Gke1 Task 1 - 1212 Words

Task 1-A: The two most significant environmental or physical geographic factors that contributed to the development or expansion of the United States is the California Gold Rush and the Irish Potato Famine. The first most significant factor was the California Gold Rush. Before gold was officially discovered in Northern California on January 24, 1848, Kelly (n.d.) states that the entire population of the California territory was around 25,000. A few years after California was admitted as the 31st state in The Union in 1850, a special census was taken and the population had grown to 223,856. Kelly (n.d.) also states that in San Francisco alone, the population was approximately 800 in 1848 to well over 50,000 at the close of 1849. Before†¦show more content†¦Task 1-B: The most significant physical geographical factor that contributed to the development of the Ancient South American society of the Incas was the Andes Mountains. The Andes are the longest mountain range and one of the highest with its tallest peak, Mount Aconcagua in Argentina, topping out at 22,841 feet (Zimmermann, 2013). The Inca Empire had settlements that ranged from sea level, to its center of government in Cusco at an altitude of 11,200. Despite these difficulties, the Inca people thrived, and managed to create trails, water-ways and agricultural practices that remain in use to this day. Virtually every aspect of life was affected by the Andes Mountain Range. The steep slopes, climate and altitude, forced the development of resilient breeds of crops such as potatoes, quinoa and corn. (Graber, 2011). The mountains were worshipped as gods and stone from the mountains were carved with great precision to create large cites and temples right into the sides of the mountains. For a ll of the reasons, The Andes Mountains are certainly one of the greatest contributors to the development of the ancient people of South American. Task 1-B1: Probably the most obvious choice forShow MoreRelatedGke1 Task 1 Essay1306 Words   |  6 PagesSmith, A. F. (2011). Potato: A global history (pp. 38-51). London: Reaktion Books. Zimmermann, K. A. (2013, March 14). Andes: Worlds longest mountain range. Retrieved March 13, 2014, from http://www.livescience.com/27897-andes-mountains.html GKE1 TASK 1 1Read MoreGKE1 Task 1 Essay874 Words   |  4 Pagesï » ¿ GKE Task 1 Western Governors University Themes in U.S. World History November 2, 2013 GKE Task 1 Assessing how environmental and geographical factors, such as location and availability of resources have affected and continue to affect the development, distribution, and diffusion of the human race over time is intriguing. There are several examples of how society’s start and why. One example is the site of ancient Mesopotamia, the birthplace of the world’s first civilizationsRead MoreTask 1790 Words   |  4 PagesFrost, GKE1 Task 1 Page 1 GKE Task 1 Part A: Over the centuries there have been many different environmental and geographical factors that have shaped the development of the United States. Two of these factors that I feel are extremely significant to this development are the Irish Potato Famine and the discovery of gold in California. The Irish Potato Famine began in Ireland in September 1845. The famine was caused by an airborne fungus, phytophthora infetans, which attacks the leaves of the