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Unit 1:
Human Geography
What is Geography?
*It is the study of our earth; our
home.
OR
*Anything that can be mapped!
*Geography mixes up the physical
and human aspects of our world
into one field of study.
*Geography shows the
relationship between people and
the environment.
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The Five Themes of Geography
• There are five ways to look at the earth
• When geographers work, they are
guided by two basic questions:
1) Where are things located?
2) Why are they there?
To find these answers, geographers use
five themes to organize information
Location
• There are two ways to think about
location:
1. absolute location – describes the
place’s exact position on the Earth.
2. relative location – explains where a
place is by describing places near it.
Place
• This includes a location’s physical and
human features.
– To describe physical features, you might say
that the climate is hot or cold or that the land
is hilly.
– To describe human features, you might
discuss how many people live there, what
types of work they do, or what they do for
fun.
Human-Environment Interaction
• How do people adjust to and change their
environment? How does the environment
adjust to and change the people?
• Geographers also use interaction to study
the consequences of people’s actions.
Movement
• Explains how people, goods, and ideas
move from one place to another.
• Helps geographers understand cultural
changes.
Regions
• A region has a unifying characteristic, like
climate, land, population, or history.
• On maps, geographers use color and
shape or special symbols to show regions.
• Region is represented by a Thematic
Map
Map Skills
The Geographer’s Tools
• Globes and Maps:
– As people explored the Earth, they
collected information about it.
– Mapmakers wanted to present this
information correctly.
– The best way was to put it on a globe, a
round ball that represented the Earth.
– Because globes are not practical or easy
to use to carry, flat maps were
invented.
– However, the earth is round and a map
is flat.
– Mapmakers had to find ways to make
maps accurate.
Getting It All On the Map
The World: Mercator Projection
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• In 1569, a geographer
named Gerardus Mercator
created a flat map to help
sailors navigate long
journeys across the globe.
• The Mercator projection, or
method of putting a map of
the Earth onto a flat piece of
paper, is used by nearly all
deep-sea navigators.
• The Mercator projection is a
conformal map, meaning
that it shows correct
shapes, but not true
distances or sizes.
• There are many types of
other projections of the
globe.
The World: Three Projections
Interrupted Projection
There are many ways to show a globe
on a flat map. The interrupted
projection map, on the left, shows
real sizes and shapes of continents.
The equal area map , below left,
shows size accurately. The Peters
projection, below, shows land and
oceans areas and correct directions
accurately
Peters Projection
Equal-Area Projection
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The World: A Robinson
Projection
ARCTIC OCEAN
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Types of Maps
There are three basic types of
maps:
PHYSICAL
POLITICAL
and
THEMATIC.
Physical Maps
• Physical maps show the
natural features of the
Earth.
• Physical maps do not
contain man made
features.
• For example, a physical
map would be a map of
what you would see if
you were looking down
on Earth from space.
Physical Maps
When you look
at this map,
what do you
see?
Notice you do not see country borders or city markings.
These divisions are created by people. For example, there is
no actual line dividing Texas from its bordering states.
Although some astronauts (with the use of binoculars believe
it or not) are able to see roads, large ocean tankers, and even
the Great Pyramids from space, at very high altitudes, none of
these are visible and all you are left with are natural land
formations.
Political Maps
Political Maps
Unlike physical maps, political maps show how humans
have impacted the landscape. For example, city
names, roads, country borders, etc. are all part of
political maps.
Political maps change frequently (physical maps
change very, very slowly through geologic processes)
and must be redrawn often. A political map of the
world that is 50 years old is no longer accurate.
Wars and ethnic conflict are two major causes political
maps change.
Political Maps
Thematic Maps
Thematic maps can represent a variety of
information including things like climate,
precipitation, vegetation, elevation,
population, life expectancy, etc.
Thematic maps are generally used when
you are looking at a single piece of
information.
Thematic Maps
The Parts of a Map
Title:
• The title tells what the map is about. This is the
first part of the map you should look at.
The Parts of a Map
Scale
• The scale on a map tells you the relative distance
on the map to the real world. For example, a map’s
scale may tell you that one inch on the map equals
one mile in the real world.
Compass Rose
• A compass rose is a model of a compass. It tells the
cardinal directions, which are north, south, east, and
west.
Key
• The key, or legend, on a map explains what the
symbols on a map represent, such as triangles
representing trees.
Grids
• Some maps use a grid of parallels and meridians. On
a map of a small area, letters and numbers are often
used to help you find your location.
How Latitude and Longitude Form
the Global Grid
Latitude and longitude
• Latitude lines run across the
globe horizontally
• Lines of longitude run up and
down, vertically on the globe.
The Hemispheres
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The Hemispheres
• There are 4 hemispheres: Northern
hemisphere, Southern hemisphere, Eastern
hemisphere, and Western hemisphere
• The equator cuts the northern hemisphere
and southern hemisphere in half.
• The Prime Meridian cuts the eastern and
western hemisphere in half
Key Features of
Civilization
Cities
• Center of trade
• Centers of cultural
diffusion
Central Governments
• Needed to oversee
irrigation projects
and other public
works
• Ensure steady supply
of food
• Create and uphold
laws
• Defend citizens
• Collect taxes
Complex Religion
• Gods controlled
forces of nature
• Priests were needed
to convey the will
of the gods
• It was everyone’s
responsibility to
make sure the gods
were happy
Greek God Zeus
Egyptian God Ra
Buddha
Indus Valley Prayer Statuettes
Stable Food Supplies
• A society needs to
have enough food so
it can survive, plus
some extra to trade.
• Trading food for
goods leads to job
specialization
Job Specialization
• When there is a surplus of
food people no longer have
to hunt and gather all day.
• They started to focus on the
task or craft they were best
at
• Artisans develop techniques
and technologies to make
their task easier and more
efficient
Social Classes
•People were
ranked in society
based on the
importance of their
job
•Priests and
warriors were
typically considered
the most important
Arts & Architecture
•Art was created in
order to express
beliefs and to honor
important figures
and deities
•Most major
construction were
built for religious
purposes – temples,
tombs – to honor
their gods
Chichen Itza
Mayan Ruins
Ziggurat
Pyramids
Writing
•Usually originated
with priests
•Initially used to
create calendars and
keep records of
offerings to the gods
•Government will use
writing to keep track
of public records –
taxes, treaties,
“official” documents
Cuneiform: Sumerian form of
writing
Egyptian Hieroglyphics