Geographic Theory Quantitative vs Qualitative data Quantitative Measuring

Geographic Theory

Quantitative vs. Qualitative data • Quantitative— Measuring how much of something (the quantity) • Qualitative— Measuring what something is like (the quality of it)

Environmental Determinism • von Humbolt and Carl Ritter (early 19 th century)--The belief that environment shapes how people live • Believed that warmer, equatorial climates led to lower levels of development • Prejudiced?

Cultural Ecology—Possibilism (early 20 th century) • The environment sets certain limitations, but then societies develop differently • Civilizations in the same climate will have similarities, but also differences

Regionalism (late 20 th century) • Each place, or region is unique, so theories like possibilism and environmental determinism are flawed • For example, Houston and Thailand will develop differently, even though they have the same basic climate

• (Flowers) The notion that the physical environment offers certain constraints and opportunities that greatly influence cultural practices is known as a) b) c) d) e) Assimilation Possibilism Diffusion Determinism Divergence

• Quiz next class! – On everything covered so far and your textbook. – 10 MC

Mapping lab!

Question #1 • Through which seven Latin American countries do the Andes Mountains run? • Venezuela, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Chile, Bolivia, Argentina