Socially Constructed Geography

Paper Summary:

This paper looks at the long-held belief and idea taught about American geography: that America was a wild and free paradise conquered by champions and pioneers of freedom and adventure. The paper argues that this perception is merely a socially constructed view of geography designed to play into the cultural idealism that promote a heritage of man overcoming extreme obstacles to attain glory and recognition. The paper also contends that the landscape of America was, in fact, more inhabited and developed before the discovery of America by European explorers because of the presence of Native Americans than it was after the discovery.

From the Paper:

"As a society, humans by nature relate to the world and define norms by identifying with the environment around them. In America for example, the foundation for the society was built on idealisms that suggested that the first entrants into this society were pioneers, overcoming a vast wilderness and pristine landscape in order to build the foundation upon which modern society now reigns supreme. People by nature identify with social constructed realities that bring them together in a communal and socially responsible manner. In order to help civilians learn about society and social norms, it is often necessary to deconstruct and reconstruct the geographic landscape of a land to build a culture from a blank template."

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• Article Review # 71576 : "Women in Society"

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