Geographic thought MCQ Quiz - Objective Question with Answer for Geographic thought - Download Free PDF

The correct answer is: A - 2, B - 3, C - 1, D - 4.

Key Points

Additional Information 

• Handbook of Commercial Geography by George Chisholm:
  • Definition: The "Handbook of Commercial Geography" by George Chisholm is one of the foundational texts in economic and commercial geography. It provides insights into the geographical factors influencing commerce and trade.
  • Significance: This book laid the groundwork for understanding the relationship between geography and commerce, emphasizing the importance of location, resources, transportation, and trade routes in economic activities.
  • Impact: It has been widely used as a reference in the study of economic geography and remains a significant historical contribution to the field.
• The Influence of Sea Power by Mahan:
  • Definition: "The Influence of Sea Power upon History" by Alfred Thayer Mahan examines the strategic importance of naval power in shaping the history of nations.
  • Key Ideas: Mahan argued that control of the sea through naval dominance was a critical factor in global power and economic prosperity. He highlighted the role of sea routes, ports, and naval strength in fostering trade and colonial expansion.
  • Impact: This work had a profound influence on naval strategy, geopolitics, and the policies of maritime nations, especially during the late 19th and early 20th centuries.
• Geographical Introduction to History by Lucian Febvre:
  • Definition: Lucian Febvre's "Geographical Introduction to History" integrates geography with history, emphasizing how geographical factors influence historical events and developments.
  • Key Themes: Febvre explored the interaction between human societies and their geographical environments, arguing that geography shapes human behavior, culture, and history.
  • Impact: This work is a cornerstone of the Annales School of thought in historical studies, which advocates for a multidisciplinary approach to understanding history.
• Compage by D. Whittlesey:
  • Definition: D. Whittlesey's work "Compage" focuses on regional geography, analyzing the physical and human elements that characterize specific regions.
  • Key Concepts: Whittlesey introduced the idea of "compage," which refers to the complex interplay of various natural and human-made factors that define a region's character.
  • Impact: His work contributed to the development of regional geography as a discipline, emphasizing the importance of understanding the unique attributes of different areas.

The correct answer is: A - 1, B - 2, C - 3, D - 4.

Key Points

Detailed Explanation 

• Theoretical Geography by William Bunge:
  • Overview: William Bunge is known for his contributions to quantitative geography and theoretical geography. His work emphasized the application of mathematical and statistical techniques to geographical phenomena.
  • Key Idea: Bunge's "Theoretical Geography" (1962) is a seminal work that aimed to establish geography as a rigorous scientific discipline, focusing on spatial analysis and the development of geographical models.
  • Significance: This work laid the foundation for the quantitative revolution in geography, which emphasized the use of empirical data and analytical methods in spatial studies.
• Postmodern Geographies by E. Soja:
  • Overview: Edward Soja is a key figure in postmodern geography. His work, "Postmodern Geographies" (1989), critiques traditional geographical approaches and explores the impact of postmodernism on spatial theory.
  • Key Idea: Soja introduced the concept of "spatiality" as a central theme in social theory, emphasizing the interconnectedness of space, society, and history.
  • Significance: This work challenged conventional notions of space and geography, emphasizing the role of power dynamics, social inequality, and cultural context in shaping spatial relationships.
• Human Geography: A Welfare Approach by David Smith:
  • Overview: David Smith's work focuses on the integration of social justice and welfare into the study of human geography.
  • Key Idea: In "Human Geography: A Welfare Approach" (1977), Smith emphasizes the importance of addressing issues of inequality, poverty, and social welfare in geographical research and policy-making.
  • Significance: This approach marked a shift in human geography, moving away from purely descriptive studies to a more critical and socially relevant perspective.
• Time-space Geography by Hagerstrand:
  • Overview: Torsten Hagerstrand is renowned for his work in time-space geography, which explores the spatial and temporal dimensions of human activity.
  • Key Idea: Hagerstrand's models, such as the "time-space prism," analyze how individuals navigate constraints of time and space in their daily lives.
  • Significance: His work has had a profound impact on fields such as transportation geography, urban planning, and social geography, offering insights into the interaction between human behavior and spatial environments.

