AP Human Geography

Chapter 7 Study Guide (Part 4)

1. What does geopolitics focus on?

2. What German scholar pioneered the study of geopolitics?

3. What was he actually trained in?

4. Who did this training impact his view of geopolitics?

5. What did Ratzel believe that states needed in order to survive?

6. What term did Ratzel coin to explain this need?

7. Based on Ratzels Theory of the Organic State, how would states grow
more stronger and more powerful?

8. Ratzels theory was heavily influenced by the work of what famous

biologist?

9. How did Ratzel use this biologists theories to explain competition

between states?

10.
What Swedish professor actually applied Ratzels theories to real
foreign policy and coined the term geopolitics?

11.

In what way did he apply Ratzels theories to foreign policy?

12.
Who used Ratzels theories and Kjellens foreign policy to
rationalize their political agenda?

13.

Who was Halford Mackinder?

14.

What contribution did he make to the study of geopolitics?

15.
According to Mackinders theory, what was essential to
maintaining geopolitical stability?

16.
What did Mackinder theorize would happen if the balance of
power were upset?

17.
How did Mackinder theorize that a state or group of states might
become the dominate world power?

18.

What did Mackinder believe was at the heart of this area?

19.
What two terms did Mackinder use to refer to this particular
region?

20.
According to Figure 7.13, what factors did Mackinder believe
made the heartland like a fortress (list all)?

21.
Ultimately, what did Mackinder believe was the key factor to
geopolitical power?

22.

What did Mackinders theories accurately predict?

23.
What impact did Mackinders theories have on American foreign
policy during the Cold War?

24.

What exactly does the term Cold War describe?

25.
How did the Cold War create a bipolar world in geopolitical
terms?

26.
What particular geopolitical theory influenced American foreign
policy during the Cold War more than any other?

27.

What scenario is described in this theory?

28.

What foreign policy agenda was this theory used to justify?

29.
What did this policy call upon the United State government and
military to do?

30.
Name two conflicts that the U.S. became involved with as a
result of this policy?
31.
What brought an end to the bipolar world?

32.
Why do many political geographers believe we still live in a
bipolar world?

33.
What geopolitical idea did political scientist Samuel Huntington
put forth in his 1996 book Clash of Civilizations and the Remaking of
the World Order?

34.
What did Huntington propose is the most important factor in the
identity of a civilization?

35.
What did Huntington believe would happen when different
civilizations collided along fault lines?

36.

What do Huntingtons theories imply about people and territory?

37.
What does another school of thought imply about people and
territory?

38.

What does this school believe is responsible for this effect?

39.

In what ways might a state sponsor terrorism (list all)?

40.
What four states does the U.S. State Department label as state
sponsors of terrorism?

41.
What are the four categories of terrorism? List each and give a
brief explanation.

42.

What categories of terrorism did/does Al Qaeda fall into?

43.

What were/are the revolutionary/political goals of Al Qaeda?

44.
Why has fighting Al Qaeda proved difficult for the U.S. and its
allies (briefly in your own words, but based on the text)?

45.
What has greatly enhanced the recruiting capability of terrorist
networks?

46.
What do some terrorist experts argue that terrorism is a
response to?

47.
Al Qaeda and other terrorist organization have taken advantage
of political instabilities throughout the Middle East and North Africa
created by what movement?