timeline milestones list the year in which the event occurs and its title. To select a timeline milestone, simply type the year into the search box located in the upper right corner of the website, zoom in, and select the appropriate milestone. The teacher-led discussion prompts are to be used in conjunction with the text on each milestone pop-up. Review the text and expand upon the significance of each event. In many cases, the teacher-led discussion prompts require students to use prior knowledge to draw connections and make inferences about how and why the milestone impacted population growth.

Teacher IntroWe are now going to explore the specific advances in medicine, food and agriculture, and public health and sanitation that catalyzed the population explosion in Western Europe and the United States. I am going to pass out information cards and will need 12 volunteers to help read. As we learn about major historical milestones, we will pause and explore them in greater detail using the World Population History timeline.

Student ReadingsReading #1 (Pre-Industrial Population Growth)For much of history, human population has grown at a slow to moderate pace. This slow rate of growth is attributed to a relatively even ratio of births to deaths. A lot of people were being born, but a high percentage of them died, primarily from what we now consider preventable causes. Changes in the birth rate or death rate of a population can have a great impact on population size. When we examine population growth from 1 CE to 1700 (when death rates were high), we find that population did not grow as fast as it did in the 19th, 20th, and 21st centuries when death rates began to decline.

Reading #2 (Pre-Industrial Population Growth) The Industrial Revolution began in England in the late 1700s and had a significant impact on the death rate of the newly industrializing countries of Europe and North America. Advancements in medicine, food and agriculture, and public health and sanitation all played a large role in reducing mortality and improving quality of life, which, in turn, increased population growth rates. Europe’s population was estimated at 125 million in 1700.

Two hundred years later, its population had nearly quadrupled in size, reaching an estimated 420 million by 1900. Innovation and discovery during the Industrial Revolution, coupled with extraordinary increases in overall rate of natural increase, had profound impacts on the economy, environment, and society.

Reading #3 (Medical Advances)During the 19th and 20th centuries, advances in medicine dramatically improved quality of life in Western Europe and the United States. Discoveries in biology and chemistry led to the development of new medicines, adoption of innovative medical techniques, and aseptic practices. Many of these advances would not have been possible without the invention of the microscope in 1676.

Reading #4 (Medical Advances)In 1796, Edward Jenner discovered a cure for smallpox. Later Louis Pasteur, a French chemist, confirmed germ theory, which states that many diseases are caused by the presence and actions of specific micro-organisms.

Reading #5 (Medical Advances)Germ theory was fundamental in the development of antibiotics and other antimicrobial medicines. Penicillin, later discovered in the early 20th century, provided quick and complete treatment of previously incurable bacterial illnesses. Later, strategic vaccination campaigns were able to eliminate common diseases like measles, mumps, diphtheria, and tetanus in Europe and the United States.

Reading #6 (Food and Agriculture Advances)During the Industrial Revolution, improvements in how we grow and transport food had a great influence on population. Greater quantities and access to food lessened the dangers and impacts of famine and improved overall nutrition on a grand scale. The British Agricultural Revolution (1700-1850) resulted in unprecedented increases in labor and land productivity between the 17th and 19th centuries. Advances in farm machinery made it easier for farmers to ready and harvest greater expanses of agricultural land with ease.

Reading #7 (Food and Agriculture Advances)New agricultural methods, such as the four-crop rotation method, greatly increased crop and livestock yields by improving soil fertility and reducing fallow. By the 19th century, many British agricultural practices had been adopted by most of continental Europe. Finally, the large scale commercial use of items, such as fertilizer, made helpful resources more accessible. Later, the development and widespread use of chemical fertilizers led to heartier and more bountiful crop yields.

Reading #8 (Food and Agriculture Advances)The Industrial Revolution also made food more accessible. The development of the steam engine dramatically changed the way agricultural goods were transported across Europe, providing quick and reliable access to cities across the continent. In the early 19th century, British engineer Richard Trevithick constructed the first steam locomotive. By 1950, Britain had more than 6,000 miles of railway track, which allowed it to transport goods and people faster than ever before.

