Question 1

What is one the reasons behind longer-term declines in world population?

Accepted Answer

Disease outbreaks can significantly impact population numbers, particularly if they are widespread and lethal. Examples of diseases that have caused significant population declines include the Black Death in the 14th century, which killed an estimated 75-200 million people, and the Spanish flu in the early 20th century, which is estimated to have killed up to 50 million people worldwide.

Question 2

What is a pandemic?

Accepted Answer

A pandemic is an epidemic that spreads over a large area, typically worldwide. It is characterized by an increased number of cases of a particular disease beyond what is normally expected in a given population. A pandemic typically affects multiple countries or regions and can spread rapidly.

Question 3

Where did the Black Death occur?

Accepted Answer

The Black Death originated in Asia and spread to North Africa and Europe during the 14th century.

Question 4

Across the American continent, what percentage of the indigenous population was lost due to diseases brought from Europe?

Accepted Answer

The best choice is D) 90 percent because it is the highest percentage among the options provided and is generally accepted by historians and scholars as the most accurate estimate of the indigenous population lost due to diseases brought from Europe. This large-scale loss of life can be attributed to the lack of immunity of the indigenous populations to the diseases brought over by the Europeans.

Question 5

Patriarchy is a belief system and practice where men are the public authority figures and women are restricted to the private sphere of home and caregiving. What demographic condition is related to the development of patriarchy?

Accepted Answer

Low reproductive efficiency is related to the development of patriarchy because in societies where children's survival rates are low, women's roles become focused on frequent childbirth and caregiving to ensure enough children survive to adulthood, reinforcing their restriction to the private sphere and bolstering male dominance in public and political arenas.

Question 6

What is an accurate representation of the relationship between agricultural productivity and human populations?

Accepted Answer

Decline in agricultural productivity would result in a decrease in food supply leading to mortality due to starvation and malnutrition. This would eventually lead to a decrease in births since these events would also affect fertility rates. On the other hand, an increase in agricultural productivity would lead to an increase in food supply supporting population growth.

Question 7

What best describes the American landscape of the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries?

Accepted Answer

While North America was not a pristine wilderness before European arrival, human impact had significantly altered the landscape. Native Americans had been living on the land for thousands of years and had cultivated crops, managed forests, and shaped the environment to meet their needs. The introduction of European agriculture and livestock, as well as the displacement of Native American populations, further transformed the landscape.

Question 8

What is NOT associated with the demographic transition?

Accepted Answer

The demographic transition model is a theory that explains the changes in population growth and how it relates to industrialization and economic development. The four stages of demographic transition are characterized by changes in birth and death rates, leading to changes in overall population size and age structure. While an increase in life expectancy, a decline in mortality, and a graying population are all associated with the demographic transition, a youthful population is not. In fact, one of the defining features of the later stages of demographic transition is a decrease in the proportion of young people in the population, as fertility rates decline and people have fewer children.

Question 9

According to the demographic transition, what trend occurred after life expectancy increased?

Accepted Answer

According to the demographic transition, when life expectancy increases, there is a decrease in fertility rates as people feel more secure that their children will survive to adulthood. This leads to a demographic shift where the population becomes older and there are fewer children being born.

Question 10

Where did the decline in mortality rates first begin, and what was responsible for it?

Accepted Answer

The decline in mortality rates first began in Western Europe, where there were significant improvements in public health and hygiene. This led to a reduction in infectious diseases, which had been a major cause of death, and an increase in life expectancy.

Question 11

What country is likely to have the highest birth rates?

Accepted Answer

Mali is a developing country with a high fertility rate, averaging about 6 children per woman. Japanese birth rates have been declining for several years, while birth rates in the United States and Argentina are closer to the replacement rate.

Question 12

What country is likely to have the largest percent over the age of 65?

Accepted Answer

Japan is likely to have the largest percent over the age of 65. According to the World Bank, as of 2020, Japan had the highest proportion of people aged 65 and older in the world, at 28.8% of the total population.

Question 13

What phase of the demographic transition is characterized by both high birth and death rates, with stable slow population growth?

Accepted Answer

In the first phase of the demographic transition, both birth and death rates are high, resulting in stable slow population growth. As societies become more developed and advanced, they tend to move into the second and third phases, where birth rates eventually decline and population growth stabilizes. The fourth phase is characterized by low birth and death rates, resulting in slow or negative population growth.

Question 14

What phase of the demographic transition is marked by falling birth and death rates, and with slowing population growth?

Accepted Answer

The third phase of the demographic transition is marked by falling birth and death rates due to increased access to education and family planning, and with slowing population growth. This phase is characterized by a shift towards smaller family sizes and an aging population.

Question 15

What term describes the relative sizes of the working age and non-working age cohorts in a population?

Accepted Answer

The term that describes the relative sizes of the working age and non-working age cohorts in a population is the dependency ratio. The dependency ratio is calculated by dividing the number of people under the age of 15 and over the age of 65 (the non-working age cohorts) by the number of people between the ages of 15 and 65 (the working age cohort). A high dependency ratio (i.e. more non-working age people relative to working-age people) can put significant strain on a country's economy and social services.

Question 16

What is the Lewis Turning Point?

Accepted Answer

The Lewis Turning Point is the point at which the supply of cheap labor associated with the demographic dividend runs out. This means that the surplus labor from rural areas has been exhausted and wages start to rise, making it more expensive for employers. This can have significant impacts on economic growth and development.

Question 17

What occurrence, usually in the early and middle phases of the demographic transition, has been linked to increases in political instability and possibility of political violence?

Accepted Answer

A youth bulge, which refers to a significant increase in the proportion of the population that is aged 15-29, has been linked to increases in political instability and possibility of political violence. This group often faces high unemployment rates and little political representation, leading to frustration and potential for unrest.

Question 18

What is the fifth phase of the demographic transition?

Accepted Answer

The fifth phase of the demographic transition is characterized by very low birth and death rates leading to stable or decreasing population. This is often referred to as the "post-industrial" phase where high levels of education, access to healthcare, and increased economic opportunities lead to a decline in fertility rates.

Question 19

What country has the youngest median age and is likely between the second and third phases of the demographic transition?

Accepted Answer

Uganda has the youngest median age of 15 years old and is likely between the second and third phases of the demographic transition, characterized by a declining death rate and a high birth rate.

Quiz 3: Population Dynamics