Unit 1 – The Basics Of Geography

Unit 1 – The Basics of GeographyChapter 1The Five Themes of GeographyPage 5

Geography comes from the Greekword geographia, which means todescribe the earth.Geography is the study of thedistribution and interaction ofphysical and human features onthe earth.

What are the five themes of geography?1. Location—Where is it?2. Place—What is it like?3. Region—How are places similar ordifferent?4. Movement—How do people, goods,and ideas move from one location toanother?5. Human-Environment Interaction—Howdo people relate to the physical world?

LocationGeographers describe location in twoways Absolute location is the exact place onearth where a geographic feature isfound.Relative location describes a place incomparison to other places around it.

Absolute LocationBennettsville is located at34 37′17″N 79 41′5″W / 34.62139 N 79.68472 W / 34.62139; -79.68472

The relative location of Sullivan’s Island is that it is between the Isle of Palms andCharleston.

LocationA grid system of imaginary lines areused to place something exactly onthe earth’s surface.Hemisphere is half of the globe orearth.

Northern Hemisphere of the planet Earth

LocationThe equator is the imaginary linethat divides the north and southhemispheres.The prime meridian is theimaginary line diving the earth eastto west. The line runs throughGreenwich, England.

LocationLatitude Lines are a set ofimaginary lines that run parallel tothe equator, and that are used inlocating places north or south. TheEquator is labeled the zero-degreeline for latitude.

Lines of LatitudeA set of imaginary lines that run parallel to the equator, and that areused in locating places north or south. The equator is labeled the zerodegree line for latitude.

LocationLongitude lines are a set ofimaginary lines that go around theearth over the poles, dividing iteast and west. The prime meridianis labeled the zero-degree line forlongitude.

Longitude LinesLongitude lines are a set of imaginary lines that go around the earth overthe poles, dividing it east and west. The prime meridian is labeled thezero-degree line for longitude.

PlaceWhat is it like?The theme of place includes thephysical features and culturalcharacteristics of a location.All locations on earth have featuresthat set them apart, such asclimate, landforms, and vegetation.

RegionHow are places similar or different?A region is an area of the earth’s surfacewith similar characteristics.Geographers categorize regions in threeways: formal, functional, and perceptionalregions.

RegionA formal region is defined by alimited number of relatedcharacteristics.Examples of formal regions: TheUnited States and Canada/Europe/Africa/East Asia.

RegionFunctional Regions are organizedaround a set of interactions andconnections between places.Example: a city and its suburbs

RegionFunctional Regions have aconnection or connections.A city and its suburbs are afunctional region. People getjobs in the cities but live in thesuburbs near the cities.What connects cities andsuburbs?Highways, commuter railroads,subways, and bus lines takepeople back and forth betweena city and its suburbs.

RegionPerceptual Regions are regions inwhich people perceive, or see, thecharacteristics of the region in thesame way.

RegionAn example of perceptualregion would be the Midwestof the United States.People may perceivedifferently where a perceptualregion begins. Some peoplebelieve the Midwest begins inOhio. Others believe theregion begins in the middle ofIllinois.

Human-Environment InteractionHow do people relate to thephysical world?Human-Environment Interactiontakes a look at how humans relateto their environment.

Human-Environment InteractionHow is this picturedifferent from

Human-Environment Interaction this picture? Are there any similarities?

Human-Environment InteractionPeople learn to use what their environmentgives them, and they learn to change thatenvironment to meet their needs.Some people may look at a hot, sunny climate near abody of water and use it for recreational activities.Others may see a hot, sunny climate near a body ofwater as a great place for growing citrus, olive, orgrape crops.

MovementHow do people, goods, and ideas move fromone location to another location?This question refers to movement.There are three ways to look at movement viadistance:linear distancetime distancepsychological distance

MovementLinear Distance is how far across the earth a person, an idea, or a product travels.Here is a map of theGreat Silk Road TradeRoute. This is anexample of lineardistance. In this case,the product silk traveledfrom China todestinations of the thenknown world.Physical geography can affect linear distance by forcing a shift in a route to avoidimpassable land or water.

