What Is the Relationship Between History and Geography?

According to NationalGeographic.com, the relationship between history and geography stems from “geographical factors having impacted the course of history in many ways.” Every historical event has taken place in a geographic location. Because of this connection, history and geography are forever linked.

Many times, geography and history are relatively synonymous, because several locations have a resounding place in history. For example, the Vietnam War took place in the country of Vietnam. The war itself is titled because of the location. The Vietnamese people are identified by their country, and the events leading up to that war are partly due to its strategic location. In this way, the war cannot be separated from the location in which it took place. Therefore, the relationship between history and geography could be viewed as one in the same. According to NationalGeographic.com, “when learning about historical topics, it can be very helpful to simultaneously study a region’s geography.” This works the same with geography as well. Certain locations, such as Africa, are historically known for their vast diamond market. Australia’s wildlife is also well-known. Instances like these are geographically focused; however, at the same time, they are historical because no timeframe is associated with them.

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