The von Thünen Model Info Cards - AP Human Geography

use spaced repetition/flashcards

Assumption: There is only one centrally located market

Problem: Modern agriculture systems almost always have multiple markets. Even back in the 19th century, Philadelphia was a big market competitor to New York.

Assumption: Soil, climate, and terrain are uniform throughout the area of interest

Problem: Sometimes this is the case, but it won’t always be true.

Maps on right compare US based purely on von Thünen vs also considering climate

Assumption: All farmers located the same distance from the market have equal access to it.

Problem: Planes, trains, trucks, and other forms of transportation affect travel speed, so farmers with access to transportation will be relatively closer

Assumption: All farmers seek to maximize their profits.

Problem: Not everyone does. Some farmers participate in subsistence agriculture: farming to feed their local community rather than selling it for food.

Purpose of the Model

To predict where different kinds of agriculture are practiced based on the cost and time it would take to get their products to market.

Zone 1 Agricultural Types

• Dairy Farming/Market Gardening

• Perishable products… need to get to market fast

Zone 2 Agricultural Types

• Forest - for wood

• Transporting wood just sucks so it’s typically close by

• Typically doesn’t stretch along rivers

Zone 3 Agricultural Types

• Grains and field crops

• doesn't perish, no rush

Zone 4 Agricultural Types

• Livestock ranching

• Owners typically didn’t pay for transportation

Weaknesses of Model

• Unable to identify specialty agricultural production

• assumes many things