Political Units
A political entity that has a defined territory, a permanent population, a government, and recognition from other countries
What is a state?
The purpose of this was to divide Africa among European powers (without regard to existing ethnic/cultural boundaries).
What is the Berlin Conference?
Boundaries that follow features like rivers, mountains, desert
What are physical boundaries?
Government type that utilizes shared power
What is federal?
An official population count conducted every 10 years, used for representation purposes
What is the census?
Factors that divide a country or state, pushing people apart and weakening internal unity
What are centrifugal forces?
The political authority of a state to govern itself.
What is sovereignty?
People move into and settle on the land of another country, often imposing their cultural traits onto the people there.
What is colonialism?
Colonization often leads to this type of boundary.
What is superimposed?
Government type that governs through one centralized power.
What is unitary?
The manipulation of electoral district boundaries to favor a political party or group
What is gerrymandering?
The willingness by a person or group of people to defend space they claim (Think Greenland RN)
What is territoriality?
A group of people bound together by some sense of a common culture, shared history, etc. with ties to a particular homeland (e.g., the French, Koreans, Mexicans)
What is a nation?
Indirect control of a country through economic or political influence rather than direct rule
What is neocolonialism?
Boundaries drawn as straight lines using latitude, longitude, or surveyed coordinates
What are geometric boundaries?
A government in which leaders are elected and any citizen can run for office
What is democracy?
This gerrymandering tactic involves splitting opposing voters across many districts.
What is cracking?
The fragmentation of a state into smaller, often hostile political units
What is balkanization?
Kurds, Palestinians, and Basques are all examples of this.
What are stateless nations?
Extending a nation's power and influence over other territories through force, diplomacy, or economic control, often for resources, markets, or strategic advantage
What is imperialism?
A boundary that has ceased to function but whose impact remains visible (e.g., Berlin Wall, Hadrian's Wall)
What is a relic boundary?
A government that holds elections but the elections may not be free and fair; democracy in name only
What is anocracy?
The redistribution of legislative seats based on population changes.
What is reapportionment?
The transfer of power from a central government to a lower level of government, such as a regional or local government
What is devolution?
Territory that is part of a state, yet geographically separated from the main state by one or more countries. (Example: Alaska)
What is an exclave?
The principle that ethnic or national groups should govern themselves. (Hint: think 1776)
What is self-determination?
A boundary that is identified by physical objects placed on the landscape, like signs or fences
What is demarcated?
An area within a country with significant self-governance, managing its own local affairs, while remaining part of the larger state, often due to distinct ethnic/historical identities
What is an autonomous region?
Name 2 requirements of a legitimate voting district
What are equal population, contiguous, compact, and/or not racially discriminatory?
A state’s claim to territory based on shared ethnic or cultural identity or historical ties to the area
What is irredentism?