William Chaining Woodbridge, 1782-1851, is an important but little known figure in the development of American geography. He was responsible for bringing many European ideas about geography, particularly those of Alexander von Humboldt to the attention of the Americanpublic. Woodbridge’s publications came at a time of increasing American interest in geography. Between 1821 and 1851 his geography texts were among the most popular in the United States. His thinking on the teaching of geography stressed the importance of relative location and the critical necessity of students understanding underlying meanings rather than simply memorizing empty phrases and learning long lists of places.
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