HISTORICAL

DEVELOPMENT OF
GEOGRAPHY

BY:
BY:
MUHAMMAD
MUHAMMAD QASIM
QASIM
ENVIRONMENTAL
ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
SCIENCES
&
&
AROJ
AROJ BASHIR
BASHIR
GEOSCIENCES
GEOSCIENCES &
& GEOGRAPHY
GEOGRAPHY
UNIVERSITY
UNIVERSITY OF
OF GUJRAT
GUJRAT

CONTENTS
CONTENTS

What is Geography?
Ancient Greek Contributions
Roman Contributions
Middle Ages
Geography Grows as a Science
Two Opposing Views
Environmental Determinism and Characteristics
Possibilism and Characteristics of Possibilism
Conclusion
Refrences

WHAT
WHAT IS
IS GEOGRAPHY
GEOGRAPHY

The study of the

earth and its features
and
of
the
distribution of life on
the earth, including
human life and the
effects
of
human
activity.

ANCIENT
ANCIENT GREEK
GREEK CONTRIBUTIONS
CONTRIBUTIONS
o

Greek philosopher believe in a

division of world into five region.
At each of the poles was an
uncharitably cold region.
While extrapolating from the heat of
Sahara it was deduced that the area
around the equator was unbearably hot.
Between these extreme regions both
the northern and southern hemisphere
had a temperature belt suitable for
human habitation.

Map
Mapshowing
showing
ancient
ancientregions
regionsof
of
western
westernand
and

ANCIENT
ANCIENT GREEK
GREEK CONTRIBUTIONS
CONTRIBUTIONS
Eratosthenes (276-194BC)

First time use the word of

Geography by Eratosthenes
Its described the known world and
correctly divided Earth into 5 climatic
regions (a torrid zone across the middle,
two frigid zones at the extreme north and
south, and two temperate bands in
between) Eratosthenes also prepared one
of the earliest maps of the known world

ANCIENT
ANCIENT GREEK
GREEK CONTRIBUTIONS
CONTRIBUTIONS
Hipparchus

Hipparchus insists that a geographic map

must be based only on astronomical
measurements
of latitudes
and
longitudes and triangulation for
finding
unknown distances.
He was the first to use the grade grid to
determine ge.ographic latitude from star
observations.
Hipparchus listed latitudes for several tens of
localities.

ANCIENT
ANCIENT GREEK
GREEK CONTRIBUTIONS
CONTRIBUTIONS
Thales of Miletus (624-546 BC)

Thales of Miletus was proposed that

world was based on water. He also laid
down many mathematical rules that
would allow geography to be studied
scientifically. He applied principles of
geometry to measuring land area

ANCIENT
ANCIENT GREEK
GREEK CONTRIBUTIONS
CONTRIBUTIONS
Anaximander
This argued that the world was shaped like a cylinder. He learnt about
the world by gathering previous work and speaking to the sailor and
made a world map based on information from sailors.
Herodotus Histories
A work of history the book contain a wealth of geography description
covering much of the know world He is the first to have noted the
process by which large rivers, such as the Nile, build up deltas, and
also the first recorded as observing that winds tend to below from
colder region to warmer ones.
Pythagoras
He was perhaps the first to propose a spherical world arguing that the
sphere was the most perfect form.

ANCIENT
ANCIENT GREEK
GREEK CONTRIBUTIONS
CONTRIBUTIONS
Aristotle(384-322BC)

He embraced the idea of Pythagoras.

Aristotle presented empirical evidence a
verify this. He noted that earth shadow
during an eclipse is curved and also that
stars increase in height as one moves
north

ROMAN CONTRIBUTIONS
Strabo(63BC-24AD)
Strabo(63BC-24AD)
Strabo
Strabo described
described the
the known
known world
world in
in
his
his 17
17 volume
volume work,
work, Geography.
Geography. He
He
regarded
regarded Earth
Earth as
as aa sphere
sphere at
at the
the
center
center of
of aa spherical
spherical universe.
universe.
Ptolemy (100-170 AD)
Ptolemy (100-170 AD)
Ptolemy
Ptolemy wrote
wrote an
an 88 volume
volume Guide
Guide to
to
Geography
Geography based
based on
on information
information gathered
gathered by
by
Roman
Roman merchants
merchants and
and soldiers.
soldiers. He
He prepared
prepared
numerous
numerous maps,
maps, which
which were
were not
not improved
improved
upon
upon for
for more
more than
than aa thousand
thousand years
years

MIDDLE AGES
Muslim
Muslim Geographers
Geographers

In
In the
the middle
middle age
age Muslim
Muslim geographer
geographer
such
such as
as Al-Idrisi,
Al-Idrisi, Al
Al Yaqubi,
Yaqubi, AlAlMasudi,
Masudi, Ibn
Ibn Al-Faqih,
Al-Faqih, Al-Istakhri,
Al-Istakhri, Ibn
Ibn
Battuta,
Battuta, Ibn
Ibn Khaldun
Khaldun etc
etc maintained
maintained
the
the Greek
Greek and
and roman
roman techniques
techniques and
and
developed
developed new
new ones.
ones. The
The Islamic
Islamic
empire
empire stretched
stretched form
form Spain
Spain to
to
Indian,
Indian, and
and Arab
Arab and
and Jewish
Jewish traders
traders
travelled
travelled throughout
throughout Eurasia,
Eurasia, Africa.
Africa.
And
And Indian
Indian ocean
ocean

The world map

ofAl-Idrisi

MIDDLE AGES
Muslim
Muslim Geographers
Geographers

An
An early
early supporter
supporter of
of environmental
environmental determinism
determinism was
was
the
the Afro-Arab
Afro-Arab writer
writer al-jahiz
al-jahiz who
who explained
explained how
how the
the
environment
environment can
can determine
determine the
the physical
physical characteristics
characteristics
of
of the
the inhabitants
inhabitants of
of aa certain
certain community.
community.
He
He used
used his
his early
early theory
theory evolution
evolution to
to explained
explained the
the
organ
organ of
of different
different human
human skin
skin colors,
colors, particularly
particularly black
black
skin
skin which
which he
he believed
believed to
to be
be result
result of
of the
the environment.
environment.
The world map
ofAl-Idrisi

MIDDLE AGES
Abu
Abu Rayhan
Rayhan al-buruni
al-buruni

In
In mathematical
mathematical geography
geography
He
He combines
combines mathematical
mathematical equations
equations in
in
order
order to
to develop
develop methods
methods of
of pin
pin pointing
pointing
location
location by
by recording
recording degree
degree of
of latitude
latitude
and
and longitude.
longitude.
He
He introduced
introduced techniques
techniques to
to measure
measure the
the
earth
earth and
and distances
distances on
on itit using
using
triangulation.
triangulation. He
He found
found the
the radius
radius of
of the
the
earth
earth to
to 6339.6
6339.6 km.
km. A
Avalue
value not
not obtained
obtained in
in
the
the west
west until
until 16
16thth century
century

GEOGRAPHY GROWS AS A
SCIENCE

German
German philosopher
philosopher Immanuel
Immanuel Kant
Kant (1724(17241804)
1804) placed
placed geography
geography within
within aa framework
framework
of
ofscientific
scientificknowledge.
knowledge.
He
He argued
argued that
that all
all knowledge
knowledge can
can be
be
classified
classified logically
logically or
or physically.
physically. (Logical
(Logical
classification
classification organizes
organizes plants/animals
plants/animals into
into aa
systematic
systematic framework
framework of
of species,
species, based
based on
on
characteristics,
characteristics, regardless
regardless of
of when
when or
or where
where
they
theyexisted.
existed.
Physical
classification
identifies
Physical
classification
identifies
plants/animals
plants/animals that
that occur
occur together
together in
in
particular
particular times
times and
and places.)
places.)

TWO OPPOSING
VIEWS
Environmental
Environmental Determinism
Determinism

Alexander
Alexander von
von Humboldt
Humboldt (1769-1859)
(1769-1859) and
and Carl
Carl
Ritter
Ritter(1779-1859)
(1779-1859) (German
(German geographers)
geographers)
The
The theory
theory that
that the
the humans
humans physical,
physical, mental
mental and
and moral
moral
habits
habits are
are directly
directly due
due to
to the
the influence
influence of
of their
their natural
natural
environment.
environment. They
They concentrated
concentrated on
on how
how the
the physical
physical
environment
environment caused
caused social
social development,
development, an
an approach
approach
called
called environmental
environmental determinism.
determinism.

TWO OPPOSING
VIEWS
Environmental
Environmental Determinism
Determinism

Freidrich
Freidrich Ratzel
Ratzel (1844-1904)
(1844-1904) and
and his
hisAmerican
American student,
student,
Ellen
Ellen Churchill
Churchill (1863-1932)
(1863-1932) claimed
claimed that
that geography
geography
was
was the
the study
study of
of influences
influences of
of the
the natural
natural environment
environment
on
on people.
people.
Ellsworth
Ellsworth Huntington
Huntington (1876-1947)
(1876-1947) argued
argued that
that climate
climate
was
was the
the major
major determinant
determinant of
of civilization
civilization (temperate
(temperate
climate
climate of
of northwestern
northwestern Europe
Europe produced
produced greater
greater
human
human efficiency
efficiency and
and better
better health
health conditions).
conditions).

TWO OPPOSING
VIEWS

Characteristics
Characteristics of
of Environmental
Environmental
Determinism
Environment
control
Environment Determinism
control human
human action
action and
and

activities
activities
Human
Human are
are badly
badly depended
depended on
on natural
natural
environment
environment
Human
Human were
were live
live due
due to
to environmental
environmental force
force
Human
Human were
were naturalized
naturalized
Human
Human attitude,
attitude, decision
decision making
making influence
influence
by
by environment
environment

TWO OPPOSING
VIEWS
Possibilism
Possibilism

The
The geographic
geographic approach
approach that
that emphasizes
emphasizes humanhumanenvironment
environment relationships
relationships isis now
now known
known as
as cultural
cultural
ecology.
ecology. To
To explain
explain the
the relationship
relationship between
between human
human
activities
activities and
and the
the physical
physical environment,
environment, modern
modern
geographers
geographers reject
reject environmental
environmental determinism
determinism in
in favor
favor
of
of possibilism
possibilism (the
(the physical
physical environment
environment may
may limit
limit
some
some human
human actions,
actions, but
but people
people have
have the
the ability
ability to
to
adjust
adjust to
to their
their environment)
environment)

TWO OPPOSING
VIEWS
Characteristics
Characteristics of
of Possibilism
Possibilism

Human
Human were
were free
free to
to choose
choose and
and decide
decide their
their
activities
activities
Natural
Natural did
did not
not control
control human
human being
being
Nature
provided
opportunities
and
Nature
provided
opportunities
and
possibilities
possibilities to
to human
human

TWO OPPOSING
VIEWS
Probabilism
Probabilism

Another
Another school
school of
of geographic
geographic thought,
thought, regional
regional studies,
studies,
developed
developed in
in France
France during
during the
the 19
19thth century.
century. Also
Also called
called the
the
cultural
cultural landscape
landscape approach,
approach, itit was
was initiated
initiated by
by Paul
Paul Vidal
Vidal de
de
lala Blache
Blache (1845-1918)
(1845-1918) and
and Jean
Jean Brunhes
Brunhes (1869-1930).
(1869-1930). ItIt was
was
later
later adopted
adopted by
by American
American geographers,
geographers, including
including Carl
Carl Sauer
Sauer
(1889-1975)
(1889-1975)and
andRobert
RobertPlatt
Platt(1880-1950).
(1880-1950).
They
They rejected
rejected the
the idea
idea that
that physical
physical factors
factors simply
simply determine
determine
human
human actions.
actions. They
They argued
argued that
that each
each place
place has
has its
its own
own
distinctive
distinctive landscape
landscape that
that results
results from
from aa unique
unique combination
combination of
of
social
social relationships
relationships and
and physical
physical processes.
processes. Everything
Everything in
in the
the
landscape
landscapeisisinterrelated.
interrelated.

CONCLUSION

By
By the
the 18
18thth century
century geography
geography had
had become
become
recognized
recognized as
as aa discrete
discrete discipline
discipline and
and became
became
part
part of
of aa typical
typical university
university curriculum
curriculum in
in Europe
Europe
and
and Paris
Paris and
and Berlin.
Berlin.
The
The royal
royal geographical
geographical society
society was
was founded
founded in
in
England
England in
in 1830.
1830.
The
The first
first real
real geographical
geographical intellect
intellect to
to emerge
emerge in
in
United
United Kingdom
Kingdom geography
geography was
was Helford
Helford john
john
appointed
appointed reader
reader at
at Oxford
Oxford university
university in
in 1887
1887
The
The national
national geographic
geographic Society
Society was
was founded
founded in
in
the
the USA
USA in
in 1888
1888

CONCLUSION

In
In writing
writing geography
geography constructed
constructed historically
historically
relationship
relationship with
with people.
people.
Scientists
Scientists from
from all
all the
the periods
periods in
in the
the development
development of
of the
the
geography
geography and
and made
made strong
strong beneficial
beneficial relation
relation with
with the
the
people.
people.
Now
Now geography
geography isis further
further divided
divided in
in branched
branched major
major are
are
human
human geography
geography and
and physical
physical geography
geography as
as well
well as
as sub
sub
other
otherbranches.
branches.
All
All time
time its
its valuable
valuable but
but now
now aa days
days geography
geography becomes
becomes
important
important and
and valuable
valuable subject
subject which
which have
have much
much influence
influence in
in
development
developmentof
ofman
man GPS
GPSsystem
systemisisone
onethe
theexample
exampleof
ofthis
this

REFERENCES

Johnston,
Johnston, Ron
Ron (2000).
(2000). "Human
"Human Geography".
Geography".
In
In Johnston,
Johnston, Ron;
Ron; Gregory,
Gregory, Derek;
Derek; Pratt,
Pratt,
Geraldine
Geraldine et
et al.The
al.The Dictionary
Dictionary of
of Human
Human
Geography.
Geography. Oxford:
Oxford: Blackwell.
Blackwell. pp.353360.
pp.353360.
Royal
Royal Geographical
Geographical Society.
Society. History
History
Retrieved
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10January 2014
2014
R.
R. Jagannathan,
Jagannathan, Elements
Elements of
of geography,
geography,
Anmol
Anmol publication
publication PVT.
PVT. LTD,
LTD, New
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110 002
002 India
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