The correct answer is 'R.J. Johnston'

Key Points

• R.J. Johnston:
  • R.J. Johnston (Ronald John Johnston) is a prominent geographer known for his significant contributions to the field of geography, particularly in political and human geography.
  • He authored the influential book 'Geography and Geographers', which provides a comprehensive overview of the development of geography as an academic discipline.
  • The book is considered a critical resource for understanding the history, methodologies, and paradigms that have shaped the discipline over time.
  • Johnston's work is particularly noted for exploring the changing perspectives in geography, including the shift from traditional to modern approaches such as positivism, humanism, and radicalism.
  • His analysis of the role of geographers and the evolution of geographical thought has been instrumental in bridging the gap between theory and practice in geography.

Additional Information

• George Chisholm:
  • George Chisholm is best known for his seminal work, 'Handbook of Commercial Geography' (1889), which marked a turning point in economic geography.
  • His work focused on the spatial patterns of trade, resources, and economic activities rather than on the broader philosophical and methodological aspects of geography discussed in Johnston's 'Geography and Geographers'.
  • Chisholm's contributions are foundational in the field of commercial and economic geography, but he is not associated with the intellectual history of geography as Johnston is.
• Jean Brunhes:
  • Jean Brunhes was a French geographer known for his work in human and cultural geography. His book 'La Géographie Humaine' (Human Geography) is considered one of the foundational texts in the field.
  • Brunhes emphasized the role of human activities in shaping landscapes and regions, focusing on agricultural patterns, settlement types, and land use.
  • While his contributions are significant to human geography, they are not related to the historiography and methodological analysis that Johnston provided in 'Geography and Geographers'.
• Torsten Hägerstrand:
  • Torsten Hägerstrand was a Swedish geographer renowned for his pioneering work in time geography and diffusion theory.
  • His research focused on the spatial and temporal dimensions of human activity, particularly the spread of innovations and the constraints of time and space on individual behavior.
  • Hägerstrand's work is highly specialized and influential in spatial analysis, but it does not address the broader historical and methodological issues covered in Johnston's 'Geography and Geographers'.

Important Points

• Johnston's 'Geography and Geographers' is widely regarded as an essential text for understanding the evolution of geography as an academic discipline.
• The book delves into key paradigms such as positivism, humanism, radicalism, and postmodernism, highlighting their impact on geographical thought.
• It serves as a critical resource for students and scholars interested in the intellectual and methodological foundations of geography.
• In contrast to the other figures mentioned, Johnston's work is unique in its focus on the historiography and philosophy of geography, making him the correct answer to this question.

The correct answer is 'Influences of Geographical Environment'

Key Points

• Influences of Geographical Environment:
  • The book “Influences of Geographical Environment” was authored by Ellen Churchill Semple and published in 1911.
  • Semple was a prominent American geographer and a key proponent of environmental determinism, a theory suggesting that human behavior, culture, and societal development are heavily influenced by the physical environment.
  • The book explores how geographical factors such as climate, topography, and natural resources shape human life, culture, and societal progress.
  • It is considered one of the foundational works in the study of environmental determinism, and it had a significant impact on early 20th-century geographical thought.
  • Semple’s arguments emphasize the role of the environment as a central force in shaping civilizations, a perspective that has been both influential and debated in academic circles.

