AP Human Geography Review Summary

This review covers all seven units of the AP Human Geography course to prepare you for the AP test or a final exam. It's a high-level summary, and not meant for comprehensive learning but for revision of key concepts.

Resource Recommendations

• Ultimate Review Packet: Includes summary videos, study guides, answer keys, practice quizzes, and full AP practice tests.
• YouTube Guides: in-depth topic review videos
• Mr. Sin’s Discord Server: A community for interactive learning and peer discussion.

Review Notes

Unit 1: Geographic Tools and Concepts

• Types of Maps:

  • Thematic
  • Reference
  • Map Projections with focus on the challenges of distortion.

• GIS (Geographic Information Systems):

  • Layers data to visualize spatial relationships.

• Research Methods:

  • Quantitative: Uses numerical data.
  • Qualitative: Focuses on descriptions and characteristics.

• Spatial Concepts:

  • Discusses the impact of technology on distance decay.
  • Important concepts: Scale and Scale of Analysis.

• Environmental Sustainability:

  • Environmental Determinism vs. Possibilism.

• Regions:

  • Functional/Nodal
  • Perceptual/Vernacular
  • Formal/Uniform

Unit 2: Population and Migration

• Population Distribution and Density:

  • Arithmetic, Physiological, and Agricultural densities.

• Population Studies:

  • CBR, CDR, NIR, and other demographic measurements.
  • Population pyramids and Demographic Transition Model.

• Migration:

  • Forced vs. Voluntary migration.
  • Push and Pull factors.

Unit 3: Culture

• Cultural Practices and Landscapes:

  • Culture and its manifestations in society.
  • Concepts of Cultural Relativism and Ethnocentrism.

• Diffusion Types:

  • Relocation, Expansion (Hierarchical, Contagious, Stimulus).

• Religions and Languages:

  • Universalizing vs. Ethnic religions.
  • Language families and dialects.

Unit 4: Political Geography

• State and Nation:

  • Difference between Nation and State.
  • Concepts of Nation-State and Multi-National States.

• Political Boundaries and Divisions:

  • Types of boundaries: antecedent, subsequent, superimposed, and more.
  • Gerrymandering and its implications.

• International and Supranational Organizations:

  • Impact on state sovereignty.

Unit 5: Agriculture

• Agricultural Types:

  • Extensive vs. Intensive farming practices.

• Agricultural Revolutions:

  • Neolithic, Second Agricultural Revolution, Green Revolution.

• Impact on Society:

  • The role of women in agriculture.
  • Urban farming and local food movements.

Unit 6: Urban Landscapes

• Urban Models:

  • Burgess, Hoyt, Multiple Nuclei, Galactic City.
  • Models for different global regions (Latin American, African, SEA City Models).

• Urban Processes:

  • Urban sprawl, gentrification, and its effects on communities.
  • Sustainable cities and infrastructure planning.

Unit 7: Economic Development and Industry

• Economic Sectors:

  • Breakdown into primary, secondary, tertiary, quaternary, quinary sectors.

• Globalization and Trade:

  • Effects of neoliberal policies, trade agreements.
  • Comparative advantage and global trade patterns.

• Economic Theories and Models:

  • Rostow’s Stages of Economic Growth, Wallerstein’s World Systems Theory.

This review is a combination of must-know details and foundational concepts that should help to solidify your understanding of major themes throughout human geography. For the test, concentrate on revising using both the provided Ultimate Review Packet and other resources mentioned.