Reading #9 (Public Health and Sanitation Advances)What better farming methods did for crop yields, better sanitation and sewage regulation did for public health. During the Industrial Revolution, populations in Britain’s urban centers increased rapidly as people migrated into cities to fill new jobs in factories. London doubled in size between 1801 and 1841. As the population grew, demand for basic necessities outstripped supply. Overcrowded neighborhoods, often served by inadequate public water supplies with poor waste disposal systems, led to recurring outbreaks of cholera, dysentery, tuberculosis (TB), typhoid fever, and other water-borne diseases. As cities grew, social reformers and physicians began to identify connections between the intolerable conditions of urban slums, poor sanitation, and the need for greater investment in public health.

Reading #10 (Public Health and Sanitation Advances)Edwin Chadwick led the British movement toward sanitary reform. His work drew a clear link between poor sanitary conditions and high mortality rates. Later, in 1854, physician John Snow discovered that cholera was transmitted through contaminated water.

Reading #11 (Public Health and Sanitation Advances)The Industrial Revolution also led to radical changes in how we manage freshwater resources. Modern sewer systems were developed in an attempt to dispel contaminated wastewater and fecal matter away from populated areas. The flush toilet (1775), had a profound impact on public health. Cities were able to transport human wastes (via sewage systems) out of crowded households and city streets. Early sewage systems discharged raw and untreated sewage directly into waterways. Later, as tolerance from cities downriver waned, municipalities developed more advanced methods of wastewater treatment. Efforts were also made to reduce contamination of precious drinking water. In the United States, chlorination and other treatments for public water supply became common practice by the early 1900s, further decreasing the incidence of water contamination and disease.

Reading #12 (Global Impact)Through the beginning of the 20th century, advances in medicine, food and agriculture, and public health and sanitation affected populations primarily in more developed countries. But as these advances spread out from their epicenters in Europe and the United States and into developing nations, death rates fell dramatically in these regions as well. Following World War II, human population grew explosively, reaching growth rates as high as 4 percent a year for some developing nations. World population hit 1 billion in 1804. It took us 123 years to double our population to 2 billion in 1927. From there, it only took 47 years for the population to double again to 4 billion. Today, the United Nations predicts that it will take us 50 years (from 1974) to double to 8 billion in 2024.

MilestoneFor years 1 and 1700 do not click on any milestones, instead, direct your students’ attention to the map only.

MilestoneEffects of the Industrial Revolution

Teacher PromptsYear 1

1700

Review changes in the number of dots on the map. In 1 CE, there are 170 dots on the map. In 1700, there are 605 dots. Ask students how many dots must be added (in a 315 year time frame) to reach our current population of 7.3 billion.

Year1760

Review the significance of the Industrial Revolution. Briefly discuss changes in urbanization, industrial activity, and social organization and then narrow the focus to the impact of the Industrial Revolution on population.

Year 1676

Discuss the importance of the microscope, focusing on how it has advanced medical knowledge.

Year 17971858

Discuss the significance of vaccines and pasteurization on human health.

Year 1940

Discuss the importance of antibiotics to human health.

Year170117861834

Discuss the ways in which the seed drill and mechanical thresher helped increase crop yields. Ask students to brainstorm ways in which new farm machinery helped make agricultural practices more efficient.

Year1843

1913

Discuss the impacts fertilizer use has on crop yields and how increased yields impact population size.

Year1825

1869

Review the development of the steam powered railway in Great Britain and the completion of the Transcontinental Railroad in the United States and discuss their impacts on the ability to transport goods across great distances.

Year1800

Discuss why London was the first city to reach 1 million inhabitants since the Roman Empire. Touch on the fact that Great Britain was the first country to industrialize and experienced increased migration to urban centers to fill new jobs before many other Western European cities.

Year1843

1845

Discuss the impact Edwin Chadwick had on the public health movement. Review John Snow’s research and how it led to the development of more advanced urban water and wastewater systems.

Year1777

Review the importance of the flush toilet. Discuss contaminated water’s role in the spread of waterborne diseases by linking improper disposal of human wastes to John Snow’s research. Discuss the need for wastewater treatment centers and how they improve public health.

Year1804192719742024

Review the changes in the number of dots on the map for the years listed above. Discuss the differences in doubling time and explore their significance in regard to space, natural resources, and quality of life.