Additional Information

• Mainsprings of Civilization:
  • This book was authored by Ellsworth Huntington, not Ellen Churchill Semple.
  • Huntington was another advocate of environmental determinism, and his work focused on how climate influences human energy, productivity, and societal achievements.
  • While similar in theme to Semple’s work, this book is distinct and reflects Huntington’s unique approach to environmental determinism, particularly his emphasis on climate.
• Humanistic Geography:
  • Humanistic geography is a subfield of geography that emerged in the mid-20th century, emphasizing the subjective experience of humans and their relationships with places.
  • This concept is not directly tied to Ellen Churchill Semple or her 1911 book. It focuses more on human perception, emotions, and cultural values rather than environmental determinism.
  • Prominent figures in humanistic geography include Yi-Fu Tuan and Edward Relph, not Semple.
• Guide to Geography:
  • This title refers to an ancient work by Claudius Ptolemy, a Greek geographer and astronomer, and is unrelated to Ellen Churchill Semple.
  • Ptolemy’s “Guide to Geography” is a landmark text in the history of geography, providing early cartographic techniques and concepts of latitude and longitude.
  • It predates Semple’s work by over a millennium and is focused on mapping and spatial representation rather than environmental influences on human society.

Important Points

• Ellen Churchill Semple was a pioneering female geographer in the early 20th century, breaking barriers in a field dominated by men.
• Her work on environmental determinism has been criticized in modern times for oversimplifying the relationship between environment and human society, but it remains a key historical contribution to geographic thought.
• Semple was heavily influenced by Friedrich Ratzel, a German geographer who is considered the father of environmental determinism.
• While environmental determinism has largely fallen out of favor, Semple’s work is still studied for its historical importance and its role in shaping the field of geography.

The correct answer is: D → C → B → A

The task involves arranging books in the order of their publication year based on the information provided. Chronological arrangement plays a critical role in understanding the historical progression of ideas and knowledge. Each book mentioned in the question represents a significant work in the field of human geography and civilization studies, contributing to different aspects of understanding human development and environmental interactions.

Key Points

Overview of the Books and Their Publication Years:

• The Pulse of Asia (1907):
  • Written by Ellsworth Huntington, this book focuses on the relationship between climate and human activity in Asia.
  • It emphasizes the impact of environmental factors on the development of civilizations.
  • Published in 1907, it is the earliest work among the four listed.
• Civilization and Climate (1915):
  • Another significant work by Ellsworth Huntington, this book delves deeper into the influence of climate on the rise and fall of civilizations.
  • Published in 1915, it builds upon the ideas introduced in "The Pulse of Asia."
  • The book provides a scientific perspective on how climatic conditions shape human behavior and societal progress.
• The Principles of Human Geography (1920):
  • Authored by Paul Vidal de la Blache, this book is a cornerstone in the field of human geography.
  • It introduced the concept of "possibilism," emphasizing human agency in adapting to and modifying the environment.
  • Published in 1920, it marks a significant shift in geographical thought by focusing on the interplay between humans and their environment.
• Mainsprings of Civilization (1945):
  • Written by Ellsworth Huntington, this book explores the fundamental forces driving the development of human civilization.
  • Published in 1945, it is the most recent work among the four listed.
  • The book synthesizes ideas from geography, anthropology, and sociology to provide a comprehensive view of civilization's evolution.

Additional Information

• The chronological order highlights the progression of thought and research in the fields of human geography and civilization studies.
• Ellsworth Huntington's works, such as "The Pulse of Asia," "Civilization and Climate," and "Mainsprings of Civilization," demonstrate his consistent focus on the interplay between environment and human societies.
• Paul Vidal de la Blache's "The Principles of Human Geography" introduced a paradigm shift in geographical thought, moving away from determinism to possibilism.
• Understanding the publication timeline helps in contextualizing the development of theories and ideas in human geography and environmental studies.
• These works collectively contribute to a deeper understanding of how environmental factors influence human societies, shaping the fields of geography, anthropology, and sociology.

The correct answer is Rural Urban Continuum.
Important Points

Louis Wirth is best known for his work in urban sociology and his concept of "Urbanism as a Way of Life," in which he explores the effects of urban living on individuals and communities. However, of the options you've given, Wirth is most closely associated with the concept of the Rural-Urban Continuum.

