1. Introduction to AP Human Geography
Mr. Stepek

2. Interaction: the relationship between humans and their environment.
Adaptation
Modification
How do humans adapt (adjust) to better fit into their environment?
Clothing, housing, behavior
New Yorkers often don’t own cars.
Too crowded, too hard to park

4. Interaction: the relationship between humans and their environment.
Adaptation
Modification
How do humans adapt/adjust to better fit into their environment.
Clothing, housing, behavior
New Yorkers often don’t own cars.
Too crowded, too hard to park
Use the subway or walk
How do humans modify/alter their environment to better suit themselves, examples:
infrastructure
public improvements
engineering

6. “God created the earth, but the Dutch created Holland” = “polders”

7. Cultural Ecology Cultural ecology = study of human-env. relationships:
how diff.cultural groups adapt to/modify env in distinctive ways; also, how major determinants of civilization, such as climate, effect development.
Carl Ritter ( ); “determinist”
Alexander von Humboldt ( ); “determinist”
Determinism: break down the word. What do you think it means?
“pre-determined”
Possibilism: break down the word. What do you think it means?
“anything is possible”

8. Env. Determinism vs. Possibilism
Environmental Determinism:
Human advancements or lack thereof are caused by the possibilities/limits of the environment. In other words, the physical env caused social development.
Environment determines success or failure of a civilization.
Carl Ritter + Alexander von Humboldt (1800s)
Possibilism:
More modern / widely accepted; opposes determinism.
Physical environment can limit human actions, BUT humans adjust, adapt + overcome environmental shortcomings.
Anything is possible!

9. Video: Env Determinism vs. Possibilism

10. Case Studies
Read Case Study #1: “Rising Seas: Will the Outer Banks Survive?”
DO NOT WRITE ON ARTICLES!
As you are reading, start completing graphic organizer, connecting the articles to the ideas of environmental determinism & possibilism.
Share out answers with group.
A completed group worksheet will be collected from each table.

11. SUSTAINABILITY

12. SUSTAINABILITY

13. The geographic study of human-environmental relationships
Cultural ecology
The geographic study of human-environmental relationships
Two main ideas:
Environmental determinism vs. possibilism
Distribute handout summary.
Play video: