AP Human Geography- Models, Theories and Geographers
Unit 1: Origins
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Environmental Determinism: The environment sets
limits on human social development
Possibilism: Humans can adapt to and change the
environment to suit them
Cultural Landscapes (Carl Sauer): Combination of
natural environment and how a particular culture
changes it
Unit 2: Population/Migration
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Demographic Transition Model: Four stages of
Natural Increase as countries develop
Epidemiologic Transition Model: Four stages
explaining what diseases kill at each stage of the
Demographic Transition
Migration Transition Model: Explains how people
migrate for each stage of DTM
Ravenstein’s laws of migration: States most migrants
short distance, it occurs in steps, rural more likely to
migrate, long range migrants move to urban areas,
etc.
Gravity Model: States that larger urban areas have
more attraction for migrants than smaller areas
Thomas Malthus: Predicted population growth
would far surpass world food growth (was wrong)
Neo-Malthusians: Believed Malthus was right and
would lack many resources (oil, clean air, clean
water, etc.)
Unit 3: Culture
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Agricultural Hearths: Carl Sauer identified various
hearths of agricultural innovation
Conquest theory: States that the Proto-Indo
European language was spread by the Kurgans
through war
3. Agricultural Theory: States that Proto-Indo European
was spread through the Anatolians and agriculture
Agricultural Hearths
AP Human Geography- Models, Theories and Geographers
Unit 4: Political Geography
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Wallerstein’s World Systems Theory (Core Periphery
Model): describes the interaction of MDCs (core) and
LDCs (periphery) where LDCs rely on MDCs for
technology and MDCs rely on LDCs for unskilled
labor
Heartland Theory (MacKinder): Central Europe is the
pivot area that leads to dominating the world
Rimland Theory (Spykman): Controlling the coastal
regions around Europe leads to world domination
Domino Theory (Eisenhower): letting a country fall
to communism will lead neighboring countries to
also fall to communism
Von Thunen’s Model
Unit 5: Agriculture
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Von Thunen’s Model: Commercial farmers consider
cost of land and transportation when deciding where
to locate in relation to market
Bosrup’s Theory of Agriculture (Esther Bosrup):
argued against Malthus. Stated that as population
pressure increases, cultures farm more intensively
and increase output
Unit 6: Development and Industry
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Modernization Model (Rostow’s Development
Model): Five steps for LDC to become MDC, focus
on one particular industry to specialize in then
spread to others
Dependency Theory of Development: Idea that
resources flow from LDCs (periphery) to MDCs
(core), enriching wealthy countries while keeping
LDCs poor
Self Sufficiency Approach to development: Close
down trade with foreign countries to protect your
own industries. India tried this and failed.
New International Division of Labor: High skill jobs
stay in MDCs, low move to LDCs
5. Least Cost Theory (Alfred Weber): When considering
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transportation cost, place factory near most
expensive transport cost
Locational Interdependence (Hotelling): Also known
as Market Area Analysis. Company seeks to
monopolize as many local customers as it can
(range/threshold). Focused on revenue not cost
Profit Maximization (Losch): Combines Weber and
Hotelling (cost/revenue) to figure out most
profitable location
Weber’s Least Cost Theory
Unit 7: Cities and Services
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Central Place Theory (Walter Cristaller): Each
settlement has a central market (CBD) that provides
services to its hinterland. Central places are few and
spread
AP Human Geography- Models, Theories and Geographers
Unit 7: Urban Geography
Central Place Theory (Walter Cristaller): Each settlement
has a central market (CBD) that provides services to its
hinterland. Central places are few and spread out
2 Bid-Rent Curve: describes how land is more expensive in
CBD, less expensive as you move farther away thus certain
businesses locate in CBD vs. residential zones farther out.
3 Concentric Circle Model (Burgess): Based on Chicago,
identifies urban settlement patterns in a series of rings.
4 Sector Model (Hoyt): Observed Chicago over time, claimed
Burgess was wrong because cities grow out in wedges, not
uniform rings
5 Multiple Nuclei Model (Harris/Ullman): After WWII , noted
that cities are not in uniform circles or wedges but
neighborhoods surrounding nodes of interest
6 Urban Realms Model (Hartshorne/Muller- It is shown to be
a widely dispersed, multicenter metropolis consisting of
increasingly independent zones or realms, each focused on
its own suburban downtown.
7 Borchert’s Epochs of Urban Transportation: Impact on
various transportation systems on urban growth
a. Sail-Wagon Era (1790-1830): Cities grow near
ports/water for transportation
b. Iron-Horse Cities (1830-1870): Cities grow near
rivers and canals during industrialization
c. Steel-Rail Epoch (1870-1920): Cities grow
considerably due to increased trade/industry
d. Car and Air travel (1920’s-present) massive
expansion of suburbs and road networks
8 Latin American City Model (Griffin-Ford): Similar to the
sector model but includes a “spine” of wealthy
neighborhoods radiating from the center outward and
squatter settlements around the outside of the city
9 Peripheral Model (Harris): Urban areas consist of an inner
city surrounded by large suburban residential and business
areas tied together by a ring road
10 Galactic City Model: Importance of suburban edge cities
along the outer ring road (beltway).
11 African, Middle East, and Asian city models.
a. Sub-Saharan African: multiple CBDs, primary
jobs, lack of wealthy/elite areas
b. Islamic City Model- Centered around mosque
and bazaar rather than CBD
c. Asian City Models- Usually centered around port,
multiple CBDs
Central Place Theory
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Bid Rent Curve
Burgess Concentric Zone Model
Harris/Ullman Multiple Nuclei Model
AP Human Geography- Models, Theories and Geographers
Hartshorne/Muller Urban Realm Model
Galactic City Model
South Asian City Model
Harris Peripheral Model
Sub Saharan African City
Islamic City Model
Hoyt Sector Model