Winners and Losers - The Geography of Inventions
Every big invention helps some people and hurts others.
A power saw, for example, helps people who make furniture - it makes their job easier.
At the same time, a power saw hurts people who were good at using handsaws; their skill
is not so valuable any more. It also hurts people who make handsaws or sharpen them.
In a geography class, we can restate the basic principle to show how it applies to places:
Every big invention makes some places more valuable and lowers the value of others.
Think about the effects of automobiles. They makes places farther away more valuable.
People who have cars can live in those places and drive to work. At the same time, cars
make places next to factories less valuable. People do not have to put up with the noise
and smoke around a factory if they can drive to work from farther away.
We should also look at things that are linked to automobiles. For example, a car needs tires.
That makes places that can produce rubber more valuable.
Here is a list of 30 important inventions.
cotton seed
wheat seed
flour mill
clay pot
frying pan
microwave
axe
2-man saw
circular saw
wire nail
bolt & nut
drill bit
iron sword
gunpowder
revolver
well drill & pump
barbed wire
insulated wire
brick chimney
loom
plastic
light bulb
refrigerator
airconditioner
wagon
canal
sailing ship
steamship
telegraph
radio
1. Pick one, or suggest another one that is nearly as important (not iPod or internet!).
2. Do some background research.
What jobs or other activities does this invention make easier or cheaper?
What jobs or other activities does this invention make unnecessary or less valuable?
What else is needed for this invention to work properly (like a car needs tires)?
3. Take a map, and put a large plus sign on places that are really helped by this invention.
4. Put smaller plus signs on places that are helped a little by this invention.
5. Put minus signs of different sizes on places that are likely to be hurt by this invention.
6. Arrange your map and explanatory notes in a poster or electronic presentation.
Here is an example: A malaria vaccine would be a big invention. No one has invented one yet,
but the person who does may become very, very rich, because millions of people are willing
to pay to be protected from this terrible disease.
A malaria vaccine will make hot, humid places more valuable, because people can live there
without worrying about malaria from mosquito bites. Other businesses in those places
will also benefit, because their workers are less likely to get sick. That advantage, in turn,
will hurt businesses in cold or dry places, because fewer people will want to stay in them.
People who run hospitals for malaria victims will also have to find something else to do.
©2013 P Gersmehl Teachers may copy for use in their classrooms. Contact [email protected] regarding permission for any other use.