Select the appropriate statement.
I) According to Ratzel, "Human geography is the study of the shifting interaction between the restless man and the unstable earth."
II) According to Ellen C. Semple, the study of human geography focuses on how unstable Earth and restless Man have changed over time.

The correct answer is Only II is correct.

Key Points

• Ellen C. Semple emphasized the study of human geography in relation to how the Earth and human activities interact over time.
• Semple's work focused on the effects of environmental factors on human behavior and societal development.
• Ratzel's approach is often misquoted; his focus was more on anthropogeography, which looks at the influences of the environment on humans.
• Statement I inaccurately attributes the definition to Ratzel, hence only statement II is correct.

Additional Information

• Anthropogeography
  • Term coined by Friedrich Ratzel.
  • Studies the relationship between human cultures and their environments.
• Environmental Determinism
  • Concept popularized by Ellen C. Semple.
  • Argues that physical environment predisposes human social development towards particular trajectories.
• Human Geography
  • Focuses on the study of patterns and processes that shape human interaction with various environments.
  • Includes cultural, economic, and urban geography.
• Possibilism
  • Opposes environmental determinism.
  • Suggests that the environment offers possibilities for development, but cultural and technological factors drive human actions.