Download visual vocabulary geography!

Visual
Vocabulary!
Geography
Discuss this term in your
group and see if you can
determine why it was an
important factor
throughout American
Geography – The study
of the spatial aspects of
earth and the people
who live on it.
Geography is actually two
words; Geo and Graph. Geo
literally means “Earth,” and
Graph is a drawing or a visual
representation of something.
Literally, then, Geography
means “a drawing of the
Earth!”
With a little help, here’s a guy
practicing his “geography!”
Climate – The average
weather pattern of a region
over a period of time. In this
region of Texas, our climate
is warm and moist. In New
England, the climate is cold
and moist.
Environment –
Surroundings that
include physical, social,
and cultural conditions.
The term environment gets
used to describe conditions
both indoors and outdoors.
Sometimes it’s used to talk
about pollution or other
negative conditions, but we
can use it simply to describe
what we see.
A rugged
environment!
The transPecos area
in the
Mountains
and Basins
region of
Texas!
Topography – The physical
features of an environment;
words like “flat,”
“mountainous,” “hilly,” or
“forested” describe the
topography of a region.
Location – The position
of a place on the earth’s
surface.
(Answers the question “Where is it?”)
Note – two kinds of location…absolute location and relative
location; we’ll get to more specific definitions in a minute!
Look! It’s
right over
there!
Absolute Location describes the location
of something on the surface of the earth
using coordinates of Longitude and
Latitude.
Coordinates of Longitude describe points
that run parallel to the equator in degrees
east and west of the Prime Meridian.
Coordinates of Latitude describe points
that run parallel to the Prime Meridian in
degrees north and south of the equator.
Relative Location describes the
location of your mom. Uhh..I’m
sorry; that’s the location of a
relative, MY BAD! Actually, relative
location is the position of one place
compared to the location of
another place!
Pasadena
.
For
example,
let’s say you
didn’t know
where
Galveston
was, so you
asked me,
“Where’s
Galveston?”
League City
.
Well, you obviously
KNOW where
League City is
(since you’re
there!), so I tell
you “Galveston is
about 45 miles
south southeast of
here!” THAT is a
relative location!
Region – An area that is
unified by one or more
common characteristics.
Texas has four main
regions: The Coastal
Plains (where we live);
Coastal
Plains
Each region is defined by it’s
environment; the Coastal Plains are
mostly flat, fairly wet and warm and
exist at low to moderate elevations.
Movement – People
interacting across the
globe – included
migration, transportation,
and trade.
If not for movement, most
of us wouldn’t be here!
Push-Pull
Factor(s)
Factors that cause movement;
a “pull factor” draws a person
to a new place (better job,
nicer home, etc.) and a “push
factor” forces someone to
move (war, famine,
persecution, etc.)
Economic Activity – What
people do to make a
living. Economic activity,
especially in colonial
times, was dictated by
topography and climate.
Very most important!
“Geography dictates
economy!” In colonial America
(in fact, up and including the Civil
War), the climate, environment and
topography dictated how people
earned a living, leading to…..
Wait for it…
Wait for it…
Wait for it…
Sectionalism!
The idea and attitude that the
way of life in one region is
superior to that of another,
causing friction and tension
between the regions.