Virginia Geography
Rethink - Virginia Geography
/
Previous Hypothesis Answers
Question 1:
This fence is related to the geography of Virginia in that settlers needed to find a way to contain their livestock, and this sort of fence construction enabled them to do so without complex tools.
Question 2:
The story hidden in this object is how the design was created and by whom. Also, why was it decided that a certain length of plank was to be used? And, where did the lumber come from to build this fence, and did the idea originate in Virginia or elsewhere?
Instructions
Now that you have explored the resources on the previous pages, review your initial hypotheses and answer the following questions:
1. What does the fence tell us about Virginia geography and history?
2. How can geography help teach about Virginia’s past?
Rethink
The fence tells its observers about the relationship between European settlers and ideas of land ownership, which were vastly different than those of Native tribes. As these settlers came to Virginia, they were concerned with staking out their land as personal property and, as such, shaping the landscape of Virginia with this philosophy in the form of fences, homes, and keeping others (human and animal) out.
Geography can help us understand the reasons for specific events of history---for example, geography of VIrginia help historians understand why John Smith would create a map with flora, fauna and the different tribes in 1612, and also why certain battles occurred at specific locations during the Civil War...what occurs naturally in the landscape informs how humans interact with it---transportationally, control-wise and economically.