Introduction to AP Human Geography Mr Stepek Geography

Introduction to AP Human Geography Mr. Stepek

Geography thru history • Eratosthenes (“Father of Geography”) • “geography” from the Greek • “geo” = Earth • “graph” = to write or describe • geography = “to write about or describe the Earth” • calc. Earth’s circumference within. 5% accuracy • idea of climate zones • Aristotle • Earth is a sphere, natural process, hotter by equator • Ptolemy • wrote Guide to Geography (“Geographica”) an 8 -volume series detailing the cities and peoples of the Earth. • “codified” (made laws for) mapmaking • Strabo • also wrote a descriptive history of known people and places

Map scale (relationship of distance on a map to that in reality) • Expressed in terms of words, fraction, ratio, or bar scale • Large scale = small area • Small scale = large area

Scale (“level of analysis”) • Over what “scale” would these environmental problems be analyzed? • Acid rain (factories produce sulfur which drops elsewhere) • NATIONAL or REGIONAL • Garbage, landfill, recycling, etc. • LOCAL • Climate change • GLOBAL

“level of aggregation”/ “generalization” (over what “spatial unit” are you analyzing a phenomenon)

Models: Abstract generalization to help explain a common pattern. Spatial models show commonalities in the patterns on landscapes Non-spatial models show a pattern on other than a map. Qualitative vs. Quantitative analysis • “qualitative” refers to information about subjective characteristics (softness, beauty, feelings); information that can't actually be measured. • “quantitative” refers to data that can be measured and written down with numbers.

“Mapping a 3 -dimensional world on a 2 dimensional surface” = Map Projections Method Goal • “Equal area” – relative sizes of landmasses are maintained, but shape is often grossly distorted. • “Conformal” – shapes of landmasses and local direction maintained while sacrificing accurate size.

Azimuthal or Planar Projections

Mercator Projection (1569)

Classic size distortion example: South America vs. Greenland

Gall-Peters Projection

Goode’s homolosine “Interrupted” projection

Robinson Projection

All projections have some degree of distortion: size, shape, distance, or direction

Map legend/key • For analysis purposes special attention MUST be placed on the map index or legend • Identifies scale • Identifies symbols • Identifies color coding

Thematic Types of Maps: choropleth • unit is assigned color • best = use shades of same color • darker = greater occurrence of the phenomenon being analyzed • strength • shows dominance of a trait • weakness • level of aggregation/generalization must be considered. • could give false conclusion • must compare “apples to apples”

Thematic Types of Maps: dot maps • dots indicate the # of occurrences in a given area • Best for raw data, not ratios or normalized data • Snow video = early use of GIS • can be described using the three properties of a distribution

Thematic Types of Maps: isoline • similar data is connected by lines • always used for elevation • ex: barometric pressure on weather maps • Data bands assigned colors = isopleth

Thematic Types of Maps: flow line maps Shows movement of people, information, and goods between places

Types of Maps: Topographic Reflects the Earth’s physical features (terrain, elevation)

Graphs in the form of “maps”: Cartograms • Distorts size of a map units to allow comparison of data. • more of a “graph” concept than a map = graph in map form

2008 Election Results

Five Themes of Geography • Location • • • Place • • Region • • Interaction • Movement Where? (most basic question) How can this location be described? With what other locations does this place share certain characteristics? How have humans and the environment affected each other in this location? • How has this location been affected by the flow of people, goods and ideas?

Five Themes of Geography mnemonic • Movement • Region • Location • Interaction • Place = “Mr. Lip”

Two ways to describe a “location” • Absolute or “Exact” location • Using latitude and longitude • Another type = street addresses, “townships”

Two ways to describe a “location” • Relative location • where something is, in reference to someplace else. • “Illinois is south of Wisconsin” • San Francisco is 350 miles north of L. A. • can hint at the importance of a location

Location Tools • GPS (Global Positioning System) • uses satellites to pinpoint location, direction, velocity

Location Tools (continued) • GIS (geographic info. system) • permits storage/analysis of data in layers • Ghost Map (Snow/Cholera) • Remote sensing • collect data with tools while physically distant from the area.

Place: how can a location be described? Physical • toponym = place name • Michigan = “large water” • “Half Day Road” • climate and vegetation • see GR #37 and #38 People

Koppen’s climate classification

Place: how can a location be described? Physical • toponym = place name • climate and vegetation • see GR #37 and #38 • terrain/landform • mountainous, flat, coastal • built landscape • type and density of construction People • toponyms • • England = “Land of the Angles” “New England” “Greektown” What do the toponyms of San Diego, San Francisco, Los Angeles tell you about California? • demographics • population/cultural stats • • ethnicity, language, religion age & gender, birth rates economic stats density (a property of distribution)

Distribution: use special terms to describe spatial relationships and their organization • Density: how often an object occurs within a given area or space (used often with population) • Arithmetic or population density • occurrence of a phenomenon or population / total area

