Download Intro to Geography

Discovering
the Earth
Themes of Geography
What is geography?
 The study of the Earth.
– The word geography comes from two Greek
words.
• Ge – meaning “earth”
• Graphein – meaning “to write”
A World of Environments
 Environment – all of the surroundings of a
place, including land and water.
– All of the weather patterns, plants, and
animals living in a place.
– Name examples of different environments.
Bodies of Water
 70% of the Earth’s surface is covered by
water.
– Most of the water lies in one giant body of
water, which is split into four salt water
oceans.
• Atlantic – from the Greek word “Atlas”
(Mythological Giant)
• Pacific – from the Latin word “Pax” (Peace)
• Indian – from the Persian word “Hindu” (India)
• Arctic – from the Greek word “arktas” (bear)
Oceans of the World
 The world has four major oceans.
 Atlantic Arctic
ocean
 Pacific
 Arctic
 Indian
Pacific
ocean
Atlantic
ocean
Indian
ocean
Fresh Water Supply
 Found within landmasses
 Rivers – carry water into oceans
 Lakes – completely surrounded by land
– What are the largest freshwater lakes named?
What continent are they located on?
Different Landforms
 Only 30% of the Earth is covered by land.
 Landforms vary in different parts of the
world.
– Examples: mountains, plains, hills, desert, etc.
 What is the largest continent?
 What is the smallest continent?
Earth’s Vegetation
 Vegetation – natural plant life of a region.
 Learning from a Gazetteer
– A list of places that hold geographical
significance.
• Gives the exact locations and descriptions of these
locations
Climates of the World
 Many Different Climates
– Climate – weather pattern an area has over a
period of time.
• How many different climates are found in the U.S.?
– Precipitation – moisture that falls in the form of
rain or snow.
– The amount of precip. an area receives is an
important factor in the climate.
Latitude and Climate
 Latitude – how far north or south from the
equator a region is located.
– Latitude is shown on a map with lines going
east and west.
– The hottest climates, also known as tropical
climates, are found in low latitudes (closest to
the equator).
Latitude and Climate, cont.
 Climates consisting of cold winters and
warm summers are found in middle
latitudes and are also called temperate
climates (much of North America and
Europe are temperate climates.
 Polar Climates – are the coldest climates
and are found mostly in the high latitudes
near the North and South Poles.
Altitude and Climate
 Altitude – height above sea level.
– High altitude is another factor in cold climate
areas.
– Two areas can be at the same latitude and have
different climates if one area is at a higher
altitude.
• Example – Washington D.C. (close to sea level)
and Pikes Peak, Colorado (alt. 14,110 ft.) are
approximately the same latitude, but Pikes Peak
has a much colder climate than Washington D.C.
Currents and Climate
 Currents – water flowing through the
oceans.
– Warm Currents – flow from the equator
toward the poles.
• Warm the air above and cause warmer temp.
– Cold Currents – flow from the polar regions
toward the equator
Climate’s Influence
 Plant Life
– Plant life is dependent on the climate in order
to grow.
• Ex. Bananas can only grow in tropical climates.
 Animal Life
– Animals adapt to their climate in order to
survive.
– Certain animals cannot live in environments
that are extremely hot or extremely cold.
Earth’s Resources
 Natural Resources – something in nature
that is useful to humans.
– Water, air, soil, sunlight, animals.
 Using minerals
– Minerals – natural resources that are reached
by digging into the earth.
• Two types of minerals: Metals and Nonmetals.
Minerals
 Metals – mostly are hard and shiny.
– Iron, nickel, and copper.
 Nonmetals
– Salt, oil, and natural gas.
– How are minerals important for our daily
activities?
Preserving Earth’s Resources
 Renewable Resources – can be replaced or
rebuild themselves.
– Renewable resources must be protected in
order to keep them in good condition –
pollution could destroy some of these
resources.
• Sunlight, air, soil, water, plants, and animals.
– Nonrenewable Resources – resources that
cannot be renewed or replaced.
People and the Earth
 People throughout the world must adjust to
and deal with the resources, climates,
landforms, and vegetation that are provided
in their region.
Understanding Latitude and
Longitude
 Lines measuring location
– Latitude – EW, also known as parallels.
• Measures location in degrees north and south of the equator.
• The equator is at 0 degrees latitude.
– Longitude – NS, also known as meridians
• Measures location in degrees east and west.
The prime meridian is at 0 degrees longitude.
