Class 11 Geography CBQ Chapter 1 - Geography as a Discipline

Chapter 1: Geography as a Discipline

Question. What is areal differentiation? OR How does the concept of areal differentiation help geographers? Or 'The Himalaya region is different from the Gangetic plain' - which concept, and how is it related to geography?

Answer: The areal differentiation concept in geography is very important. Each and every region is unique in this world.

• All the factors like relief, soil, climate, and natural vegetation of each region are different from each other.
• The Himalaya region has the high landforms and cold types of climates but the northern plain has different types of levelled landforms and a comparatively warm type of climate.
• This areal differentiation concept helps geographers to know about the uniqueness of the area, which is related to the different types of people.

Question. “…. Human beings were able to loosen the shackles of their physical environment” – 

1. How did the human beings loosen these shackles? Explain with a suitable example. OR
2. Which geographical approach was reflected in this paragraph and how? OR
3. What type of relation between humans and nature is shown here? – explain.

Answer: This statement indicates that human beings were able to reduce their dependency on nature using their knowledge, technology or skill. In this statement, human beings are controlling nature by using their skill, technology or knowledge, which means the concept of possibilism.

1. Development of technology:
   Human beings have invented modern technology, tools and techniques, and therefore they can control nature using such knowledge.
2. Scientific knowledge:
   Special knowledge about nature, like soil, water, climate, etc., helps people to overcome several problems.
3. Better Transportation:
   Now human beings have developed their transportation facilities with the help of technology.
4. Developed Agriculture:
   Human beings have developed their agricultural system using their knowledge and technology.
5. Modern lifestyle:
   With the help of technology, human beings are living a luxurious lifestyle, such as the use of air conditioners/heaters to control natural weather conditions, the use of modern houses, clothes, etc., proves the dominance of human beings over nature.

Question: “You created the soil, I created the cup, you created night, I created the lamp. You created wilderness, hilly terrains and deserts; I created flower beds and gardens.” – Evaluate the statement with a suitable example.

Answer: In this statement, the relationship between nature and human beings is shown. Here, it shows how nature provides opportunities to human beings, while they are using these opportunities as per their needs.

1. Nature as the basic creator:
   In this statement the nature is the creator of basic conditions like soil and night. Wilderness, hilly terrain, desert, etc. On the other hand, human beings are using these kinds of natural elements according to their needs.
2. Human creativity and the modification of nature:
   Based on creativity within human beings, they are modifying the natural elements. Like – soil is using to create cup, light is created to modify the natural night.
3. Human ability to reduce natural limitations:
   With the help of technology or knowledge, human beings were able to reduce the limitations of nature. Like to overcome the harshness of the wilderness, human beings have developed gardens.
4. Possibilism concept:
   This statement reflects the ideas of possibilism in geography, where human beings have the possibilities to change the environment as per their needs.
5. Need for Balance:
   Though human beings are modifying the natural environment, they can’t replace nature. Therefore, geography emphasises the balance between human beings and nature.

Question: “With the help of technology, human beings moved from the stage of necessity to a stage of freedom" - evaluate the statement with a suitable example.

Answer: 

• Stage of necessity:
  In the early stages, human beings were highly dependent on nature. Climate, landforms and availability of resources were controlled by nature.
• Role of technology:
  The development of tools and techniques, scientific knowledge and skill enabled human beings to use natural resources as per their needs.
• Stage of freedom:
  Technology provides human beings with the base of greater choices and flexibility. Now the people live in an extreme climatic area, cultivate land in dry areas and travel across difficult terrain, which reflects the relative freedom from nature.
• Example – irrigation in a dry area:
  In dry areas like Rajasthan, human beings are now able to grow their required crops with the help of irrigation. It shows the reduced dependency of human beings on nature.
• Criticism - limits of freedom:
  Human beings are now absolutely not free from nature. Like natural disasters and environmental degradation remind us that technology can modify nature, but can't change the whole natural environment.

Question: "Geography as a discipline is connected with three sets of questions" - which sets of questions are mentioned here, and how? (1+4)

Answer: In geographical study, three sets of questions are related to geography as a discipline. These questions are – ‘What’, ‘Where’ and ‘Why’.
1. What?:
Geography always discusses about some particular elements or phenomena of nature, and this refers to the identification of that particular phenomenon. Like –

• What is delta?
• What is a river?
• What is population density?

2. Where?:
This question in geography indicates the location of that particular geographical phenomenon. Like –

• Where is the delta formed?
• Where is the most populous?

3. Why?:
This question explains the causes of that particular geographical phenomenon. Like –

• Why are deltas formed near the ocean?
• Why are more people living in urban areas?

Thus, geography moves from the identification of any phenomenon to location and then explanation of that phenomenon, which are very important for human beings.

Another important question:

1. Explain Geography as a discipline of synthesis (Spatial and Temporal synthesis).
2. Differentiate between systematic and regional analysis.
3. What is Geomorphology or climatology or hydrology? 

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