National Geography Standards: 1, 3, 17, 18

Show-Me Content Standards: SS 5, CA 3

Show-Me Performance Goals: 1.1, 4.1

Preview of the Main Idea:
How did the great capitals of the world come to be located where they are today? Were they accidents of geography and history? Or were they carefully planned with many geographic factors considered?
This lesson focuses on how the capitals of two large nations emerged as a result of physiographic, economic, political, and cultural factors. Students will examine important similarities and differences of both the cities and the regions in which they are located. Students will consider these factors in constructing proposals for relocating the capitals today.

Connection with Curriculum:
Geography, World History, U.S. History.

Teaching Level:
7-12

Themes:
Location, Region, Movement, Human-Environmental Interaction

Materials:
One or more atlases with Physiographic, Land Use, Population, and Major Transportation Routes of the United States and Russia for each student group.

Objectives:
Use geographic characteristics of site and situation to analyze the location of capital cities.
Analyze the relationship between a capital and its region.
Compare factors affecting the location of capital cities.

Opening the Lesson:
Where should a capital city be located? This is a question which confronts many new nations today. The logical location for a capital city is in the center of a country where it can be accessible to all. Capital cities often have evolved as centers of trade and government because of central location. Using an atlas, have the students identify capital cities that have a central location. (Madrid, Rome, Mexico City, Ankara, Addis Ababa, etc.)

Developing the Lesson:
Geographers use the concept of SITE and SITUATION to help explain the location of cities.

Site refers to the actual ground on which a city is located. What are the physical characteristics of the place it occupies? Is it hilly or flat? Is it located on the coast or in the center of the country? Are their any physical features such as mountains or marshes to limit future growth of the city?

Situation is the relationship a city has with the surrounding geographic area. Is the city accessible? How far apart are other cities which might compete with a city for resources? What is the size of these other cities? Is it located in a "Core Area" of dense population, where it is served by a good transportation network, and is supported by a good agricultural base?

On a large world map have the students locate and identify Washington, D.C. and Moscow, Russia. Briefly discuss the site and situational characteristics of these cities.

Divide students into small working groups and using atlases, have them prepare a list of site and situational characteristics for each city. They should be prepared to discuss each city's location in relationship to each of these features: major bodies of water, rivers, mountains, marshes, forests, steppes, surrounding cities, natural resources, population density, transportation access, land use, etc.

Ask students how these characteristics might have played a role in the selection of these two cities as capitals. Ask students the importance of these characteristics when choosing a site for a capital city.

History also has an important role in determining the location of a capital city. Wars, religion, language and many other historical and cultural factors may also influence the decision.

Share examples of several similar historical occurrences affecting capitals. Both Russia and the United States have had capitals located in different places. Russia has used Kiev, Vladimir and St. Petersburg. The United States has used New York and Philadelphia. What were the geographic characteristics of site and situation for each of these?

Napoleon burned Moscow in 1812 and the British burned Washington, D.C. in 1814. Ask students to research other historical and cultural developments of the two capital cities.

Concluding the Lesson:
Review the geographic similarities and differences between Moscow and Washington, D.C. What factors are important to both capitals? What factors are important in locating or relocating a capital? As new nations are born, this continues to be an important question today.

Assessing Student Learning:
Select another capital city and, with the aid of an atlas, ask students to list its site and situation characteristics.