How has the geography of the west shaped who we are?

This is a pretty tricky question, but I was able to answer it through what I learned on my Alberta trip.

This was a very big trip, for one week I drove around in a bus with my class, stopping at historical sights and beautiful national parks. At every place we went, I learned something new. It didn’t even have to be some fact, it could be as random as something about a classmate of mine. But all of it still somehow connected to the driving question.

I documented lots of my learning through a Digital Touch book.

For every place we went, I added photos, videos, and information I gathered from there. My main focus was about the five themes of geography; Location, Place, Human-environment interaction, Movement, and Regions. I would select one main photo that I thought really showed where we went, and then talked about which of the fives themes of geography I could see. What I found was, in every image I could see all 5. Sometimes some were much more clear then others, but as I went along in this project I found them easier to see. In my book, I do only talk about the ones that are easiest to spot. 

This part of the project really got me thinking about geography everywhere we went. I got to see these beautiful places in a new way, and I could finally look at them for more then just the beauty. I would actually be learning something.

Another thing we focused on in the book was a more historical aspect. As well as talking about geography, I included why each place was historically significant. In some places like Cave and Basin, this was very easy. Everything there taught me something, whether it was about the three boys that “founded” it, or the endangered species of snails. In other places, it was a little harder, like golden Skybridge. For the Skybridge, I had to find out more about the geography to really understand its historical significance.

So with everything I learned, how do I answer the driving question? I like to look at it from a more personal perspective. I know how the geography of the west has shaped who I am. The mountains I am surrounded by and the ocean I live near make me who I am. It is a way for me to connect with people, find passions, and calm myself. Being surrounded by diverse terrain gives me opportunities to explore and learn everyday, because this is what I am interested in. 

From a broader standpoint, the geography of the west effected the history of BC, which of course effects me. The building of the CPR, the joining of BC to the Canadian Confederation, and even the fur trade. All of this was effected by the geography of western Canada, and all of that has effected me in one way or another.

So I think this is a question that is hard to answer for everyone, because “how has the geography of the west shaped who we are” includes lots of people. If you yourself look at it in a personal way, I think the question becomes much easier. Think about what you love to do, and could you do it without the area we are surrounded by? How is your job, your family, your home effected by the environment we are in? All these questions lead to the answer of the driving question.

I think I have successfully answered the driving question, but I wanna know, what do you think?