The Peopling of Our PlanetTimeline Exploration Guide


Below is a detailed description of how to facilitate class discussion using the website www.WorldPopulationHistory.org. The purpose of the discussion is to explore the impacts advances in medicine, food and agriculture, and public health and sanitation had on population size.

The Student Readings column contains the text from all 12 student reading cards in order. Cards are divided into five categories: Pre-Industrial Population Growth (2), Medical Advances (3), Food and Agriculture Advances (3), Public Health and Sanitation Advances (3), and Global Impact (1).

The Teacher Prompts column is divided into two parts, timeline milestones and teacher-led discussion prompts. The timeline milestones list the year in which the event occurs and its title. To select a timeline milestone, simply type the year into the search box located in the upper right corner of the website, zoom in, and select the appropriate milestone. The teacher-led discussion prompts are to be used in conjunction with the text on each milestone pop-up. Review the text and expand upon the significance of each event. In many cases, the teacher-led discussion prompts require students to use prior knowledge to draw connections and make inferences about how and why the milestone impacted population growth.

Teacher IntroWe are now going to explore the specific advances in medicine, food and agriculture, and public health and sanitation that catalyzed the population explosion in Western Europe and the United States. I am going to pass out information cards and will need 12 volunteers to help read. As we learn about major historical milestones, we will pause and explore them in greater detail using the World Population History timeline.














MilestoneInvention of the Microscope

MilestoneSmallpox VaccinePasteurization

MilestoneAntibiotics

MilestoneSeed DrillThresherNew Farm Equipment


1700


Year1760


Year 1676


Year 17971858


Year 1940


Year170117861834


Year1843

1913


Year1825

1869


Year1800


Year1843

1845


Year1777


Year1804192719742024

















MilestoneFirst Fertilizer FactoryBeginning of Chemical Fertilization

MilestoneSteam Powered RailwayTranscontinental Railroad Completed

MilestoneA City of One Million


1700


Year1760


Year 1676


Year 17971858


Year 1940


Year170117861834


Year1843

1913


Year1825

1869


Year1800


Year1843

1845


Year1777


Year1804192719742024

















MilestoneStart of Public Health MovementWater-Borne Diseases and Sanitation

MilestoneFlush Toilet

MilestoneFor years 1804, 1927, 1974, and 2024 do not click on any milestones, instead, direct your students’ attention to the map only.


1700


Year1760


Year 1676


Year 17971858


Year 1940


Year170117861834


Year1843

1913


Year1825

1869


Year1800


Year1843

1845


Year1777


Year1804192719742024




For much of history, human population has grown at a slow to moderate pace. This slow rate of growth is attributed to a relatively even ratio of births to deaths. A lot of people were being born, but a high percentage of them died, primarily from what we now consider preventable causes. Changes in the birth rate or death rate of a population can have a great impact on population size. When we examine population growth from 1 CE to 1700 (when death rates were high), we find that population did not grow as fast as it did in the 19th, 20th, and 21st centuries when death rates began to decline.

Student 1

The Industrial Revolution began in England in the late 1700s and had a significant impact on the death rate of the newly industrializing countries of Europe and North America. Advancements in medicine, food and agriculture, and public health and sanitation all played a large role in reducing mortality and improving quality of life, which, in turn, increased population growth rates. Europe’s population was estimated at 125 million in 1700. Two hundred years later, its population had nearly quadrupled in size, reaching an estimated 420 million by 1900. Innovation and discovery during the Industrial Revolution, coupled with extraordinary increases in overall rate of natural increase, had profound impacts on the economy, environment, and society.

Student 2

During the 19th and 20th centuries, advances in medicine dramatically improved quality of life in Western Europe and the United States. Discoveries in biology and chemistry led to the development of new medicines, adoption of innovative medical techniques, and aseptic practices. Many of these advances would not have been possible without the invention of the microscope in 1676.

Student 3

In 1796, Edward Jenner discovered a cure for smallpox. Later Louis Pasteur, a French chemist, confirmed germ theory, which states that many diseases are caused by the presence and actions of specific micro-organisms.

Student 4

Germ theory was fundamental in the development of antibiotics and other antimicrobial medicines. Penicillin, later discovered in the early 20th century, provided quick and complete treatment of previously incurable bacterial illnesses. Later, strategic vaccination campaigns were able to eliminate common diseases like measles, mumps, diphtheria, and tetanus in Europe and the United States.