MovementTime distance is the amount of time it takes for a person, an idea, or a product totravel. Modern inventions have shortened time distances. It is painfully apparent that ahorse-drawn carriage is slower than a modern van.

MovementPsychological Distance is the way people view distance. Studies show that, as webecome familiar with a place, we think it is closer than it actually is. Less familiarplaces seem to be further away.Psychologicaldistance mayinfluence decisionsabout manydifferent humanactivities.

The Geographer’s ToolsAround 255 B.C., Eratosthenes drove a stake into the ground atthe mouth of the Nile River in Alexandria, Egypt. Then thennoted the angle of the shadow cast by the stake. Meanwhile,another person drove a stake into the ground at Syene, Egypt.This stake cast no shadow.Later, Eratosthenes calculated the circumference of the earthusing the angle of the first shadow and the distance betweenSyene and Alexandria. He was only off about 15%, which is aremarkable accomplishment given the simple tools Eratosthenesused.Eratosthenes was one of the earliest geographers to usetools and critical thinking to measure and describe theearth.What are the tools in a geographer’s toolbox?

The Geographer’s ToolsA geographer’s tools include maps, globes,and data that can be displayed in a variety ofways.A map’s function is to show locations ofplaces, landforms, and bodies of water, andwhere they are in relation to other parts ofthe earth.Two or Three dimension toolsGlobe – a three-dimensional representationof the earth.Map – two-dimensional graphicrepresentation of selected parts of the earth’ssurface.Advantage of a map – it is easier to carry thana globe.Disadvantage of a map – distortion occurs asthe earth’s surface is flattened to create themap.

The Geographer’s ToolsCartographer – MapmakerA cartographer can reduce some types ofdistortion in maps by using different typesof map projections.Map Projection – a way of drawing theearth’s surface that reduces distortioncaused by presenting a round earth on flatpaper.What are the three types of maps?General reference mapsThematic mapsNavigational mapsOne type of general reference map iscalled a topographic map, which is arepresentation of natural and man-madefeatures on the earth.Topographic map of Greenland

The Geographer’s ToolsThematic maps emphasize specific kindsof information, such as climate orpopulation density.The thematic map to the right showsthe languages and minority religions ofIndia.

The Geographer’s ToolsNavigation maps are used bysailors and pilots.

The Geographer’s ToolsThe Science of MapmakingA cartographer decides what type of map to create by considering how the map will beused. Keeping that purpose in mind, he or she then determines how much detail to showand what size the map should be.Surveying – The first step in making a map is to complete a field survey.Surveyors observe, measure, and record what they see in a specific area.Remote sensing, or the gathering of geographic information from a distance by aninstrument that is not physically in contact with the mapping site, is done today. Thesedata are gathered primarily by aerial photography or by satellites.The information is recorded and converted to a greyimage. Cartographers use the data and software toconstruct maps.Types of data:ElevationDifferences in land coverVariations in temperature

The Geographer’s ToolsSatellites are relied upon to provide geographic data.Landsat is actually a series of satellites that orbit more than 100 miles above Earth.Each time a satellite makes an orbit, it picks up data in an area 115 miles wide. Landsatcan scan the entire Earth in 16 days.Geostationary Operational Environment Satellite (GOES) is a weather satellite. Thissatellite flies in orbit in sync with Earth’s rotation. By doing so, it always views thesame area. It gathers images of atmospheric conditions that are useful in forecastingthe weather.

The Geographer’s ToolsThe newest tool in the geographer’s toolbox is Geographic Information Systems(GIS).GIS stores informationabout the world in adigital database. GIS hasthe ability to combineinformation from avariety of sources anddisplay it in ways thatallow the user tovisualize the use ofspace in different ways.When using a GIS, geographers must decide upon what sort of geographic informationwould help them examine a problem. Next, they select the appropriate layers ofinformation. The GIS creates a composite map combining the information.

The Geographer’s ToolsThe Global PositioningSystem (GPS) wasdeveloped to help themilitary know exactlywhere its forces werelocated.GSP uses a series of 24satellites calledNavstars.

Unit 1 – The Basics of Geography Chapter 1 The Five Themes of Geography Page 5 . Geography comes from the Greek word geographia, which means to describe the earth. Geography is the study of the distrib