Why Geography Matters

“Why Geography Matters: More Than Ever”, begins by introducing the overall topic of geography. Because geography is such a broad topic, it is nearly impossible to narrow it down into a simple explanation. Geography is a complex mixture of research relating to nature, the human world, climate, weather, and just about everything around us. Geography refers to the complicated relationships between human societies and natural environments (7). However, as society and the human race progress, it has become more apparent that knowledge, above all else, is power. Being knowledgeable about our vast and changing world is essentially what will place nation's above others. The ability to better understand our environment and those around us will better
As geography courses are slowly replaced with broader history courses in modern day curriculums, the newer generations will become increasingly unaware of issues which affect them every day, such as climate change, terrorism, the economy, and international affairs. Also as a result of this, combined with new GPS technology, people all over the world are losing the ability to read maps. Maps, a crucial part of displaying data and the earth's constantly changing visual landscape, are now mostly used by foreign nations as part of war strategies, or ways to conduct terrorist attacks, rather than for their traditional purposes. Aside from the nation's dwindling understanding of the world around it, “Why Geography Matters” also discusses the history of our planet and how it has changed throughout billions of years. Initially, all of the world’s continents fit together as one, almost like a puzzle. This is referred to as Pangea. But because of the earth's tectonic plates, Pangea broke apart in a process called Continental Drift. The planet also went through a complex series of extreme heating and cooling, referred to as the geologic time