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The Royal Geographical Society (RGS) in 1830 was established in London and in 1859 received the royal charter from Queen Victoria. The purpose was to explore ‘unknown’ lands for the purpose of scientific investigations and to share discoveries of the exploration with other geographers. The society was established in order to advance Geography as a subject and science it is viewed as vital in shaping the past and future of Geography. The society was also a heavy influence in establishing Geography as an actual academic subject when Oxford ratified a readership of Geography in 1887 (Bonnett, 2008). This essay will discuss the influence the Royal Geographical Society (with the institute of British Geographers) had on the history of geography and how that in turn has formed and shaped the geography of today.

Throughout time geography is viewed as a changing subject, before the Royal Geographical Society was established, many dining clubs were formed that would ignite the start of such a society. The members of the African association formed in 1788 consisted of men with similar political and liberal views. The members had a particular interest in Africa, their sole purpose was to hold scientific investigations and explorations of little known lands. Another dining club that formed in 1827 called the Raleigh club, a group of “hardy and experienced explorers”, each member would represent countries or a country of their exploration and together would be able to embody the whole world. A member of the Raleigh club, John Barrow in 1830 formed the Royal Geographical Society with the aspiration to gather and publish new geographical information, with the aims to create advantages for mankind. Roderick Murchison who later became the presiden...

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