Thinking Geographically Introduction to AP Human Geography It

Thinking Geographically Introduction to AP Human Geography: It all begins…….

What is Human Geography anyway? • I. Word coined by Eratosthenes • Geo = Earth • Graphia = writing • Geography thus means “earth writing” • II. What it is. . And what is isn’t. . ? ? ? • It is NOT a discipline in simply rote memorization of places, and natural features. . • It is an in-depth, analytical study of “why” people, places and things are where they are, how they interact with the natural environment, AND how they interact with each other. . .

Case Study: • Big Mac Attack

Essential Questions: • Key Issue #1: How do geographers describe where things are? • Key Issue #2: Why is each point on the earth unique? • Key Issue #3: Why are different places similar?

Five Themes of Geography • Geographers use the 5 Themes of Geography to study and learn about the world. They include: • Location • Place • Human Environment Interaction • Movement • Regions

How do geographers describe where things are? • Maps: • What is it? Why use it? • Scale- Large vs. Small

How do Geographers Describe a Place? • Projection • Shape • Size • Distance • Direction • Most Commonly Used Projections: • Mercator • Robinson • Advantages and Disadvantages of each

How do geographers describe a place? • Satellite Based Imagery: • GPS • http: //media. defenceindustrydaily. co m/images/PUB_How_GPS_Works_ lg. jpg • Remote Sensing • GIS

Why is each point on Earth unique? A. Place: Unique Location of a Feature 1. Toponym is the name given to a place on Earth 1. Site is the physical character of a place. Includes climate, water sources, topography, soil, vegetation, latitude, and elevation

Site: Lower Manhattan Island Fig. 1 -6: Site of lower Manhattan Island, New York City. There have been many changes to the area over the last 200 years.

Why is each point on Earth unique? 3. Situation : The location of a place relative to other places. Situation helps us find an unfamiliar place by comparing its location with a familiar one. Situation, also, helps us understand the importance of a location. What is the situation of Phoenixville?

Situation: Singapore Fig. 1 -7: Singapore is situated at a key location for international trade.

Downtown Singapore

Why is each point on Earth unique? 4. Mathematical location: 5. http: //geographyworldonline. com/tutori al/practice. html Latitude Longitude Prime Meridian Time Zones

World Geographic Grid Fig. 1 -8: The world geographic grid consists of meridians of longitude and parallels of latitude. The prime meridian ( 0º) passes through Greenwich, England.

World Time Zones Fig. 1 -9: The world’s 24 standard time zones each represent about 15° of longitude. They are often depicted using the Mercator projection.

Why is each point on Earth unique? B. Regions: Areas of Unique Characteristics 1. What is meant by cultural landscape? 2. Types of Regions Functional Formal Vernacular

Formal and Functional Regions Fig. 1 -11: The state of Iowa is an example of a formal region; the areas of influence of various television stations are examples of functional regions.

Vernacular Regions Fig. 1 -12: A number of features are often used to define the South as a vernacular region, each of which identifies somewhat different boundaries.

Why is Each Point on Earth Unique? • What is meant by spatial association? http: //images. slideplayer. com/2/71 9530/slides/slide_25. jpg • What is culture? • How does culture contribute to spatial association?

Why is each point on the earth unique? • Cultural Ecology: Determinism vs. Possibilism • • Climate Vegetation Soil Landforms

Why are different places similar? 1. Globalization: The Good and the Bad… 1. Economy 2. Culture

Distribution: Density, Concentration, & Pattern 2. Distribution of features Density is the frequency with which something occurs in space Concentration is the extent of a feature’s spread over space Pattern is the geometric arrangement of objects in space Fig. 1 -18: The density, concentration, and pattern (of houses in this example) may vary in an area or landscape.

Density and Concentration of Baseball Teams, 1952 & 2007 Fig. 1 -19: The changing distribution of North American baseball teams illustrates the differences between density and concentration.

U. S. Baseball Teams, 1952 Fig. 1 -19: Baseball teams were highly concentrated in the Northeast and Midwest in 1952.

U. S. Baseball Teams, 2007 Fig. 1 -19: By 2007, U. S. baseball teams were much more dispersed than in 1952, and their number and density at a national level had increased.

Why are different places similar? Spatial Interaction: How do regions affect each other? a) Space-time compression a) Distance decay

Why are different places similar? a) Diffusion