Internal Boundaries
Jackson Gonzalez
8 min read
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Study Guide Overview
This study guide covers electoral geography, focusing on internal boundaries, redistricting, and gerrymandering. It explains how internal boundaries are created, the purpose and process of redistricting, and the different types of gerrymandering (cracking, packing, stacking, hijacking, kidnapping). The guide also includes the importance of the census data and the impact of these concepts on political representation. It provides practice questions (multiple-choice, free-response, and short-answer) to test comprehension.
#AP Human Geography: Electoral Geography Study Guide
Hey there, future AP Human Geography champ! Let's break down electoral geography into bite-sized pieces so you're feeling confident and ready to ace that exam. We'll make sure everything clicks, and you'll be walking into that test like you own the place! Let's get started!
Unit 4: Political Patterns and Processes (12-17% of Exam)
#Internal Boundaries
Internal boundaries are like the lines on a map within a country or organization. They're not the big borders between countries, but the ones that divide things up inside. Think of them as the organizational structure of a place.
- Definition: Lines or borders dividing an area into smaller entities.
- Purpose: To define and distinguish areas within a larger whole.
#How Are They Created?
Internal boundaries aren't just randomly drawn; they come from a mix of factors:
- Political Decisions: Laws and government actions.
- Historical/Cultural Factors: Existing divisions or ethnic/linguistic groups.
- Physical Geography: Rivers, mountains, etc.
- Organizational Needs: For efficiency in businesses or groups.
#Examples of Internal Boundaries
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The Great Wall of China: Separating the empire from the north.
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US-Mexico Border: Dividing the two countries.
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Northern Ireland-Republic of Ireland Border: A boundary with a history of conflict.
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Department Boundaries in a Company: Dividing roles and responsibilities.
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Neighborhood Boundaries in a City: Creating distinct local identities.
Internal boundaries are not just lines on a map, they shape political, cultural, and economic landscapes.
#Redistricting
Redistricting is all about redrawing those electoral district lines. It's like a puzzle where the pieces (districts) need to be rearranged every ten years after the census.
- Definition: The process of drawing electoral district boundaries.
- Frequency: Typically every ten years after the census.
#What is the Census?
The census is a big population count that happens every ten years. It's super important for a bunch of reasons:
- Purpose: To count and collect information about the population.
- Data Collected: Age, gender, race, income, education, etc.
- Uses: To inform policy, allocate resources, and plan for the future.
#What Does This Do?
- Population Count: The census determines the population size, which is used for funding, resources, and redistricting.
- House of Representatives: The number of representatives is capped at 435, but districts within a state need to be roughly equa...
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