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United StatesHuman Geography

Unit 7: Industrial and Economic Development Patterns and Processes

8 dot points across 8 inquiry questions. Click any dot point for a focused answer with worked past exam questions where available.

How have outsourcing, offshoring, post-Fordist production, and special economic zones reshaped where and how things are made?

Topic 7.7 Changes from the World Economy: explain how the global economy has changed, including outsourcing, offshoring, post-Fordist production, special economic zones, and newly industrializing economies.
A focused answer to AP Human Geography Topic 7.7, explaining how the global economy has changed through outsourcing, offshoring, post-Fordist flexible production, special economic zones, and newly industrializing economies.
12 min answer →

How do economic sectors and location theories explain where economic activities take place and how economies change as they develop?

Topic 7.2 Economic Sectors and Patterns: explain the economic sectors and the location theories, including Weber's least-cost theory, that explain where economic activities occur.
A focused answer to AP Human Geography Topic 7.2, explaining the primary, secondary, tertiary, quaternary, and quinary sectors and the location theories, including Weber's least-cost theory and break-of-bulk, that explain industrial location.
12 min answer →

How do geographers measure the level of development of a country, and what do economic and social indicators reveal and conceal?

Topic 7.3 Measures of Development: explain how economic and social indicators, including GDP, GNI, the HDI, and the GII, are used to measure development.
A focused answer to AP Human Geography Topic 7.3, explaining how economic indicators (GDP, GNI per capita), the Human Development Index, and the Gender Inequality Index measure development, and their strengths and limits.
12 min answer →

How can development meet present needs without harming the ability of future generations to meet theirs, and what trade-offs does this involve?

Topic 7.8 Sustainable Development: explain the concept of sustainable development, including its environmental, economic, and social dimensions and the trade-offs it involves.
A focused answer to AP Human Geography Topic 7.8, explaining sustainable development, its environmental, economic, and social dimensions, ecotourism and the UN Sustainable Development Goals, and the trade-offs between growth and the environment.
11 min answer →

How and why did the Industrial Revolution begin and diffuse, and how did it transform where and how people work and live?

Topic 7.1 The Industrial Revolution: explain how the Industrial Revolution began, the role of energy and technology, and how industrialization diffused and transformed society.
A focused answer to AP Human Geography Topic 7.1, explaining how the Industrial Revolution began in Britain, the role of energy and technology, how industrialization diffused, and how it transformed where and how people work and live.
11 min answer →

How do Rostow's stages, Wallerstein's world-systems theory, and dependency theory explain why some countries develop and others remain poor?

Topic 7.5 Theories of Development: explain the theories of economic development, including Rostow's stages of growth and Wallerstein's world-systems theory, and their critiques.
A focused answer to AP Human Geography Topic 7.5, explaining Rostow's stages of economic growth, Wallerstein's world-systems theory (core, periphery, semi-periphery), dependency theory, and the critiques of each.
13 min answer →

How do comparative advantage, trade blocs, and global institutions shape the world economy and the development of countries?

Topic 7.6 Trade and the World Economy: explain how comparative advantage, complementarity, trade agreements, and international institutions shape the global economy.
A focused answer to AP Human Geography Topic 7.6, explaining comparative advantage, complementarity, trade agreements and blocs, neoliberal trade policy, and the role of international institutions in the world economy.
12 min answer →

How does the role and status of women shape, and respond to, economic development, and how do microloans and gender gaps affect it?

Topic 7.4 Women and Economic Development: explain the role of women in economic development, including labor participation, gender gaps, and the role of microfinance.
A focused answer to AP Human Geography Topic 7.4, explaining the role of women in economic development, gender gaps in labor, pay, and education, and how microfinance and women's empowerment affect development.
11 min answer →