“Arithmetic” or “Population” Density

“Arithmetic” or “Population” Density

“Arithmetic” or “Population” Density

“Arithmetic” or “Population” Density

“Arithmetic” or “Population” Density

“Arithmetic” or “Population” Density

Physiological density = • pop. / unit of arable (farmable) land • If all other factors are held constant it is a rough measure of the ability of area to feed its population • related to the concept of carrying capacity

“Physiological” Density

Physiological density = • pop. / unit of arable (farmable) land • If all other factors are held constant it is a rough measure of the ability of area to feed its population • related to the concept of carrying capacity

Agricultural density • = farmers / arable land • measures farming efficiency/modernization • consequently – it shows development! • High = many farmers, by hand, low tech = less development • Low = few farmers, lots of machinery = more developed

Distribution: use special terms to describe spatial relationships and their organization GR 35 • Density: how often an object occurs within a given area or space (used often with population) • Concentration: refers to the proximity over the area in which an item is spread. • Cluster/agglomeration = close together • Dispersed/scattered = spread out

Distribution: use special terms to describe spatial relationships and their organization GR 35 • Density: • Concentration: • Pattern: how things are geometrically organized within their space. • Linear = along a straight line (any other descriptive shape as well) • Circular, grid pattern, U-shaped, L-shaped, etc. • Random = no discernible pattern

Region: commonalities between places (GR 24) • 3 ways to discuss region • Formal or uniform = homogeneous characteristics • area where everybody speaks the same language • uniform terrain or physical features • jurisdictions (everyone is subject to same laws)

Formal regions

Region: commonalities between places • 3 ways to discuss region • Functional or nodal = organized around a central point. • market areas are the best example • Radio stations, zip codes, delivery areas, etc.

Functional region

Region: commonalities between places • 3 ways to discuss region • Perceptual or vernacular = based on a person’s cultural identity, shared values, cultural landscape, “in our minds” = mental map • Midwest, “Rust Belt”, “Middle America” • South, “Bible Belt”, “Deep South” • Neighborhood designations

Perceptual or vernacular regions

Perceptual regions are often contradictory

Region: commonalities between places • 3 ways to discuss region • Perceptual or vernacular = based on a person’s cultural identity, shared values, cultural landscape, “in our minds” = mental map • Midwest, “Rust Belt”, “Middle America” • South, “Bible Belt”, “Deep South” • Neighborhood designations • https: //www. dnainfo. com/chicago/20150928/loop/this-is-wherechicagoans-say-borders-of-their-neighborhoods-are

Cultural ecology • The geographic study of humanenvironmental relationships • Two main ideas: • Environmental determinism vs. possibilism • Distribute handout summary. • Play video: • https: //www. youtube. com/watch? v=Zs. ZBn. Hxu 95 w

Movement of people = migration (Unit 2) Movement of ideas/culture = “diffusion” (Unit 3) hearth = place of origination 1) Relocation diffusion spread through migration 2) Expansion diffusion = spread without physical relocation, snow ball effect as more people/area exposed a) Contagious • fast, widespread to those in contact or adjacent (like disease) b) Hierarchical • spread through nodes of power or influence or authority

Movement (of ideas/culture = “diffusion”) hearth = place of origination 1) Relocation diffusion spread thru migration 2) Expansion diffusion = spread without physical relocation, snow ball effect as more people/area exposed a) Contagious • fast, widespread to those in contact or adjacent (like disease) b) Hierarchical • spread through nodes of power or influence or authority c) Stimulus • underlying principles/idea spread but not end product

Movement (of ideas/culture = “diffusion”) • Barriers to diffusion • physical and cultural barriers • distance • “distance decay” (Tobler’s Law) • Time-space compression • reduction of time it takes for diffusion • especially quickened by technology (adv. trans, telecomm. , the internet)

Globalization set of processes that are: - increasing interactions - deepening relationships - heightening interdependence without regard to country borders set of outcomes that are: - unevenly distributed - varying across scales - differently manifested throughout the world.

“Site and Situation” • site = what gives a location its distinctive character (land, labor and capital) (combines absolute location w/place characteristics) • situation = how the “site” factors give this location importance (what connections does it facilitate? what advantages does the site factor give? ) (relative location and movement) • London • Site: • island • North Atlantic • Thames River = estuary • Situation • protected from invasion • ideal for triangular trade • 1530 = 50, 000 • 1750 = 750, 000

New York City “Site and Situation” Site Situation • island • • large, natural, deep-water harbor • • Atlantic coast • mouth of Hudson River • ideal for shipping • docks numerous and protected connect to Europe • triangular trade, connects to the interior • Erie Canal (1825) • before RRs • ship through Great Lakes • access to raw materials • center of commerce and trade • overtakes Philly as largest port • fresh water supply for huge pop.

New York City “Site and Situation”