Methods:

1)      Introduction to Economic Geography (Day 1).

a)      Break the class up into groups of three (3) to five (5) students.

i)        Assign them the task of designing a self-sufficient community (village, town, or city).

(1)   Requirements (what the community must have):

(a)    A built-up (urban) core,

(b)   and an agricultural hinterland.

[Each group should produce a map of their respective communities.]

(2)   Questions to consider include – but are not limited to – the following (ask a few only if the class seems to have trouble getting started):

(a)    What is the size of the community?

(i)      Areal extent.

(ii)    Population demographics.

(b)   What resources will you need to thrive?

(c)    Where will those resources be located?

(d)   How will those resources be allocated/distributed?

(i)      What type of economic system will the community have?

(ii)    What types of rules will govern the marketplace?

(iii)   How will goods and services be exchanged?

(iv)  Will there be social classes?

(e)    What form of government will the community have?

(i)      Encourage them to frame a basic constitution.

(ii)    Who will enjoy the franchise (suffrage)?

b)      Allow each group to present the self-sufficient community they have designed.

i)        Each group should make their presentation without being interrupted.

ii)       Questions for the purpose of clarification may be respectfully asked by students following each presentation.

c)      Conduct a class discussion comparing/contrasting the communities presented.

d)      Homework.  Assign students the task of locating and reading articles on the Internet about the economic theories of Johann Heinrich von Thünen.

i)        Be sure to inform them to compile a list of-, as well as define-, major terms and concepts associated with his Agricultural Land Use Model:

(1)   Isolated State

(a)    Single Market Center

(b)   Featureless Plain

(2)   Economic Rent (Land Rent)

(a)    yield-per-unit

(b)   transportation cost

2)      Application of von Thünen’s Theories (Day 2).

a)      Have each group use von Thünen’s theories to evaluate the self-sufficient community they designed the previous day.

i)        What elements would remain unchanged?  Why?

ii)       What elements would need to be changed?  Why?

b)      Allow each group an opportunity to present their evaluation of their community.

i)        Encourage the students to employ the new vocabulary they acquired through reading about von Thünen’s theories.

ii)       Remind students they need to be respectful when commenting on other peoples’ ideas.

c)      Moderate a class discussion applying von Thünen’s theories to the real-world.

i)        Pass-out blank maps of Illinois to every student in the class.

o       Outline Map of Illinois

ii)       Have students contemplate whether

o       How did Illinois prior to European settlement compare to von Thűnen’s concept of a featureless plain?  What was the environment of pre-settlement Illinois like?)

o       Where did the early European pioneers settle?  Why?

o       What kind of products could originally be easily produced in Illinois?

o       What types of changes did early settlers make to the landscape to improve transportation and communication?

d)      Have students use their textbook or a wall map to locate the following bodies of water:

o       Chicago River

o       Des Plaines River

o       Embarrass River

o       Fox River

o       Illinois River

o       Kankakee River

o       Lake Michigan

o       Mississippi River

o       Ohio River

o       Rock River

o       Sangamon River

o       Wabash River

e)      Have students place symbols on their maps indicating where they think early pioneers to Illinois first settled during the early-nineteenth century.

i)        Limit the students to only four or five areas of settlement.

ii)       Be sure they are prepared to justify (defend) their placement of settlements.

iii)     Have students compare their maps to a map showing early settlement patterns:

o       http://www.museum.state.il.us/exhibits/athome/1800/maps/

iv)     Have the class formulate a thesis about settlement patterns and transportation.

3)      Studying Land Grant Canals and Railroads in Illinois (Day 3)

a)      Have students plan improvements to the transportation infrastructure by placing the following on their map:

i)        one canal

ii)       two railroads

b)      Have students access the American Memory website of the Library of Congress to search for materials related to canal and railroad construction in Illinois during the nineteenth century.  (Some of the documents available on-line are listed above under Resources.)  Key search words they can employ include – but are not limited to – the following:

o       Illinois and Central Railroad

o       Illinois and Michigan Canal

o       Land Grant Railroad

[Encourage students to divide up the work and share information within their respective groups.]

i)        Students are to study

o       what land grants were, and

o       how were they used to finance canal and railroad construction in Illinois?

ii)       Students in their groups should develop a compare-and-contrast chart that compiles reasons for- and against- government subsidizing canal and railroad construction with public property:

o       What groups of people would benefit?  Why?

o       What groups of people would not benefit? Why?

o       What economic activities would benefit?  Why?

o       What economic activities would not benefit?  Why?

o       How will these government subsidies influence settlement patterns?

o       How will these government subsidies influence land prices.

4)      Studying the Impact of Canal and Railroad Construction in Illinois (Day 4).

a)      Have students search the Internet and compile economic and demographic data about Illinois:

i)        Population resources.

o       Maps of Illinois Population

ii)       Economic Resources.

b)      Have students test the thesis they formulated in 2.e.iv.

i)        Should assemble their supporting/refuting information into a presentation.

5)      Illinois Today and Tomorrow (Day 5).

a)      Moderate a class discussion aimed at predicting the course of Illinois’ development based on its past history.

i)        Effect of highways.

ii)       Effect of limited-access highways.

iii)     High-speed rail.

iv)     Airports.

v)      Spaceports?

 

Evaluation:

1)      Students will be able to draw a diagram and correctly label the key features of Johann Heinrich von Thünen’s Model of Land Use.  (McGraw Hill Model or Watkins Model)

2)      Students will be able to explain what economic rent is and how/why the value changes from one location to another.

3)      Students will write an essay explaining what land grants were, how they were used to finance the construction of railroads, their influence on settlement patterns, and their impact on economic development.  (Essay Rubric)

 

Keywords for this lesson:

• von Thünen’s Model of Land Use

·        Isolated State

·        Economic Rent

• Demographics

·        Urban/Rural

·        Core/Periphery

• Hinterland
• Economic system types

·        subsistence

·        barter

·        market

• Land Grant
• Trunk Line
• Feeder Line(s)
• Infrastructure