Sir Halford Mackinder and
Nicolas Spykman
Autumn Strom
Mackinder (Feb 15, 1861- March 6, 1947)
Son of a doctor, came from an educated family in England
Schooling at Queen Elizabeth’s Grammar School, Epsom College and Oxford.
At Oxford he specialized in Zoology, he received his degree in biology than
Modern history the following year, after he became interested in history.
Theory: The Geographical Pivot of History
The theory was created in (1904), a form of geopolitics.
contrary to previous believe, the theory supports that land power can lead to world power
“The Heartland Theory” states the continental power was represented by the world island which consisted of
Eurasia and Africa, called the Heartland.
Mackinder perceived it as the greatest natural fortress on land, protected on all sides by natural barriers.
He also believed whoever controlled the Heartland controlled the world, Hitler was a believer of the
Heartland Theory
Visual
1. Heartland=Eastern Europe
2. Pivot Area=Heartland
3. World Island=Europe, Asia and Africa
4. Periphery=Rest of the world (including the
Americas)
Concluding Significance of Model
The Heartland model is significant because it is the first theory that believes
world power could come from land power first, not sea.
Says any country in the Heartland could have the Heartland
The model did not work because Mackinder neglected the possible wealth
and power the US could have.
Did not anticipate modern technology that could surpass the geographic
barriers
Textbook covers info about the theory in the Colonialism section (244)
Spykman ( Oct. 13, 1893-June 26, 1943)
Dutch-American who was born in Amsterdam
and then moved to the US for education
Gost bachelors, masters, and Phd at University of
California studying Georg Simmel, a German
sociologist who studied society and culture in
cities
Rimland Theory and Explanation
Created after World War Two
Heartland region is disadvantaged because of its lack of sea routes. Inner
Crescent (Rimland) is most valued because of the sea routes.
The struggle is not over the land, but between who can control the Rimland,
because the water is how to get into the Rimland. Whoever would control
the rimland, would eventually control the World Island. Whoever would
control the World Island would soon control the world.
The Textbook doesn’t have any information on this
Diagram
Rimland has all
the crucial
waterways (rivers,
seas, oceans)
Concluding Significance of Model
It goes back to the preexisting theory’s roots that whoever controls the
water controls the world
Influenced mainly during the Cold War where both communists and
capitalists are trying to control the waterways
Works Cited
http://www.yourarticlelibrary.com/geography/mackinders-heartland-theoryexplained/42542/
https://www.albert.io/blog/heartland-theory-ap-human-geography-crashcourse/
https://apmodels.wikispaces.com/Political+Geography