Migration inside the United States (and beyond)
One of the many interesting thing about humans is their ability to master the environments around them and to move across great swaths of land that were once inaccessible due to the challenges of navigation. The New York Times has put together an interesting interactive series of charts that help communicate how humans do not stay put in the places they are born. For example, about 33% of all Virginians leave the Commonwealth to settle elsewhere in the United States.
One of the big things to understand in World Geography is how humans have moved around throughout history. Today, getting around the planet is easier than ever. We now have planes, trains, boats, cars, etc. to easily cross hundreds of miles of land in just hours. In the last 60 years, we have pioneered new ways to even leave the planet! Reflect back on what you have learned about physical, economic, and cultural geography. What are some of the reasons humans used to be confined to certain areas but now no longer hamper movement?
Some examples could include:
In what other ways have humans moved around the planet?
What challenges still exist to humans traveling from place to place?
What discoveries or inventions led to human exploration?
One of the big things to understand in World Geography is how humans have moved around throughout history. Today, getting around the planet is easier than ever. We now have planes, trains, boats, cars, etc. to easily cross hundreds of miles of land in just hours. In the last 60 years, we have pioneered new ways to even leave the planet! Reflect back on what you have learned about physical, economic, and cultural geography. What are some of the reasons humans used to be confined to certain areas but now no longer hamper movement?
Some examples could include:
- Mountains - What once would confine humans to one side of a mountain range due to the hardship of crossing over, mountains are now just a large physical feature on Earth's surface that humans have found a way to go through, rather than around. With the creation of tunnels, aided by the perfection of concrete and electricity (need to have lights!), humans can now go straight through mountains in a matter of minutes rather than hours or even days. Take a look at the East River Mountain Tunnel and Big Walker Tunnel in Virginia/West Virginia that greatly increased road traffic through the Appalachian's.
- Rivers - Humans are no longer in need of boats to make the voyage across rivers. Most rivers, and even some canyons, today have large bridges, mostly built from steel, to allow humans easy passage across them. Cars, trucks, and trains pass over these bridges daily, connecting humans to far away places. Take a look at the Chesapeake Bay Bridge in Maryland and the New River Gorge Bridge in West Virginia.
- Oceans - What once seemed impossible was proven to be possible - crossing the oceans of the planet. Early on, many believed the Earth was flat and that if you sailed too far, you would simply fall off the side. However, dating back to the days of the Ancient Greeks, many great thinkers began to speculate that the Earth was round. It would later be confirmed with numerous voyages of circumnavigation that proved the Earth's spherical shape. With the invention of large boats and barges, crossing the Earth's oceans has never been easier. Additionally, with the invention of air travel, humans can now quickly cross the oceans. For example, during the time of Christopher Columbus, the average length of a voyage across the Atlantic Ocean was about 6 weeks. Today, an airplane flight from Washington, D.C. to London, UK is about 8 hours (of course, airplanes travel at about 600 miles per hour!
In what other ways have humans moved around the planet?
What challenges still exist to humans traveling from place to place?
What discoveries or inventions led to human exploration?