BASICS OF GEOGRAPHY CHAPTER ONE What is geography

BASICS OF GEOGRAPHY CHAPTER ONE

What is geography? • Study of the distribution and interaction of physical and human features on earth • In other words, it is the study of how people interact with their physical surroundings and the effects of the environment on humans

five themes of geography • Location: where is it? Absolute and relative • Place: what is it like? • Region: how are places similar or different? • Movement: how do people, goods and ideas spread from one location to another • Human environment interaction: how do people relate to the physical world

location • Absolute- exact spot or place on earth where a geographic feature can be found • Hemisphere, equator, prime meridian latitude, longitude, use of grid system • EHS-- 33 N 82 W • Relative- where a place is located in relation to another place

Grid system

Relative location

Place: What is it like- includes physical and cultural features of a location (describe)

Region- how are places similar or different? (compare) • Formal- defined by limited number of related characteristics (physical and cultural) examples : US and Canada, Latin America, Sub-Saharan Africa • Functional- organized around a set of interactions and connections between places--- think of the relationship between a large city and its suburbs • Perceptual- people think/perceive of a region in much the same way--- think of Alaska– most would think of a cold wilderness—the last frontier

formal

functional

perceptual

movement • Linear- how far away is a place by actual physical distance Example: I live 4 miles away from EHS if I drive it • Time- how long it takes to travel a distance Example—it takes me 5 to 15 minutes to get to EHS depending on traffic • Psychological -- how do people perceive distance? Familiarity affects perception Think about the first time you go somewhere

Tools of the geographer • Globes • Map projections (page 18 -19) • Photographs, scale models • (information-charts, tables, graphs), satellite information……. . GIS, GPS • 5 themes help to organize information • Location, Place, Region, H-E-I, Movement

Cartographer

Modern tools • Satellites a. Landsat- series of satellites that survey earth and collect data b. GOES- geostationary operational environment satellite gathers weather information c. GIS-Geographic information system stores global information in a digital database d. GPS- global positioning system- uses a series of Navstar satellites to help determine absolute location developed by the military

Peruse through the geography skills handbook pages 14 -23 • Identify the following: • Reading a map- title, compass rose, legend, scale, symbols, and the use of colors • Projections-why use them? • Planar • Conical • compromise

three types of maps A. General reference 1. Physical map 2. Political map B. Thematic map 1. Qualitative 2. Cartogram 3. Flow-line C. navigational

Thematic map—US Civil War

Flow Line

Cartogram-depicting HIV in world

Navigational map