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Vocabulary
Unit One:
Natural Texas and Its People
geography
Geography is the study of the special physical
and human characteristics of a place or
region. Geographers study humans, their
environment, culture, and human interaction
with the world and other humans.
culture
a learned system of shared beliefs, traits, and
values
ecosystem
all of an area’s plants and animals together with
the nonliving parts of their environment
migration
the movement of people
Examples of Migration
• African Americans from the Southern United
States to the North during and after the
American Civil War.
• Jews have migrated to all parts of the world
due to extreme social conditions.
• Europeans and other groups of people
migrated from their homelands into the
United States.
relative location
where a place is in relation to other places
Where is Rogers when looking at relative location?
absolute location
the exact position of a place on Earth
Exact Location of Rogers
Latitude: 30.93 N, Longitude: 97.23 W
latitude and longitude
a grid system of imaginary lines circling the
globe, which uses the measurement of
degrees, minutes, and seconds to tell exactly
where someone is in the world
latitude
measures from the North to the South
longitude
measures from the east to the west
equator
an imaginary line circling the globe exactly
halfway between the North and South Poles
Prime Meridian
an imaginary line that runs around the globe
from the North Pole, through Greenwich,
England, to the South Pole
compass rose
a figure that shows direction by pointing to all
four cardinal points – north, south, east, and
west
scale
the relationship between a measurement on the
map and the actual distance on Earth’s surface
legend
a key which explains the meaning of all the
symbols on a map
tributary
a smaller stream or river that flows into a larger
stream or river
reservoir
an artificial lake that stores water used for
drinking in towns and cities
aquifer
formations of natural gravel, rock, and sand that
trap and hold rainwater underground
region
a specific area sharing similar geographic or
cultural features
escarpments
cliffs
basins
lowlands surrounded by higher lands
plateau
areas of flat, elevated land that drops sharply on
one or more sides
nomads
groups of people who move from place to place
shaman
a priest or priestess who uses ritual magic to
cure the sick or control events in certain
religions or Native American groups
archaeologist
scientists who use remains of materials that
they find to study people of the past
adobe
mud mixed with a small amount of straw or
grass and dried in the sun
agriculture
the raising of plants and animals for food
THE END
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