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TheThe

GeoHistoryGeoHistoryDiagramDiagram

History-Geography ProjectHistory-Geography Project

Michigan Geographic AllianceMichigan Geographic Alliance

Mississippi Geographic AllianceMississippi Geographic Alliance

New York Center for Geographic LearningNew York Center for Geographic Learning

Grosvenor Center for Geographic EducationGrosvenor Center for Geographic Education

(San Marcos, Texas) (San Marcos, Texas)

A draft product of the Geo-History curriculum project,A draft product of the Geo-History curriculum project,administered by the Michigan Geographical Alliance,administered by the Michigan Geographical Alliance,with support from the National Geographic Society.with support from the National Geographic Society.Copyright 2008, NYCGL.Copyright 2008, NYCGL.

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TheThe

GeoHistoGramGeoHistoGram

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TheThe

GeoHistoGramGeoHistoGram

a tool to fita tool to fit

how the human brainhow the human brain

actually organizes knowledgeactually organizes knowledge

- - - - -- - - - -

in a space-time context.in a space-time context.

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Rationale for the GHG

The more engaging we makeour “educational experiences” –field trips, games, role-playing, songs, videos, websites, etc.

(it’s, like, life-changing!!)

the more crucial it isto help studentsput information

into context.

rationalerationale

My Dad’spictures

TheMongols

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basic formbasic form

This is the basic form of the GeoHistoGram –

seven vertical bars.

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basic formbasic form

Space goes across the diagram,from the west on the left to the east on the right.

Space goes from west on the left to east on the right.

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basic formbasic form

Time goes up the side,from the distant past on the bottom

to the present at the top.

Time goes up the side,from the past on the bottom to the present at the top.

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basic formbasic form

Each curve in each barrepresents 1000 yearsof history in that region.

GEEK NOTE

The scale is logarithmicto match what research says

about how the brain processes space, time, and quantity.

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basic formbasic form

Each curve in each barrepresents 1000 yearsof history in that region.

The bars representmajor world regions,

from Americas in the westto Polynesia in the east.

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Here is a simple useof the GeoHistoGram:

to show ancient empiresin Mesopotamia.

(before the Common Era, and roughly in the middle

of the world’s land).

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Here is a simple useof the GeoHistoGram:

to show ancient empiresin Mesopotamia.

(before the Common Era, and roughly in the middle

of the world’s land).

Students can writetheir names in order

It’s better than reading a list !

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By varying the widthof the empire “blob”,you can show howits power expandedat different times.

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Adding a shapein northeast Africa

can show how Egyptlasted a long time but varied in importance.

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Adding a shapein northeast Africa

can show how Egyptlasted a long time but varied in importance.

Another shape in South Asia

shows a civilizationthat flourished for a thousand years,then mysteriously

disappeared.

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Removing namescan turn the graphinto a quiz/review

at any time.

Meanwhile, every time, the diagram reinforces

the main points:

when? - long ago,

where? - near the middle,

what? – Egypt, west, long Indus Valley, east, short.

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Greek

A more complex shapeshows ancient Greek history:

- scattered villages,

- an early democracy,

- a Mediterranean empire,

- then out to central Asia.

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Greek

But what Alex did was basically to lead his army

around an existing empire !!!

Several Persian rulers had already done the hard work to build it

over several centuries.

A more complex shapeshows ancient Greek history:

- scattered villages,

- an early democracy,

- a Mediterranean empire,

- then out to central Asia.

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Greek

And both ran intoa barrier in South Asia -

some powerful city-states that became the Mauryan Empire.

Students seldom see that connection, because their textbooks usually treat

“West” and “East” separately.

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We could keepadding empires all day – here’s Rome, a large area

that lasted a long time.

But the GeoHistoGramcan do other things.

So, two comments,then something

completely different.

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1. The GeoHistoGram

can help us seewhat else was happening

elsewhere in the worldat the same time.

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2. The GeoHistoGram

can help us seehow things changed

in the same areathrough time.

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The Hittites ruled west of Mesopotamia

about 1400 BCE.

They were amongthe first people

to make iron tools.

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The Hittites ruled west of Mesopotamia

about 1400 BCE.

They were amongthe first people

to make iron tools.

The handout showsthe first evidence of iron

in the archaeological recordof different regions.