• Louis Wirth defined a city to have defining characteristics that included a large population, size, a heterogeneous nature, and a defined boundary.
• A city is identified by businesses, population, and a unique cultural landscape.
• Urban locations include non-rural areas like a city and the surrounding suburbs.
• Major characteristics of cities include having downtown areas, buildings, highways, and other transportation networks.
• Businesses, a large population, and a unique cultural landscape identify a city, whereas urban locations include non-rural areas like the city and suburbs.
• Common characteristics of significant cities include having a downtown area, large buildings, and a highway and transportation network.

The correct answer is A - II, B - III, C - I, D - IV
Important Points

The correct answer is Ratzel.
Important PointsThe concept of the state as an organism was primarily introduced by Friedrich Ratzel, a German geographer and ethnographer, often considered one of the founders of modern political geography.

• In the late 19th century, Ratzel developed the idea of the state as a living organism, arguing that it needed to consume territories (a theory known as Lebensraum or "living space") to sustain itself, similarly to how an organism needs nutrients.
• Wilhelm von Humboldt was a Prussian philosopher and linguist and he was more focused on language, education and individual freedom rather than the concept of the state as an organism.
• Isaiah Bowman was an American geographer, known for his work in economic and political geography, but he is not primarily associated with the concept of the state as an organism.
• Halford Mackinder, a British geographer, is known for his geopolitical theories, specifically the Heartland Theory, which relates more to the strategic importance of geographic location in international relations, rather than viewing the state as an organism.

The correct answer is Yi-Fu-Tuan 
Important Points

• Humanistic geography is an approach to geography that emphasizes the human dimension, and it involves an interpretive, qualitative methodology.
• Among the scholars listed, Yi-Fu Tuan is particularly well-known for his work in this area.
• Tuan is a prominent geographer who has contributed significantly to the development of humanistic geography, particularly through his explorations of concepts like space, place, and landscape from a human-centric perspective.

So, the correct answer is:

Yi-Fu Tuan
Additional InformationYi-Fu Tuan, born in 1930 in China, is widely recognized as one of the founding figures of humanistic geography.

• After moving to the United States, he studied geography, anthropology, and philosophy, and he went on to teach at several universities.
• His interdisciplinary background greatly influenced his approach to geography.

Tuan is known for his contributions to the understanding of human geography, particularly in the areas of environmental perception and human spatial behavior.

• His work emphasizes the importance of personal perception and the subjective, emotional aspects of geographic space.
• He has developed and expanded on several key concepts in humanistic geography, such as "topophilia" (the affective bond between people and place) and "sense of place" (the unique, personal, and emotional attachment people have to a place).
• He has written numerous influential books, including "Space and Place:
• The Perspective of Experience," "Topophilia: A Study of Environmental Perception, Attitudes, and Values," and "Landscapes of Fear."
• These works explore various aspects of the human experience of space and place, and they have helped to define the field of humanistic geography.

So, while there are many scholars who have contributed to humanistic geography, Yi-Fu Tuan's work is particularly important and influential in this field.

• His ideas have been widely adopted and developed by other scholars, and his writings continue to be a major source of inspiration for research in humanistic geography.

Correct Answer: ​Politische Geographic.

Key Points

• The term Lebensraum was coined by the German geographer, Friedrich Ratzel (1844-1904).
• During the last two decades of the 19th century, Ratzel developed a theory according to which the development of all species, including humans, is primarily determined by their adaptation to geographic circumstances.
• Between 1921 and 1925 Adolf Hitler developed the belief that Germany required Lebensraum ('living space') in order to survive.
• The conviction that this living space could be gained only in the east, and specifically from Russia, formed the core of this idea and shaped his policy after his take-over of power in Germany in 1933. 
• Lebensraum was used early in the twentieth century by Germans to explain a plan to colonize other countries, but the word is most strongly associated with Nazi Germany.
• The Nazis used the idea of Lebensraum, literally "living space" in German, as the basis of their policy for Germany's expansion.
• Lebensraum was the excuse for the invasion of Poland and the desire to occupy Russia, the goal of using resources from those countries to benefit Germans and Germany.
• Ratzel produced the foundations of human geography in his two-volume Anthropogeographie in 1882 and 1891. This work was misinterpreted by many of his students, creating a number of environmental determinists. He published his work on political geography, Politische Geographie, in 1897.

