William Morris Davis

High school (ages 12+)
History & Culture

Name:

Date:

Step 1 · Read the article

Open the article and read it at the level above. Then answer the questions below in your own words.

https://smallwhale.org/articles/william-morris-davis

Write what each word means, using the article.

Do not copy the article. Write two things you learned, the way you would explain them to a friend.

Answers below are taken from the article’s stored facts, so they match what the student read.

1. When was William Morris Davis born?February 12, 1850, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
2. When did William Morris Davis die?February 5, 1934, Pasadena, California
3. What is William Morris Davis known for?Developing the influential 'cycle of erosion' theory in geomorphology
4. What is the education?Harvard University (Lawrence Scientific School)
5. What is the career?Geographer, geologist, geomorphologist, meteorologist, and professor at Harvard University
6. Who was William Morris Davis and why is he important?William Morris Davis was a scientist who studied mountains and landscapes. He is called the father of American geography because he helped people understand how Earth’s landforms change over time.

Geomorphology: The scientific study of landforms, their origin, evolution, and the processes that shape them.
Cycle of Erosion: Davis's theoretical model describing the stages of landscape development from youth to old age through erosional processes.
Peneplain: A nearly flat or undulating surface worn down by erosion over a long period, representing a late stage in the cycle of erosion.
Scientific Racism: The pseudoscientific belief that race is a biological determinant of human traits and that racial differences are significant.