AP Human Geography: Migration - The Night Before Review 🌍

Hey there, future geographer! Let's get you feeling confident and ready to ace that AP Human Geography exam. We're going to break down migration in a way that's easy to remember and super relevant for test day. Let's dive in!

Migration Fundamentals

Push Factors: Why People Leave 🏃

• War & Conflict: 💣
  • War zones are major push factors. People flee to save their lives and their families.
  • Example: The Syrian Civil War led to over 5 million refugees.
• Oppression & Persecution: 😞
  • People leave due to religious, political, ethnic, or racial persecution.
  • Examples: Christians in Sudan, journalists in Myanmar, and Black people under apartheid in South Africa.
• Natural Disasters & Environmental Issues: 🌪️
  • Events like hurricanes, earthquakes, and droughts can displace populations.
  • Example: Hurricane Katrina caused a massive population drop in New Orleans.

Pull Factors: Why People Go 🧲

• Economic Opportunities: 💰
  • The biggest pull factor! People seek better jobs and higher standards of living.
  • Example: Migration from developing to developed countries.
• Better Political Climate & Environmental Conditions: 🕊️
  • More freedom, stability, and a safer environment can attract migrants, though less common than economic reasons.
  • Example: Sanctuary cities in the U.S. offer protection to undocumented immigrants.

Intervening Obstacles: The Roadblocks 🚧

• Environmental Obstacles: ⛰️
  • Physical barriers like deserts, oceans, and mountains, or logistical challenges like long distances.
• Political Obstacles: 🛂
  • Lack of proper documentation (visas, passports), or man-made barriers like border walls.
• Cultural Obstacles: 🎭
  • Fear of losing cultural identity, discrimination, and blame for social problems.
• Demographic Obstacles: 📊
  • Overpopulation in the origin country or immigration quotas in the destination country.
• Economic Obstacles: 💸
  • High costs of visas, passports, or travel, preventing people from migrating.
• Intervening Opportunities: 🔄
  • Migrants may find unexpected opportunities along the way, leading them to settle in a place they didn't originally plan to go.
  • Example: Syrian migrants who intended to reach Germany ended up in Serbia due to welcoming conditions.

Ravenstein’s Laws of Migration

Ernst Georg Ravenstein, a 19th-century geographer, studied migration patterns and formulated these laws:

1. Short Distances: Most migrants move short distances from their homes.
2. Counter-Migration: Every migration flow creates a counter-migration or return flow.
3. Urban Destinations: Long-distance migrants usually head to major cities with more opportunities.
4. Rural to Urban: People in rural areas are more likely to migrate than those in urban areas.
5. Young Adults: Young adults are more likely to migrate internationally than families.
6. Adult Migrants: The majority of migrants are adults.
7. Migration & City Growth: Cities grow more from migration than from natural population increase.
8. Long-Distance Male Migrants: Men are more likely to travel long distances than women.
9. Individual Male Migrants: Men are more likely to travel alone, not with families, over long distances.
10. Economic Motivation: Most people migrate for better economic opportunities.

Final Exam Focus

Top Priority Topics:

• Push and Pull Factors: Understand how they drive migration decisions.
• Intervening Obstacles: Know the different types of barriers migrants face.
• Ravenstein's Laws: Be familiar with the key patterns and trends he identified.
• Forced vs. Voluntary Migration: Understand the difference between these two types of migration.

Common Question Types:

• Multiple Choice Questions (MCQs): Often test your understanding of specific push/pull factors or Ravenstein's Laws. Expect questions that ask you to identify examples or apply concepts to real-world scenarios.
• Free Response Questions (FRQs): Frequently require you to analyze migration patterns, explain the causes and effects of migration, or evaluate the validity of Ravenstein's Laws. Be prepared to use case studies to support your arguments.

• Time Management: Don't spend too long on any single question. If you're stuck, move on and come back later.
• FRQ Structure: Use clear topic sentences, support with evidence, and provide a concise conclusion. Make sure to answer all parts of the question.
• Avoid Common Mistakes: Don't confuse push and pull factors. Be specific in your examples. Always explain why something is a push or pull factor.
• Connect the Dots: Remember that migration is often linked to other topics like population, culture, and economics. Look for these connections in the questions.

Practice Question

Practice Questions

Multiple Choice Questions

1. Which of the following is the BEST example of a political push factor? (A) Lack of job opportunities (B) Religious persecution (C) Natural disaster (D) High cost of living (E) Availability of better education

2. According to Ravenstein's Laws of Migration, which group is MOST likely to migrate internationally? (A) Elderly couples (B) Families with young children (C) Young adults (D) Rural families (E) Urban families

3. An intervening obstacle to migration would be: (A) a welcoming community (B) a stable political system (C) a lack of economic opportunities (D) a strict immigration policy (E) a high standard of living

Free Response Question

Question:

Explain how push and pull factors contribute to migration patterns. Then, discuss how intervening obstacles can modify or alter these patterns. Use real-world examples to support your response. (7 points)

Scoring Breakdown:

• (1 point): Definition of push factors (reasons people leave).
• (1 point): Definition of pull factors (reasons people go to a place).
• (1 point): Explanation of how push and pull factors contribute to migration patterns (e.g., people move from areas with conflict to areas with peace).
• (1 point): Definition of intervening obstacles (barriers to migration).
• (1 point): Explanation of how intervening obstacles can modify or alter migration patterns (e.g., strict border policies may force migrants to take dangerous routes).
• (2 points): Use of real-world examples to support the response (1 point for a push/pull example, 1 point for an intervening obstacle example).

Alright, you've got this! Take a deep breath, review these notes, and go crush that exam. You're more prepared than you think! 💪