Download Thinking about Place PPt

Toponym = Place Name
What do toponyms tell us about a particular location? - and the
people who gave it the name!
Looking at the toponyms for these two counties in Colorado, what
can you learn about the people who named the towns, counties,
rivers, etc.?
Beyond toponyms: another way of identifying a location and
making it distinct is site and situation.
Site = the unique physical
characteristics of a particular
location
• Climate, landforms, etc., are
physical characteristics
• A location’s site changes very
little over time
Situation = the relationship
between a particular location
and other locations
• How is a particular location
connected with others via
highways, railroads, seaborn
trade, telecommunications,
etc.?
• Situation can change
drastically over time! - Give
some examples
The image below is focused on Quebec City, Quebec, Canada.
Describe, as best you can, the site and situation of Quebec City.
The image below is centered on Quebec City, Quebec, Canada.
Describe, as best you can, the site and situation of Quebec City
The image below is centered on Quebec City, Quebec, Canada.
Describe, as best you can, the site and situation of Quebec City
Mathematical Location:
A Precise Location on the Earth’s Surface
• Also know as absolute
location
• Coordinates given for a
location can be very precise
• Not used by most people
when describing a location
Longitude
• Is measured from the Prime
Meridian (0°) to 180°
• The Prime Meridian runs
through a section of London
• Longitude helps determine
location east and west from
the Prime Meridian
• All lines of longitude meet at
the poles and are farthest
apart at the equator
Latitude
• Lines of latitude run east west around the Earth’s
surface
• The equator is 0° and the
lines of latitude determine
the distance from the
equator
• Lines of latitude are parallel
and thus never meet
• You move about 70 miles on
the Earth’s surface for every
1° of latitude
Thinking about the three ways of identifying place, what
are the strengths and weaknesses of each?
• Toponym
• Site & Situation
• Mathematical