Download Study Guide- Geography - Holland Township School

Study Guide- Geography
Five Themes of Geography ( p. HT 8 & 9)

Geography- the study of people, their environment, & resources
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History- an account of what has happened in the lives of different people
1.
location- exact location or place
latitude- measure distance North & South from the Equator
longitude- measure distance East & West from the Prime Meridian
2. place- terms of both physical & human features
3. interaction between people & their environmentall through history, people have adapted to &
changed their natural environment
4. movement- involves travel/movement of people , goods, & ideas
5. region- an area of the world that similar physical features, human/cultural
traits, & can be any size
• Globe is same shape as Earth, it shows the sizes & shapes more accurately
• Maps are easier to read, more detailed, & you can see the entire world at one
time
•
Mapmakers (cartographers)
• Political: shows the boundaries that people have set up to divide the world
into countries & states
• Physical: shows natural features (mountains & rivers)
• Population: lets you see how many people live in the various urban & rural
areas
• Economic: shows how people make a living in a given area
• Landsat Maps: satellites use cameras, light scanner, & other instruments to
give mapmakers every advantage
Types of Landforms
Western Hemisphere: North & South America are the 3rd & 4th largest continents
A narrow strip of land called an isthmus joins North & South America
Mountains- steep, high, rugged land that rises to an elevation or height of 1,000 ft.
Hills- raised land that is lower, less steep, & more rounded
Plains- broad areas of fairly level land
Plateaus- large raised areas of flat or gently rolling land
North America> West to East Regions
Pacific Coast- tall mountain ranges Alaska to Mexico, Cascades & Sierra Nevada
mtns.
Intermountain Region- east of the coast has rugged mountain peaks, high plateaus,
deep canyons (Grand Canyon), & deserts (Great Salt Lake)
Rocky Mountains- Alaska>Canada>US>Mexico (becomes Sierra Madre)
Interior Plains- located between the Rockies & the Appalachian Mtns., Central &
Great Plains ***Coal deposits***
Appalachian Mountains- runs through the eastern part of US, called by other
names in certain parts (Green Mtns., Alleghenies, Blue Ridge, & Great Smokies)
Canadian Shield- lowland area 7 most lies in eastern Canada with southern parts
into US
Coastal Plains- Atlantic Plains & Gulf Plains included, runs along the eastern
border of the USA
Hawaiian Islands- far out in the Pacific Ocean & were established by volcanoes
Mississippi & Missouri Rivers- make up the longest & most important river system
in the US, goes from Interior Plains to Gulf of Mexico
Tributaries- streams & small rivers that flow into larger rivers
Rio Grande & St. Lawrence River serve as political boundaries, with the Great
Lakes & Pacific & Atlantic Oceans providing a buffer from other nations
Climate- is the average weather of a place over a period of 20-30 years
Distance from Equator affects climate- closer (hot & wet), near poles (cold &
dry) & altitude (height of sea level) causes highlands to be cooler than lowlands
Ocean currents, wind currents, & mountains also influence climate
North American Climates
Marine- mild, rainy (Pacific Northwest- big lumber industry)
Mediterranean- mild, wet winters, sunny dry summers (Most of CA, farming &
fruits)
Highland- seasons & rainfall vary w/ elevation (Cascades, Sierra Nevada, and
Rockies)
Steppe- very hot summers, very cold winters w/ little rainfall (Great Plainsgrazing)
Desert- hot days, cold nights, very little rain (NV, AZ, & southern CA- irrigate for
crops)
Humid continental- mild summers, cold winters, rain varies (NE US & Central
Plains)
Humid subtropical- humid summers & mild winters (Southern US- grows cotton,
tobacco)
Tropical- hot, rainy, steamy (south Florida & Hawaii- grow pineapples & citrus
fruits)