Student 5

The Peopling of Our PlanetStudent Reading Cards


During the Industrial Revolution, improvements in how we grow and transport food had a great influence on population. Greater quantities and access to food lessened the dangers and impacts of famine and improved overall nutrition on a grand scale. The British Agricultural Revolution (1700-1850) resulted in unprecedented increases in labor and land productivity between the 17th and 19th centuries. Advances in farm machinery made it easier for farmers to ready and harvest greater expanses of agricultural land with ease.

Student 6

New agricultural methods, such as the four-crop rotation method, greatly increased crop and livestock yields by improving soil fertility and reducing fallow. By the 19th century, many British agricultural practices had been adopted by most of continental Europe. Finally, the large scale commercial use of items, such as fertilizer, made helpful resources more accessible. Later, the development and widespread use of chemical fertilizers led to heartier and more bountiful crop yields.

Student 7

The Industrial Revolution also made food more accessible. The development of the steam engine dramatically changed the way agricultural goods were transported across Europe, providing quick and reliable access to cities across the continent. In the early 19th century, British engineer Richard Trevithick constructed the first steam locomotive. By 1950, Britain had more than 6,000 miles of railway track, which allowed it to transport goods and people faster than ever before.

Student 8

What better farming methods did for crop yields, better sanitation and sewage regulation did for public health. During the Industrial Revolution, populations in Britain’s urban centers increased rapidly as people migrated into cities to fill new jobs in factories. London doubled in size between 1801 and 1841. As the population grew, demand for basic necessities outstripped supply. Overcrowded neighborhoods, often served by inadequate public water supplies with poor waste disposal systems, led to recurring outbreaks of cholera, dysentery, tuberculosis (TB), typhoid fever, and other water-borne diseases. As cities grew, social reformers and physicians began to identify connections between the intolerable conditions of urban slums, poor sanitation, and the need for greater investment in public health.

Student 9



Edwin Chadwick led the British movement toward sanitary reform. His work drew a clear link between poor sanitary conditions and high mortality rates. Later, in 1854, physician John Snow discovered that cholera was transmitted through contaminated water.

Student 10

The Industrial Revolution also led to radical changes in how we manage freshwater resources. Modern sewer systems were developed in an attempt to dispel contaminated wastewater and fecal matter away from populated areas. The flush toilet (1775), had a profound impact on public health. Cities were able to transport human wastes (via sewage systems) out of crowded households and city streets. Early sewage systems discharged raw and untreated sewage directly into waterways. Later, as tolerance from cities downriver waned, municipalities developed more advanced methods of wastewater treatment. Efforts were also made to reduce contamination of precious drinking water. In the United States, chlorination and other treatments for public water supply became common practice by the early 1900s, further decreasing the incidence of water contamination and disease.

Student 11

Through the beginning of the 20th century, advances in medicine, food and agriculture, and public health and sanitation affected populations primarily in more developed countries. But as these advances spread out from their epicenters in Europe and the United States and into developing nations, death rates fell dramatically in these regions as well. Following World War II, human population grew explosively, reaching growth rates as high as 4 percent a year for some developing nations. World population hit 1 billion in 1804. It took us 123 years to double our population to 2 billion in 1927. From there, it only took 47 years for the population to double again to 4 billion. Today, the United Nations predicts that it will take us 50 years (from 1974) to double to 8 billion in 2024.

Student 12



Global POpulation

Age Group M % F % 0-4 205,695,000 197,150,000 5-9 160,575,000 154,480,000 10-14 134,704,000 128,561,000 15-19 130,203,000 124,612,000 20-24 117,900,000 113,991,000 25-29 108,803,000 106,075,000 30-34 93,329,000 94,611,000 35-39 80,061,000 80,325,000 40-44 76,750,000 78,796,000 45-49 68,303,000 70,440,000 50-54 58,306,000 60,778,000 55-59 46,689,000 50,752,000 60-64 35,879,000 40,965,000 65-69 26,789,000 32,532,000 70-7 17,462,000 22,884,000 75+ 16,137,000 23,776,000 Total 1,377,586,000 1,380,728,000 Global Total 2,758,314,000

