What are the class prerequisites?

This is a 300-level class, so you should have basic writing, research, and critical thinking skills equivalent to a sophomore or junior in college - and have completed 30 hours of academic credit already. This course emphasizes learning across the curriculum, including geology, biology, history, sociology, and political science - you do not need to be a geography major. If you don't know much about geography, or about Virginia and the state in which George Mason University is located, then this course is a great place to start. If you found it hard to connect with American colonial history or discussions on the Civil War, or thought economics and sociology were unrelated to your "real life" experiences, this is a great place to get a different angle on "what happened - and is happening - where." Some of your classmates will be taking their first geography course since 5th grade, when they tried to memorize the capitals of the countries and states (ugh...). Other classmates will be geography majors using Geographic Information Systems software like ArcInfo in their spare time. There's a lot of interesting material and assignments, for all of you, in this course. Much material will be posted on the class Web pages, and discussions will occur via e-mail. GMU offers access to the Internet and free e-mail accounts, and this class requires that you be able to use those technologies.

Dragon's Tooth (Roanoke County)

Virginia Standards of Learning: A Foundation of Knowledge

• use maps, pictures, and stories to compare the geography of the local community with that of other communities in Virginia, the United States, and the world.
• describe life in America before the 17th century by
  • identifying and describing the first Americans, their arrival from Asia, where they settled, and how they lived, including Inuits (Eskimos), Anasazi (cliff dwellers), Northwest Indians (Kwakiutl), Plains Indians, Mound builders, Indians of the Eastern forest (Iroquois, etc.), Incas, and Mayans;
  • explaining how geography and climate influenced the way various Indian tribes lived; and
  • evaluating the impact of native economies on their religions, arts, shelters, and cultures.
• describe growth and change in America from 1801 to 1861, with emphasis on
  • territorial exploration, expansion, and settlement, including the Louisiana Purchase, the Lewis and Clark expedition, the acquisition of Florida, Texas, Oregon, and California;
  • how the effects of geography, climate, canals and river systems, economic incentives, and frontier spirit influenced the distribution and movement of people, goods, and services;
  • the principal relationships between the United States and its neighbors (current Mexico and Canada) and the European powers (including the Monroe Doctrine), and describe how those relationships influenced westward expansion;
  • the impact of inventions, including the cotton gin, McCormick reaper, steamboat, and steam locomotive on life in America; and the development of money, saving, and credit.
• describe early physical and cultural development of mankind from the Paleolithic Era to the revolution of agriculture, with emphasis on
  • the impact of geography on hunter-gatherer societies;
  • characteristics of hunter-gatherer societies;
  • toolmaking and use of fire;
  • technological and social advancements that gave rise to stable communities; and
  • how archeological discoveries are changing our knowledge of early peoples.
• apply geography to interpret the past, understand the present, and plan for the future by
  • using a variety of maps, charts, and documents to explain historical migration of people, expansion and disintegration of empires, and the growth of economic systems; and
  • relating current events to the physical and human characteristics of places and regions.
• explain relationships between geography and the historical development of the United States by using maps, pictures, and computer databases to
  • locate and explain the location and expansion of the original colonies; trace the advance of the frontier and the territorial expansion of the United States and explain how it was influenced by the physical environment;
  • locate new states as they were added to the Union;
  • understand the settlement patterns, migration routes, and cultural influence of various racial, ethnic, and religious groups;
  • compare patterns of agricultural and industrial development in different regions as they relate to natural resources, markets, and trade; and
  • analyze the political, social, and economic implications of demographic changes in the nation over time.

• Earth Science
• History and Social Science Standards of Learning (see Resource Guides)
  • History and Social Science (for those in Grade Twelve)