- Grid – pinpoints exact location by showing where the
degrees of longitude and latitude cross at the specific
location.
Where is 0 degree?
 The equator is 0 degree latitude.
 It is an imaginary belt that runs
halfway point between the North Pole
and the South Pole.
Equator
P
M
E
R
R
I I
D
M
I
The prime meridian
E Ais 0 degrees
longitude. This imaginary
line runs
N
Where is 0 degree?

through the United Kingdom, France,
Spain, western Africa, and Antarctica.
All People Have a Culture
 Meeting basic needs.
– Basic needs around the world are the same:
• Water, food, clothing, and shelter
– Culture – the way of life belonging to a group
of people, including the way people live,
think, believe, and feel
– Customs – social habits or ways of living in a
group.
– Cultures and customs influence the way
people meet their basic needs.
– Climate is another influence in determining
how people meet their basic needs.
Living and Working Together
 Over 3,000 different languages throughout
the world.
 Society – a group of people bound together
by the same culture.
 Societies vary in how they produce goods,
from very simple ways to very complex
methods.
Values and Culture
 Values – the beliefs that guide the way
people live.
– Cultural values determine how people act,
their morals, and what is important in that
culture.
 Government – est. form of ruling.
 Religion – a belief in God or gods; there
are thousands of very different religions
throughout the world.
 Values are an important part of government
and religion.
The Legacy of Different
Cultures
 Legacy – traditions that have developed
over time.
– Handed down from one generation to the next.
– Many cultures have unique legacies.
How Early People Lived
 The Earth and Early People
– Ice Age – millions of years of long cold per.
• Nearly ¼ of the earth was covered by glaciers, or
sheets of ice.
• People began living in groups and left behind
traces of their lives.
– Old Stone Age – first stage of human life
which began about two million years ago and
ended 10,000 years ago.
• People made tools from stone.
• Used fire for warmth and cooking
A Story of the OSA
 Nomads – people that traveled from place
to place in search of food and had no
permanent homes.
 People that lived in the Old Stone Age
were nomads as a way of survival. This
was a time when people were learning how
to work together.
Hunting and Gathering
 Stones and sticks were carved into knives, spear
points, and spear-throwers for hunting, scrapers
for cleaning animal skins, and axes for cutting up
meat.
 Hunting did not always provide enough food to
live on, so gathering was used as an additional
source of food.
 Gatherers found plants, berries, nuts, fruits, and
roots that could be eaten.
The Beginning of Culture
 Unique cultures, languages, and beliefs were
developed by the people of the OSA.
 Different ways to meet basic needs. Food,
clothing, shelter, language, religion.
 People used language to develop aspects of their
lives, such as religion, values, customs, and
skills. Language helped cultures spread fast.
The Beginning of Village Life
 End of Two Ages
– Ice Age and OSA ended around 8,000 B.C.
– Climate on earth began to warm and G melted.
– Farming was started as the climate warmed
and land was uncovered.
– The food supply increased and people could
live in one place and farm the land.
– Beginning of New Stone Age.
New Stone Age
 Began around 8,000 B.C.
 The beginning of civilization.
– Culture that has developed government,
religion, and learning.
 Animals were domesticated, or tamed, to
be used for meat, milk, hides, and for
working.
The First Villages
 People learned to cultivate and prepare the
land for farming.
 Farming the land and raising animals =
food supply = one place = villages.
 Villages were built near rivers.
Specialization
 People began developing skills and started
to specialize in different trades.
 Specialize – people are trained to do a
particular kind of work.
 Examples.
– Farmers provided food.
– Weavers provided clothing.
– Artisans were crafts workers.
– Different Buildings (Wood and Clay)
The Growth of Technology
 Technology – the use of skills and tools
that serve human needs.
 Technology advanced in the NSA.
 Ex. – pottery as food containers.
– No longer needed baskets or stones.
How do we know about the
past?
 History and Prehistory
 History – the record of what has happened in the
past.
– Learn about history from written and oral records.
 Prehistory – the period of time before writing
began.
– We learn about prehistoric people by studying artifacts.
 Artifacts – objects that were made by people long
ago. – How do we keep track of things now?
The Science of Archaeology
 Archaeology – the study of the remains of
past cultures.
 Archaeologists dig for artifacts to study
about prehistoric people.
The Historian’s Craft
 Primary sources – first-hand records of an
event.
 Secondary sources – writings about past
events that are based on information from
primary sources.