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Introduction to Illinois History Teacher

Volume I: Geography in Illinois History

Geography has played an important role in Illinois history. Geography has influenced where people have chosen to hunt, gather, farm, settle, and industrialize. People have left their mark on the land, and studies of human interaction with the land are the focus of archaeological investigations, archival studies, and historical research.

Geography cuts across time and space. It is one of the most useful concepts for comprehending human activity, whether studied from the perspective of social science or the humanities. The study of geography is organized around five fundamental themes developed jointly by the National Council for Geographic Education and the Association of American Geographers: location, place, human environment interaction, movement, and regions. Their Guidelines for Geographic Education: Elementary and Secondary Schools represents the collective professional wisdom of American and Canadian geographic educators and geographers. The Guidelines, which have been widely accepted as the basis for geographic education, are used to organize this volume.

An excerpt of the Guideline's definition of each of the five themes begins each section. For fuller discussion of these themes, consult the Guidelines for Geographic Education, which is available by writing The National Council for Geographic Education, Indiana University of Pennsylvania, Indiana, PA 15705.

This volume of the ILLINOIS HISTORY TEACHER provides a perspective on each theme as it relates to Illinois' past. Needless to say, much more could have been written on each of the five themes and many more classroom activities could have been devised. Some of our authors worked in teams to present an overview of a theme, some covered a single aspect, while others developed a more narrowly defined topic. This volume is intended neither as the definitive treatment of geography in Illinois history nor the definitive set of teaching materials. What it does offer is the wisdom and experience of classroom teachers and materials based on the latest scholarship. No one, two, three, or four of the themes will be adequate to understand the geographic approach to Illinois history; use all of them together for a beginning. We hope it is challenging. We know it will be rewarding.

Several people deserve special note for their help in the preparation of the inaugural issue of the ILLINOIS HISTORY TEACHER. Norman Bettis, a member of the volume's advisory board, was especially helpful in the initial conception of this volume, as were authors Michael D. Sublett and Frederick H. Walk. Craig Colten contributed to the early stages of development as well. The following lent their professional assistance in preparing this volume: Jill Blessman, Don Cavallini, Vicki Harrison, and Karen High. Finally, without the support of Maynard Crossland and Evelyn Taylor of the Illinois Historic Preservation Agency, this volume would lack many of its strengths.

Keith A. Sculle
Editor,
ILLINOIS
HISTORY
TEACHER

1

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