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Geographic Determinism in Asia

What is geographic determinism? The short answer is that geographic

determinism is the principle whereby the relationship between geographic
realities and human actions tend to coincide. For example, the reason
indigenous peoples living near the Arctic Circle adopted thick heavy clothing is
because it is especially cold at the top of the world. This is a clear case of
geographic determinismthe geography of the inhabited region directly
influenced specific cultural practices. A similar direct connection could be made
for the native populations of the Amazon River Basin, which lies on the equator
where the weather is hot and humid all year. Based on the relationship between
geography and climate, what types of cultural behavior might natives of
Amazonia? Even if we knew nothing else about the natives of Amazonia, we
could assume that their clothing would be light and cool; their housing would
also be lightly constructed in a way that allowed in cool breezes but also might
be resistant to tropical wear like monsoon rains.

Egypt: An Example

These two cases of geographic determinism are clear and unambiguous.

But what about more complex cases? Consider, for example, the effect of
geography on complex civilizations like that of Ancient Egypt. During the
Bronze age, Ancient Egypt was a powerful and dominant force not just in North
Africa but in much of the Levant (Israel, Syria, Jordan, and Lebanon). The power
of Egypt had much to do with its complex hierarchical civilization and its
military power. But why might Egypt rise in power at the expense of its
neighbors? Didnt they have access to the same resources? In short, no. The
main geographic feature of Ancient Egypt was the Nile River. The Nile River
gave Egypt a steady source of drinking water in an otherwise very arid land.
And the regular and predictable flooding of the Nile provided the soil fertility to
fuel Egypts agricultural productivity. This agriculture allowed it to provide for a

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large population that included workers and soldiers. But the Nile isnt the only
way that geography contributed to the rise of Ancient Egypt as a large and
powerful civilization. Egypt was bordered to the north by the Mediterranean
Sea, and to the east, west, and south by dry desert. These geographic
boundaries made it very difficult for Egypt to be conquered from outside. This
provided them the protective insolation to grow and develop their civilization.

Applying the Concept of Geographic Determinism in Southeast Asia

The geography of Egypt, therefore, played a huge role in influencing the

culture and civilization of Ancient Egypt. But what about other areas in the
world? Lets look at a map of Southeast Asia. Explore the different geographic
features in the map below; islands, rivers, deserts, lowlands, highlands, the
Himalayan, Tien Shan and Ural Mountains. Look also at the different language
phyla in the region as well as the outlines of the modern nations of Southeast
Asia.

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How Geographic Determinism Shapes Borders

Based on what you have learned about geographic determinism and the
information in the map above, analyze how geography shaped the boundaries
of the nations of Asia. Think about how large and varied the continent is, the
way the major geographic features both divide and unite different portions of
the region, and what the linguistic differences tell us. Write your thoughts
below.

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PBS LearningMedia, 2015 All rights reserved.