Download Geography Notes

The Six Elements of Geography
ESSENTIAL QUESTIONS
• How do physical and human geography affect
people, places and regions?
• How do the movements of people and ideas
(cultural diffusion) affect world history?
What is Geography?
• The study of people, their environment, and
the resources available to them.
• The scientific study of Earth and its place in
the universe (i.e., the distribution of people,
animals, plants, resources, and industry
around the world).
• The bridge between the human and the
natural sciences.
• Anything that can be mapped.
Why Study Geography?
• It enables humans to understand
where they are, literally and
figuratively.
• Provides a basis for humans to
cooperate in the best interest of our
planet.
• People are better able to solve issues
at both local and global levels.
Geography is documented on maps
and globes.
• The various map projections show the earth
in various ways.
• Special purpose maps show a variety of
information, such as climate, borders,
population or topography.
• Culture has historically influenced how maps
are made.
6 Elements of Geography
World in Spatial Terms:
Location, Location, Location!
• tells where on the earth a place is found.
• Absolute location can be determined by latitude
and longitude.
• Where a place is in relation to other
places is relative location.
Places and Regions
• Refers to the characteristics of any location that
gives meaning to the place and distinguishes it
from other places. Its PERSONALITY!
• Language
• Government
• Land Marks
• Food
• Music etc.
Physical Systems
• They shape the world as we see it.
• Physical characteristics include the natural
elements of any location (i.e., soil type,
animal life, landforms).
– Ecosystems and how they work
– Earth-Sun Relationships
– Consequences of physical processes on the
Earth.
Human Systems
• Describe patterns of migration and explain
effects it may have on places
• Why do people live where they live?
• Language, architecture, communication,
transportation, populations
• Economic Activities
• Geographic causes for world trade
• Identifies conflict within and between countries
Environment and Society
• Looks at all the effects, positive and negative,
that occur when people interact with their
surroundings.
• How do human actions modify the physical
environment?
• How are human activities influenced by the
environment?
Uses of Geography
• How to apply Geography to interpret the past
and present, as well as plan for the future!
• The events of history take place within
geographic contexts.
• Those events are motivated by people’s
perceptions, correct or otherwise, of geographic
contexts.
• By exploring what the world was like and how it
is perceived at a given time, the geographically
informed person is able to interpret major
historical issues.
Additional Vocabulary
• Movement – refers to how people interact
with other people, places and things. How
people and places are linked to each other.
• Regions – an area on the earth’s surface that
is defined by certain unifying characteristics.
• Used to identify and organize areas of the
Earth’s surface for various purposes.
• Characteristics may be physical, human or
cultural.
• Latitude- Lines that run parallel to the equator
and measure the distance North and South
from the equator
• These lines are also called parallels because
they run parallel with the Equator
Think of latitude like the
rungs of a ladder (ladder
sounds a lot like
latitude). Latitude lines
run east and west, but
they tell how far up
(north) you can go or
how far down (south)
you can go.
• Longitude- Lines that run North and South
and measure the distance East and West of
the Prime Meridian
• These lines are also called meridians because
they run parallel with the Equator
When you think of longitude,
think of long, tall telephone
poles (because longitude
lines run from pole to pole).
Longitude lines run north and
south, but they tell how far
east you can go or how far
west you can go
• Hemisphere-The Northern or Southern half
of the Earth divided by the Equator, or the
Eastern or Western half as divided by a
meridian
Maps
• Physical or Relief Map-these maps illustrate
the natural landscape of landforms that mark
the Earth’s surface. (Mountains, Hills, Valleys,
elevation or height above sea level)
• Political Maps- Illustrate political units such as states,
nations and use of color variations and lines to mark
boundaries, dots for major cities and stars within
circles for a Capital. These maps show territorial
changes or military alliances.
• Climate Feature Maps- Illustrate how climates
govern human progress and help to explain
why things have happened in the region
throughout history due to climate.
• Population Distribution Map- Illustrate
distributions of populations.
• Thematic Maps- These maps show
hemispheres, climates, landforms, settlement
patterns, empires, war strategies, and invasion
and migration routes. These are the maps
found in your Global History Book!