Quiz: Could You Pass an 8th-Grade Geography Test? We Bet You Can't

Remember eighth grade? You were navigating puberty, social dynamics that likely felt life-or-death, and all the other trials and tribulations of a 13- or 14-year-old—while also being expected to memorize a whole bunch of facts for regular tests and exams. How much of what you learned then do you remember? Does your knowledge of geography today rival what the average eighth grader is expected to know? Test it out with the quiz below.

How did you do? Did you manage to ace this test, or is it time to give your geography knowledge a refresh? Fortunately, we have lots of other geography quizzes to help you brush up on your knowledge. 

What Is Geography?

Geography is typically defined as both the study of places and of the relationships between people and their environments. In actuality, geography is a whole lot more than just memorizing the names of places on a map. This field is often divided into two parts: physical geography and human geography. Physical geographers often study soil, climate, landforms, and other attributes of the Earth. Human geographers, meanwhile, study human cultural, political, and economic systems. 

Geography has existed in some form since ancient times, but the human discipline of geography was first named by the Greeks some 2,000 years ago.  The term “geography” was coined by the Greek scholar Eratosthenes in the 3rd century BCE, and the word translates to “writing about the Earth.” Centuries later, in the 2nd century CE, Ptolemy’s Guide to Geography defined geography as “a representation in pictures of the whole known world together with the phenomena which are contained therein.”

The academic study of geography largely came together in the 19th and 20th centuries. Today, it encompasses the study of environments on Earth as well as the ways humans shape and influence them, and how the environment in turn influences humans. 

Why Is Geography Important? 

Geography is an especially important discipline in the era of climate change, when understanding the consequences of a rapidly changing climate—such as desertification, deforestation, and biodiversity loss—is essential for understanding the present and planning for the future. Much more than memorizing names on a map, geography is ultimately an exploration of how the place that we humans live in affects our lives and civilizations on massive scales. 

Eighth graders aren’t necessarily taught all this. They are, however, typically expected to develop an understanding of where the world’s nations and their capitals are located. They are also often taught how to read and understand maps. Additionally, they are generally taught about how changes in the environment have influenced conflict and migration in ancient and modern cultures. 

Developing an early understanding of geography is critical in helping young people become informed adults able to understand how connected humans are to our environment. Understanding the shape, size, and scale of the world can also help people make more informed decisions about who to vote for and which issues to care about. All in all, whether you’re 13 or 83, it’s quite important to know your geography—so feel free to brush up with one of the quizzes below!