Why Borders Move: A Geography Case Study for Middle School

Can world events change our world map? Absolutely! Borders may seem fixed, but they often shift due to the powerful influence of geography. Rivers, mountains, coastlines, political wars, and treaty agreements can alter borders. Distribution of resources and cultural and ethnic divides also play a role. While wars and politics make headlines, geography quietly shapes the boundaries we often take for granted.

The most recent widely recognized change to a political boundary (although not political) occurred in 2022. During this time, Russia declared the annexation of four regions in Ukraine: Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson, and Zaporizhzhia. However, this change is not widely recognized internationally. Ukraine and most of the world still consider those territories as part of Ukraine. Will this event eventually lead to political boundary changes? We don’t know, but in studying the history of Ukraine’s territorial boundary changes due to other countries claiming the land, it is possible.

Physical Geography Influences

Physical geography is defined as the natural features of the Earth: rivers, mountains, deserts, coastlines, and more. These features often become borders for several reasons. They can offer clear dividing lines. They can also be difficult to cross, making them more convenient and defensible.

Common examples of natural borders are:

Mountains often act as natural borders between regions or nations.
- Example: The Himalayas form the border between India and China, making travel and military movement difficult.
Rivers serve as lines of natural separation.
- Example: The Rio Grande serves as a border between the United States of America and Mexico.
Coastlines often define borders.
- Example: The natural boundary between coastal nations like Japan and Korea, or the many small island nations in the Pacific.

Human Geography Factors

Human geography covers where people live, their languages, cultures, religions as well as how they interact with the land.

Borders can reflect the following:

Migration and settlement: When large groups of people migrate or settle in new areas, borders often shift to reflect those population patterns.
- Example: European settlers redrew borders during colonization in Africa and the Americas.
Urbanization and population growth: cities expanding near borders can cause disputes or require new boundary definitions.
- Example: Jerusalem has been the topic of competing claims due to its location and cultural importance.
Ethnic and cultural divisions: On occasion, borders can shift to separate opposing cultures or to group similar cultures together.
- Example: After the partition of India in 1947, border lines were redrawn to separate Hindus (India) and Muslims (Pakistan).

How can I introduce border shifts to my middle schoolers?

✅ Start local: Have students look at maps of their town, state, or country. What are the borders? Are they natural or man-made?

✅ Zoom Out: Show them maps of historical border shifts—like India & Pakistan, or Poland before and after WWII.

✅ Ask Key Questions:

What physical features do you notice?
What changed, and why?
Were people affected?

Maps are your most powerful tool. Use side-by-side maps from different time periods to show exactly how geography shaped borders.

For example, the map on the left demonstrates the physical geography of the country of India. The map on the right shows how India was divided after the partition. During the lesson, a teacher can explain why India was divided and the results of the split.