Additional Information

•  "The Geographical Pivot of History" is an article submitted by Halford John Mackinder in 1904 to the Royal Geographical Society that advances his heartland theory.
• Cosmography literally means the description of the universe; today, this would automatically be associated with astronomy, which as a discipline has very little to do with geography as it is taught in schools and universities. On the other hand, geography literally means the description of the world, understood as and limited to our planet Terra.

The correct answer is Ratzel.

• The 'Organic Theory of State' was propounded by Fridrich Ratzel.

Key Points

• The 'Organic Theory of State:​
  • The organic theory, along with the Heartland and Rimland theories, falls under political geography, otherwise known as geopolitics.
  • Geopolitics refers to how politics plays a role in geography and influences different geographic attributes such as political borders.
  • The term geopolitics once had a negative connotation, due to the organic theory, and in this paper, we shall discuss the reason for this.
  • It was theorized in 1897 by Friedrich Ratzel, a nineteenth-century German geographer and ethnographer.
  • The name “organic theory” comes from Ratzel’s assertion that political entities, such as countries, behave in a way not too dissimilar from that of living organisms.
  • Friedrich Ratzel (1844–1904), influenced by thinkers such as Darwin and zoologist Ernst Heinrich Haeckel, contributed to 'Geopolitik' by the expansion on the biological conception of geography, without a static conception of borders. 
  • More specifically, to survive, a political entity requires nourishment to gain political power.
  • This nourishment came in the form of a term he coined called Lebensraum, which translates from German to “living space.” He was referring to the physical territory.
  • Therefore, we can say that organic theory states that political entities continually seek nourishment in the form of gaining territories to survive in the same way that a living organism seeks nourishment from food to survive.
  • Essentially, the analogy is that food for an organism is territory for a country and the more territory that it conquers the more that the particular political entity can sustain and preserve itself.
  • As a result, the organic theory implies that for a political entity to maintain control, it invariably needs to seek out Lebensraum and go out and conquer all the territory that it possibly can, and complacency is not an option.
  • Otherwise, it risks its security and is always vulnerable to attacks because other political entities also behave in this organic way and will try to conquer as much territory as they can as well for the purpose of self-preservation.
  • You can compare it to the competition among living organisms for the scarce resource of food, which is their form of nourishment.

The correct answer is C and E only  
Important PointsThe quantitative revolution in geography, which took place in the 1950s and 1960s, was an era where geographers sought to increase the mathematical content of their research and incorporate more statistical and empirical techniques. The movement was about increasing the precision and objectivity in the discipline.

Among the options provided:

A. Semple and Ratzel were influential geographers, but their work predates the quantitative revolution.

B. Similarly, Mackinder and Ritter were important figures in geography, but they were not leading figures in the quantitative revolution.

C. Peter Hagget is indeed associated with the quantitative revolution. However, William Bunge is more associated with radical geography, which was a critique of the quantitative revolution.

D. Kansky is known for his work in transportation geography which did utilize quantitative techniques, but Ratzel, a German geographer, is known for his work in political geography and anthropogeography, and his work predates the quantitative revolution.

E. Torsten Hägerstrand was a key proponent of the quantitative revolution, and Richard Chorley, an English geographer, also played a significant role in the revolution.

So, the correct answer from the options given is:

C and E only (Peter Hagget and Hagerstrand and Chorley)

The famous book "Muqaddimah" is authored by Ibn-Khaldun.

the correct option is Ibn-Khaldun.