M % F % 266,514,000 256,127,000 234,132,000 224,167,000 206,501,000 197,409,000 187,728,000 180,061,000 150,882,000 146,676,000 125,796,000 121,125,000 121,093,000 116,563,000 109,223,000 105,106,000 99,474,000 97,111,000 82,987,000 85,452,000 67,718,000 70,081,000 61,529,000 67,424,000 49,830,000 57,371,000 36,357,000 44,666,000 23,372,000 31,796,000 22,010,000 36,207,000 1,845,146,000 1,837,342,000 3,682,488,000

1970 M % F % 301,557,000 288,037,000 271,910,000 259,875,000 266,816,000 254,829,000 252,467,000 242,378,000 225,979,000 217,250,000 197,828,000 190,620,000 179,322,000 173,194,000 144,179,000 140,793,000 118,335,000 115,276,000 111,769,000 109,700,000 97,549,000 97,142,000 84,633,000 87,398,000 65,489,000 73,534,000 47,353,000 55,554,000 35,887,000 47,405,000 36,715,000 61,767,000 2,437,788,000 2,414,752,000 4,852,540,000

1985 1955

Source: United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs Population Division (2015)

The Peopling of Our PlanetStudent worksheet 1 of 2


0-4 312,923,000 293,266,000 5-9 316,825,000 297,821,00010-14 321,707,000 304,915,000 15-19 290,187,000 277,739,000 20-24 263,314,000 253,390,000 25-29 256,376,000 247,429,000 30-34 242,045,000 235,150,000 35-39 216,360,000 210,698,000 40-44 188,021,000 184,239,000 45-49 167,873,000 165,910,000 50-54 131,299,000 132,753,000 55-59 103,457,000 105,834,000 60-64 91,396,000 96,674,000 65-69 72,204,000 80,113,000 70-74 53,071,000 64,633,000 75+ 57,453,000 91,522,000 Total 3,084,511,000 3,042,086,000 Global Total 6,126,597,000

346,752,000 324,177,000 329,582,000 307,867,000 314,040,000 293,391,000 304,829,000 285,241,000 310,593,000 292,915,000 311,657,000 298,136,000 279,682,000 271,403,000 251,915,000 245,841,000 245,532,000 239,526,000 228,546,000 225,497,000 200,783,000 200,970,000 167,871,000 171,820,000 142,749,000 149,978,000 102,619,000 112,428,000 71,183,000 82,024,000 98,872,000 141,054,000 3,707,206,000 3,642,268,000 7,349,474,000

2000 2015

Source: United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs Population Division (2015)

Age Group M % F % M % F %

Global POpulation

The Peopling of Our PlanetStudent worksheet 2 of 2


Male Female

Date:_______________________

Age

Gro

up

75+

70-74

65-69

60 -64

55-59

50-54

45-49

40-44

35-39

30-34

25-29

20-24

15-19

10-14

5-9

0-4

8.0 6.0 4.0 2.0 0.0 2.0 4.0 6.0 8.0

Group Members:___________________________________________________________

Percentage of Population

Year:___________________

The Peopling of Our PlanetPopulation Pyramid Graph Paper


Extra credit

Name:_______________________________________ Date:______________

1. What word could be used to characterize world population growth over the past 200 years? (1 point)

a. Arithmetic

b. Slow

c. Exponential

d. Logarithmic

2. Population growth rates changed following the Industrial Revolution due to advances in which of the following? (1 point)

a. medicine, public health and sanitation, rising birth rate

b. medicine, food and agriculture, and public health and sanitation

c. birth rate, food and agriculture, medicine

d. rising birth rate, public health and sanitation, and technology

3. Identify and describe one technological innovation in food and agriculture that contributed to a growing population in Europe and the United States during the Industrial Revolution. (2 points)

4. Construct a brief response outlining how improved sanitaiton can lead to a decline in the death rate. (3 points)

1. Who was responsible for linking cholera outbreaks to contaminated water sources in London? (1 point)

a. Anton Van Leeuwenhoek

b. Alexander Cummings

c. Edwin Chadwick

d. John Snow

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Documents

The Peopling of Our Planet - Population Educationpopulationeducation.org/sites/default/files/peopling-of-our-planet.pdf · The Peopling of Our Planet. Page 3 Population Connection,