Part of a geography series which stresses understanding of the environment through mastery of specific skills and concepts, the secondary level textbook examines how and why different environments have changed through time. The book is presented in eight chapters organized around the three main themes of change in local areas, land use, and the impact of ideas on land use. Chapters I and II describe recent attempts to increase the level of development and improve the standard of living in Tanzania and in the Kaira District of India. Chapters III and IV cite recent intensive development which has occurred in outback Australia as a result of mining, irrigation development, and scientific research. Chapters V and VI investigate the nature and process of development of the United States from 1607-1900 and provide case studies of farmers in North Carolina, Pennsylvania, and Iowa. Chapter VII traces the changes which followed the introduction of communism in eastern Europe. The final chapter suggests questions and activities for evaluating student skills and understandings of textual material. The format of each chapter generally includes background information, illustrations, maps, graphs, and discussion questions in addition to activities such as role playing, surveys, library research, map work, class reports, and written essay assignments. Cognitive, affective, and psychomotor objectives are presented in the introduction. (Author/DB)