Key Points 

• "Muqaddimah" is a 14th-century Arabic historiographical work written by Ibn-Khaldun, an Arab historian, philosopher, and sociologist.
• It's considered a foundational text in the field of historiography and is noted for its pioneering theories on the rise and fall of civilizations, social organization, and economics.

Ibn Battuta 

• Ibn Batuta - He was a 14th-century Moroccan explorer and scholar.

• He traveled extensively throughout the Islamic world   explorer in pre-modern history, totaling around 117,000 km, surpassing Zheng He with about 50,000 km and Marco Polo with 24,000 km and beyond, documenting his journeys in the book "Rihlal."

• Ibn Battuta came to India in AD 1333 time of Muḥammad ibn Tughluq,

Al-Biruni ​

• Al-Biruni - He was a Persian polymath and scholar

• who lived in the 11th century.

• He made major contributions to a variety of fields, including geography, astronomy, physics, and history.

• He traveled to the Indian subcontinent and authored a study of Indian culture Kitab-ul-hind or Tahqiq-i-Hind (History of India) after exploring the Hindu faith practiced in India.

Al-Idrisi -

• Al-Idrisi - He was a 12th-century Arab geographer and cartographer. He is best known for creating an extensive map of the world, known as the "Book of Roger," for the Norman King Roger II of Sicily.

• In 1154 he wrote a book called The title of Amusements for Him who Desires to Travel around the world. In this book, he corrected the wrong notion of the Indian Ocean.

• In conclusion, these Arab geographers made significant contributions to the fields of geography, history, and exploration, and their works continue to be widely studied and respected today.

In the 1950s and 1960s, a revolutionary change described as "quantitative revolution" occurred in the discipline of geography. It replaced the ‘idiographic’ approach based on areal differentiation by ‘nomothetic’ one, which had its roots in the search for models of spatial structure and phenomenon. 

Quantitative revolution after I. Burton:

• I. Burton (1963) claimed that not only had geography 'in the past decade undergone a radical transformation of spirit and purpose', which he thought was 'best described as the "quantitative revolution"', but also that 'it reached its culmination in the period from 1957 to 1960, and is now over'.
• In the words of Burton (1963) this school had set out to discover universals, to build models, and to establish methods and theoretical bases on which geographical realities could be erected
• The application of statistical and mathematical techniques, theorems, and proofs in understanding geographical systems is known as the 'quantitative revolution' in geography.
• It was I. Burton who published a research paper, ‘The Quantitative Revolution and Theoretical Geography’ in the Canadian Geographer in 1963.

Hence, option 1 is the correct answer.

1. P. Haggett: a British geographer known for urban geography.
2. R. Chorley: an English geographer known for quantitative method in geography.
3. O. H. K. Spate: an Australian - British geographer famous for the concept of probabilism.

​​The scholar who was the first to report and map the Chinese coal fields was Richthofen. Therefore, the correct answer is Richthofen.

Important Points

• Baron Ferdinand Freiherr von Richthofen, better known in English as Baron von Richthofen, was a German traveler, geographer, and scientist. He is noted for coining the terms "Seidenstraße" and "Seidenstraßen" = "Silk Road" or "Silk Route" in 1877. He also standardized the practices of chorography and chorology.
• Ferdinand von Richthofen, a German geographer, was indeed the scholar who is credited with the first systematic exploration, reporting, and mapping of the Chinese coal fields.
• His contributions were instrumental in understanding the geological and mineralogical resources of China, particularly its coal reserves.
• One of Richthofen's significant achievements was the documentation and mapping of China's coal fields.
• Richthofen's extensive research culminated in the publication of his magnum opus, "China: Results of Observations and Research in China," which is often referred to as the "Richthofen's China." 

thus the Ferdinand von Richthofen was the scholar who first reported and mapped the Chinese coal fields.