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When you do that,you can see how iron technologyspread outward in all directions.

Why did it takeso long to get here?BIG POINT

Technology does not existin a vacuum – it happens

in specific places.

Those places have conditionsand connections that affect

how things spread.

You need other inventions– sails, compass, storage –

to help carry ironacross the ocean.

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When you addthe Greek Empire

to the diagram,there seems to bea connection with

the spread of iron.

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When you addthe Greek Empire

to the diagram,there seems to bea connection with

the spread of iron.

Other Activity Topicsalready in your packet:

• Agriculture, plant domestication• Writing• Important Inventions• Great Buildings• Famous Works of Art• Movers and Shakers• Great Journeys• Religions

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Let’s go backto the Greeks

one more time.

You could showAlexander’s trip with

a completely different “graphic language.”

You could thinkof Alexander’s trip

as a kind of “bridge”between distantworld regions.

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Let’s go backto the Greeks

one more time.

You could showAlexander’s trip with

a completely different “graphic language.”

You could thinkof Alexander’s trip

as a kind of “bridge”between distantworld regions.

This activity is basedon one teacher’s listof 12 great bridges

in world history.

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This is what it looks likeafter students have putall the bridges in place.

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Adding informationabout major empirescan make the bridges easier to understand.

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Removing the namescan make this a good

“test-prep” activity.

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One final example:

These symbols show the spread of Buddhism.

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And these showthe spread of Islam

from its originin Arabia.

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Question: Why did Islamspread faster and farther

than Buddhism?

(at least four reasons).

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One could add easy-to-remember symbols for other major religions -Judaism, Confucianism, Shintoism,

the Protestant Reformation, etc.

The graph, however, is rapidly becoming cluttered and confusing.

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The originsof major religions,

however, often appearon state assessments.

PS. This also isa printed activityin your packet.

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A GeoHistoGram-basedquiz on world religions

can therefore be a goodtest-prep activity.

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Here is everythingyou’ve seen so far,

plus agricultureand writing.

Too much, you say?This graph has

less than a tenth of the information

on the wall postersthat well-meaning

parents, school boards, and principals often buy.

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Even a cluttered diagram,however, can have pedagogical value.

For example, it can showthat American historyis quite a small partof the global whole!

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SUMMARYSUMMARY

A geo-history diagram like thisA geo-history diagram like this is is a way to organize knowledge.a way to organize knowledge.

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SUMMARYSUMMARY

A geo-history diagram like thisA geo-history diagram like this is is a way to organize knowledge.a way to organize knowledge.

It is It is notnot a way to transmit knowledge, a way to transmit knowledge,

except through hands-on activity.except through hands-on activity.

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SUMMARYSUMMARY

A geo-history diagram like thisA geo-history diagram like this is is a way to organize knowledge.a way to organize knowledge.

It is valuable to use for just a few minutes,It is valuable to use for just a few minutes,

as a recurring part of other lessons.as a recurring part of other lessons.

It is It is notnot a way to transmit knowledge, a way to transmit knowledge,

except through hands-on activity.except through hands-on activity.

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SUMMARYSUMMARY

A geo-history diagram like thisA geo-history diagram like this is is a way to organize knowledge.a way to organize knowledge.

Another good use is as a meansAnother good use is as a means

of reviewing (e.g., “test-prep”).of reviewing (e.g., “test-prep”).

It is valuable to use for just a few minutes,It is valuable to use for just a few minutes,

as a recurring part of other lessons.as a recurring part of other lessons.

It is It is notnot a way to transmit knowledge, a way to transmit knowledge,

except through hands-on activity.except through hands-on activity.

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Remember the Rationale:

The more engaging/memorablethe field trip, film, simulation,

video, website, etc. is,

the more important it isto help students

put new informationinto context.

rationalerationale

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The Geo-History DiagramThe Geo-History Diagram

will be availablewill be available

in 8-1/2x11 color pages,in 8-1/2x11 color pages,

11x17 color desk mats,11x17 color desk mats,

bulletin-board posters,bulletin-board posters,

reproducible masters,reproducible masters,

and an interactiveand an interactive

electronic “laboratory”electronic “laboratory”

suitable for projection.suitable for projection.

Please contact thePlease contact the

Michigan Geographical AllianceMichigan Geographical Alliance

for more information. for more information.

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