Human Geography Chapter 1 what is geography description

Human Geography Chapter 1

what is geography? • “description of the earth” • a study of spatial variation – the how and why of physical & cultural differences – location, location – observable patterns that have evolved through time

-interaction of physical environment and human activity -cultural landscape can alter the natural environment

evolution of the discipline - mapping/human interpretation • Aristotle (384 -322 BC)-earth is spherical • Erathosthenes (276 BC)-Greek scholar”geo”=earth “graphy”=to write • Strabos (63 BC-24 AD)/Herodotus (484423 BC)

Ptolemy nd (2 century AD)

outside the western world • Chinese Scholars • Muslim Scholars

• • Where are people? What are they like? What is their interaction over space? What kinds of landscapes do they erect? human geography

physical geography • attention towards natural landscape – landforms and their distribution – atmospheric conditions and climatic patterns – soils / vegetation associations

modern geography…. . • 1. Climates, patterns, processes of physical environment • 2. Rapid development of natural sciences • 3. Accurate mapping • 4. Data collection / statistics

academic geography • • Earth science Man-land relations Areal differentiation Spatial organization – – – location processes patterns interactions/relations distributions

three concepts about space • Location • Direction • Distance

absolute location • Mathematical location – Latitude & Longitude • degrees, minutes, seconds – Township & Range (1785 Land Ordinance) • Subdivision: parallels & meridians • Topographic quadrangle, US Geological Survey – Metes & Bounds

latitude & longitude (22° 15' N, 114° 10‘ E)

relative location • “place” in relationship to surroundings

• Site – absolute location concept – physical & cultural characteristics • Topography, vegetation, water, physical characteristic

• Situation – external relations of locale – relative location concept – dynamic

absolute directions • Based on cardinal systems – north, south, east, west – from solar system

relative directions • Based on cultural & local perceptions – no absolute boundaries or definitions – “down south”, “out west”, “up north”, “down south”, “Near East”, “Far East”

absolute distance • Absolute mathematical mileage, or measurement of distance

relative distance • Refers to a more regional spatial relationship – how distance is described $$$ & TIME MILES MINUTES

psychological distance • Distance lengthened / shortened – first time traveled – night / day travel – safety / danger / excitement

size & scale • Size of unit studied • Scale implies degree of generalization – broad or narrow – Varying sizes • local • regional • global

landscapes • Natural • Cultural • Dynamic

multi-varied landscapes

process of change Before 1970 After development Long Island, New York

spatial interaction • Accessibility – how easy/difficult to overcome & space separation • Connectivity – how places are connected • Spatial diffusion – process of dispersion of ideas or items from a center of origin to more distant points • Globalization – Increasing interconnection of peoples and societies worldwide time

globalization • Standardization – $$$$, EU, time, United Nations • Containerization – movement of products – outsourcing • Intersection of the ‘haves’ & ‘have nots’ – cell phones, internet

spatial distribution • Arrangement of items on Earth’s surface • Three concepts

1. density • Measure of the number/quantity within a defined unit of areas – proportion • arithmetic • physiological density

2. dispersion (concentration) • Amount of spread of phenomenon over an area – 1. clustered, agglomerated – 2. dispersed, scattered, random

3. pattern • Emphasizes design rather than spacing – linear (a) – road, river, rail line – centralized (b) – city & suburbs – random (c) • Rectangular system of land survey - U. S. – rural: checkerboard, 1 mile squares – cities: grid system

regional concepts • 1. formal or uniform regions – Areas of essential uniformity • Physical or cultural • Sahara Desert, “Bible Belt”

2. functional region • spatial system defined by interactions/ connections Glendale Galleria Newspaper Route

3. perceptual regions • Less structured & more culturally based China Town The “Valley’

cartography – the science of making maps • Maps provide a visual tool • Maps are subjective • Map projections transfer locations on a round surface to a flat surface – some form of distortion always occurs – greater distortion results from larger areas depicted

global grid system

mathematics of the Earth • Aristotle (384 -322 BC) discovered the earth to be an oblate spheroid – Equatorial bulge 7926. 38 (7924) – Polar shortening 7899. 80 (7922) – 23. 5° axis (tilt)

seasons and climate • Earth’s rotation & movement around the sun • Tilt of the earth’s axis (23. 5°) • Receipt of solar radiation • Re-radiation of energy in the form of heat

the Earth’s divisions • Latitude lines – Equal distance between lines – Lines become increasingly smaller descending from the equator to poles • Longitude lines – Each line is the same exact length – All lines become increasingly close together as they descend to the poles

important lines of latitude • • • Equator: 0 degrees Tropic of Cancer: 23. 5 degrees North Tropic of Capricorn: 23. 5 degrees South Arctic Circle: 66. 5 degrees North Antarctic Circle: 66. 5 degrees South

important lines of longitude • Prime Meridian: 0 degrees (runs through Greenwich, England) • International Dateline: 180 degrees • Time Zones: every 15 degrees of longitude equals one hour

maps • Scale – the smaller the scale the greater the detail - for example one inch = mile is more detailed inch = one miles 1: 1 or 1: 100 • Legend – interprets map information one than one hundred

map projections & distortion • • Shape Distance Relative size Direction

Robinson map projection

Fuller’s Dymaxion projection

Topographical map

Thematic maps

Cartogram map

Geographical Information Systems

mental maps