AP HUMAN GEOGRAPHY
Grades 11 & 12
Weighted 1.0 w/ AP Exam
WHAT IS HUMAN GEOGRAPHY?
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Human geography is the study of where humans and
their activities and institutions such as ethnic groups,
cities, and industries are located and why they are
there. Human geographers also study the interactions
of humans with their environment and draw on some
basic elements of physical geography.
Few people—the general public and students alike—
think about their daily experiences in geographic
terms. That is not to say that the general public or our
students do not know anything geographic
it is simply that they may not recognize geography
when they see it. For example, looking for and
thinking about cultural imprints on the landscape,
such as how Hispanic markets or religious institutions
affect their environments, is geography.
 Locational questions like “Why is the interstate
highway where it is?” or
 “Why do most Indonesians practice Islam?” are
geographic questions with geographic answers.
 These are just two examples of how we can use the
world around us in classroom lessons.

If
you would like to know
why an auto worker in
Detroit lost his job because
the parts can be produced
cheaper in another countryThen sign up for AP Human
Geography
TOPIC OUTLINE FOR THE COURSE:
Geography: Its Nature and Perspectives (5-10%)
 Population (13-17%)
 Cultural Patterns and Processes (13-17%)
 Political Organization of Space (13-17%)
 Agricultural and Rural Land Use (13-17%)
 Industrialization and Economic Development (1317%)
 Cities and Urban Land Use (13-17%)
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TEST YOUR KNOWLEDGE. . . .
As an academic discipline,
geography is principally
concerned with the
(a) nature and meaning of place names
(b) impact of the environment on human understandings
and activities
(c) evolving character and spatial organization of Earth’s
surface
(d) absolute location of places, peoples, and processes on
Earth’s surface
(e) construction
DO YOU KNOW THE ANSWER?
The dots in the map
illustrate the
distribution of
(a) cattle
(b) cotton
(c) rice
(d) tobacco
(e) sheep
SAMPLE FREE RESPONSE
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Since 1950 many states have faced challenges in
developing a strong national identity.

A. Using contemporary examples, explain how each
of the following has contributed to the development of
national identity and the strengthening of a state.
1. Economic development
 2. Relocation of a state’s capital (since 1950)
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
B. Using contemporary examples, explain how each
of the following may detract from the development of
national identity and weaken a state.
1. Ethnicity
 2. Transportation infrastructure
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Answered in paragraph form (essays are not
required)
EARN A COLLEGE
CREDIT NEXT YEAR AND
BOOST YOUR GPA
Sign
up for AP Human
Geography!!!!