AP Human Geography – Ravenstein’s Laws of Migration

AP Human Geography – Ravenstein’s Laws of Migration

AP Human Geography Study Guide: Ravenstein’s Laws of Migration

What This Is

Ravenstein’s Laws of Migration are a set of 11 "laws" (really general patterns) proposed by E.G. Ravenstein in 1885 to explain why and how people move. These laws help predict migration flows, distances, and characteristics of migrants. On the AP exam, you’ll need to apply these laws to real-world scenarios, compare them to other migration theories (like Zelinsky’s Migration Transition Model), and analyze data in FRQs. Example: The Great Migration (1916–1970), when millions of African Americans moved from the rural South to Northern cities like Chicago and Detroit, follows Ravenstein’s laws—most migrants were young adults, moved in steps (e.g., from farm to small town to big city), and were pulled by economic opportunities.

Key Terms & Concepts

• Ravenstein’s Laws of Migration: A set of 11 generalizations about migration patterns, including distance, reasons, and migrant characteristics.

• Key components:

  1. Most migrants move short distances (distance decay).
  2. Migration occurs in steps (e.g., rural-town-city).
  3. Long-distance migrants usually go to major economic centers (e.g., NYC, London).
  4. Urban residents are less migratory than rural residents.
  5. Women migrate more internally (within a country), while men migrate more internationally.
  6. Most migrants are young adults (ages 20–45).
  7. Economic factors are the main cause of migration.
  8. Counterflows exist (e.g., some people move out of cities while others move in).
  9. Large towns grow more by migration than natural increase (births minus deaths).
  10. Migration increases with technology and transportation (e.g., railroads, planes).
  11. Rural-to-urban migration is the dominant trend.

• Distance Decay: The idea that interaction (including migration) decreases as distance increases. Example: A farmer in Iowa is more likely to move to Chicago than to Tokyo.

• Gravity Model of Migration: A formula predicting migration flows between two places based on population size and distance.

• Formula: [ M_{ij} = \frac{P_i \times P_j}{D_{ij}^2} ]
  • (M_{ij}) = Migration flow from place i to place j
  • (P_i) = Population of place i
  • (P_j) = Population of place j
  • (D_{ij}) = Distance between i and j

• Example: More people move from Mexico City to Los Angeles than from a small Mexican town to LA because Mexico City has a larger population.

• Push Factors: Negative conditions that force people to leave (e.g., war, famine, unemployment).

• Pull Factors: Positive conditions that attract people to a place (e.g., jobs, safety, better climate).

• Step Migration: Migration that occurs in stages (e.g., rural-small town-big city).

• Example: A farmer in Guatemala might first move to Guatemala City, then to Mexico City, then to the U.S.

• Chain Migration: Migration of people to a specific location because relatives or members of the same nationality previously migrated there.

• Example: Chinatowns in San Francisco and NYC formed because early Chinese immigrants settled there, then brought over family and friends.

• Intervening Obstacle: A barrier that slows or stops migration (e.g., mountains, oceans, immigration laws, cost).

• Example: The U.S.-Mexico border wall is an intervening obstacle for migrants.

• Intervening Opportunity: A better opportunity that stops a migrant before reaching their original destination.

• Example: A migrant from Honduras planning to go to the U.S. might stop in Mexico City if they find a good job there.

• Forced Migration: Migration compelled by external factors (e.g., slavery, war, natural disasters).

• Example: Syrian refugees fleeing civil war (2011–present).

• Voluntary Migration: Migration by choice, usually for economic or social reasons.

• Example: Indians moving to the U.S. for tech jobs.

Step-by-Step: How to Apply Ravenstein’s Laws to an FRQ

1. Identify the migration flow (e.g., rural-to-urban, international, internal).

2. Example: A question describes Mexican migration to the U.S.-international migration.

3. Match the flow to Ravenstein’s laws (ask: Who is migrating? Why? How far?)

4. Example:

   • Most Mexican migrants are young adults (Law 6).
   • They move to major economic centers like Los Angeles (Law 3).
   • Many are men (Law 5, though this is changing).

5. Compare to other migration theories (e.g., Zelinsky’s Migration Transition Model).

6. Example: In Stage 2 of Zelinsky’s model (high population growth), rural-to-urban migration dominates (matches Ravenstein’s Law 11).

