Ravenstein's Laws of Migration AP Human Geography: Practice FRQs and Answers

🌍 Topic Summary

Ravenstein's Laws of Migration, developed by geographer Ernst Ravenstein in the late 19th century, are a set of generalizations about migration patterns. These laws provide a framework for understanding who migrates, why they migrate, and where they migrate to. While not strict laws in the scientific sense, they offer valuable insights into human migration behavior.

Key principles include the dominance of short-distance migration, the phenomenon of step migration, the difference in migration patterns between urban and rural areas, and the impact of technology on migration. Understanding these laws is crucial for analyzing population movements and their effects on societies.

🧠 Part A: Vocabulary

Match the term with its definition:

1. Term: Step Migration
2. Term: Migration Stream
3. Term: Counter-Migration
4. Term: Distance Decay
5. Term: Gravity Model

1. Definition: The decline of an activity or function with increasing distance from its point of origin.
2. Definition: The return of migrants to their place of origin.
3. Definition: The idea that interaction is proportional to the multiplication of the populations and inversely proportional to the distance between them.
4. Definition: The flow of migrants sharing a common origin and destination.
5. Definition: Migration to a distant destination that occurs in stages.

📝 Part B: Fill in the Blanks

Ravenstein observed that most migrants travel only a short __________. He also noted that migrants moving longer distances tend to choose big-city __________. Each migration flow produces a __________ flow in the opposite direction. __________ are less likely to migrate than other groups. Finally, economic factors are the main cause of __________.

💡 Part C: Critical Thinking

How might modern technology and globalization influence migration patterns in ways that either support or contradict Ravenstein's original laws?