7. Analyze push/pull factors (economic, political, environmental).

8. Example:

   • Push: Poverty, drug violence in Mexico.
   • Pull: Jobs, higher wages in the U.S.

9. Consider intervening obstacles/opportunities (e.g., border policies, job offers along the way).

10. Example: The U.S. border wall is an intervening obstacle; a job in Monterrey, Mexico could be an intervening opportunity.

11. Predict counterflows or future trends (e.g., return migration, changes in laws).

12. Example: If U.S. immigration laws tighten, counterflows (Mexicans returning home) may increase.

Common Mistakes

• Mistake: Thinking Ravenstein’s laws are strict rules (like laws of physics).

• Correction: They are general patterns, not absolute truths. For example, women now migrate internationally more than men (contradicting Law 5), due to changing gender roles.

• Mistake: Confusing forced migration with voluntary migration.

• Correction: Forced migration = no choice (e.g., refugees, slaves). Voluntary = choice (e.g., job seekers). Example: Syrian refugees = forced; Indian tech workers in the U.S. = voluntary.

• Mistake: Ignoring intervening opportunities when analyzing migration flows.

• Correction: A migrant might not reach their original destination if they find a job or safety along the way. Example: A Venezuelan migrant heading to the U.S. might stay in Colombia if they find work there.

• Mistake: Assuming all long-distance migrants go to big cities.

• Correction: While most do (Law 3), some go to smaller towns if they have family or job connections (chain migration).

• Mistake: Forgetting that urban residents migrate less than rural residents.

• Correction: Ravenstein’s Law 4 states that city dwellers are less likely to move than rural people because they’re already in economic hubs.

AP Exam Insights

• FRQs often ask you to:
• Compare Ravenstein’s laws to Zelinsky’s Migration Transition Model (e.g., "Explain how Ravenstein’s laws apply to Stage 2 of Zelinsky’s model").
• Analyze a migration flow using push/pull factors and Ravenstein’s laws (e.g., "Using Ravenstein’s laws, explain why most Mexican migrants to the U.S. are young men").

• Evaluate the impact of intervening obstacles/opportunities (e.g., "How might a new U.S. immigration law affect Mexican migration patterns?").

• Multiple-choice traps:

• Distractors might say Ravenstein’s laws only apply to international migration (they apply to all migration).
• Questions might reverse push/pull factors (e.g., calling a pull factor like "job opportunities" a push factor).

• Gravity Model questions might give you distance but not population (or vice versa)—remember, both matter!

• Tricky distinction:

• Chain Migration vs. Step Migration:
  • Chain Migration = following family/community ties.
  • Step Migration = moving in stages (rural-town-city).

Quick Check Questions

Multiple Choice

1. Which of Ravenstein’s laws best explains why most Syrian refugees in 2015 moved to Germany rather than Portugal? a) Most migrants move short distances. b) Long-distance migrants go to major economic centers. c) Women migrate more than men. d) Urban residents are less migratory than rural residents. Answer: b) Long-distance migrants go to major economic centers. Explanation: Germany is a larger, wealthier economy than Portugal, attracting more refugees (Law 3).

2. A farmer in rural India moves first to a small town, then to Mumbai. This is an example of: a) Chain migration b) Forced migration c) Step migration d) Counterurbanization Answer: c) Step migration. Explanation: The farmer moves in stages (rural-town-city), which is step migration (Law 2).

Short FRQ (1–2 sentences)

1. Using Ravenstein’s laws, explain why most Mexican migrants to the U.S. are young adults. Answer: Ravenstein’s Law 6 states that most migrants are young adults (20–45), as they are most likely to seek economic opportunities (jobs) and can handle the physical demands of migration.

Last-Minute Cram Sheet

1. Ravenstein’s 11 Laws = general patterns of migration (not strict rules).
2. Most migrants move short distances (distance decay).
3. Long-distance migrants go to big cities (e.g., NYC, London).
4. Urban residents move less than rural residents.
5. Women migrate more internally; men more internationally (but this is changing).
6. Most migrants are young adults (20–45).
7. Economic factors drive migration (jobs, wages).
8. Step migration = moving in stages (rural-town-city).
9. Chain migration = following family/community ties.
10. Gravity Model: Migration = (Population 1 × Population 2) / Distance².
11. Not all migration is voluntary (forced migration = war, slavery, disasters).
12. Intervening obstacles (borders, laws) and opportunities (jobs) can change migration paths.