The Basics of Geography Unit One The Basics of Geography

THE GEOGRAPHIC QUESTIONS The Why of Where! How are places described? What makes each place unique? What connects places?

What is Geography? “description of the earth” a study of spatial variation the how and why of physical & cultural differences location, location, location observable patterns that have evolved through time

The Early Geographers Geography - Spatial Science, description of the earth or more precisely, the study of spatial variation, of how and why physical and cultural items differ from place to place. Ancient Period: Greek scientist Eratosthenes over 2200 year ago- “geo”, “graphein” about physical earth and activities of people. Strabo defined geography as describing the several parts of the inhabited world and to write the assessment of the countries of …. Herodotus – described Persian war using cultural traits such as people, lands, economies, and customs. Ptolemy - measured and devised grids (meridian and parallel), mapped world using 360o. Errors made Columbus think he reached Asia

Ptolemy (2nd century AD)

MODERN GEOGRAPHY In 1964, W.D. Pattison, a professor at the University of Chicago, wanted to counter the idea that geography was an undisciplined science by saying that geographers had exhibited broad enough consistency such that there were four distinctive, but affiliated traditions: 1)  An earth-science tradition - physical (natural) geography. 2)   A man-land tradition - relationships between human societies and natural environments. 3)  A spatial tradition - spatial unifying theme, similar patterns between physical & human geography. 4)  An area-studies tradition - regional geography

What is Human Geography? The study of how people make places, how we organize space and society, how we interact with each other in places and across space, and how we make sense of others and ourselves in our locality, region, and world. Many people have misconceptions about geography and think of the discipline as simply an exercise in memorizing place names. Geography exist in the global issues receiving attention at this time things such as Population growth Terrorism Cultural diffusion. Diffusion is defined as the spread of linguistic or cultural practices or innovations within a community or from one community to another. Geography's importance can also be established by looking at community issues, such as: Water supply Pollution Growth management Housing Retail Openings Closures

human geography Where are people? What are they like? What is their interaction over space? What kinds of landscapes do they erect? human geography

Five Themes of Geography location: position; situation of people and things human/environmental interaction: reciprocal relationship b/w humans & env. region: area on Earth’s surface marked by a degree of homogeneity (uniformity) of some phenomenon place: uniqueness of a location (or similarity of two or more locales); phenomena within an area movement: mobility of people, goods and ideas; phenomena between areas

Place- The combination of physical and human characteristics of a specific location Toponym- place names Sense of place: infusing a place with meaning and emotion. Perception of place: belief or understanding of what a place is like, often based on books, movies, stories, or pictures.

LOCATION Geographic Reference Points Geographic Grid Place Names labels for locations toponym Relative Location location relative to other locations Situation- Exact Location geographic grid (38 °N 120 °W) latitude & longitude Site- Geographic Reference Points Equator North and South Poles Geographic Grid Latitude & Longitude

absolute location relative location Site Situation Mathematical location Latitude & Longitude degrees, minutes, seconds Township & Range (1785 Land Ordinance) Subdivision: parallels & meridians Topographic quadrangle, US Geological Survey Metes & Bounds “place” in relationship to surroundings Situation external relations of locale relative location concept Importance Site absolute location concept physical & cultural characteristics Topography, vegetation, water, physical characteristic

THE CONCEPT OF REGION Worlds within worlds Areas with unifying characteristics Regions may be large or small continental or local i.e.. World regions, countries, local regions Sub regions regions within regions Regions may be economic environmental historical cultural THE CONCEPT OF REGION UNITS OF GEOGRAPHIC STUDY

THE CONCEPT OF REGION Regions may be Formal or uniform regions Areas of essential uniformity Physical or cultural Sahara Desert, “Bible Belt” Regions may be economic environmental historical cultural Functional or nodal regions- core/periphery Area organized around a node or focal point. The characteristic chosen to define a functional region dominates at a central focus or node and diminishes in importance outward. Perceptual regions Reflect feelings and images, such as “vernacular region” shows the way people view space, assign their loyalties and interpret their world. Less structured & more culturally based

MOVEMENT- any migration, diffusion, or dispersal of people, goods, ideas, or information from one place to another Diffusion: the process of dissemination, the spread of an idea or innovation from its hearth to other areas. Expansion Diffusion – idea or innovation spreads outward from the hearth Contagious – spreads adjacently Hierarchical – spreads to most linked people or places first. Stimulus – idea promotes a local experiment or change in the way people do things Relocation diffusion – movement of individuals who carry an idea or innovation with them to a new, perhaps distant locale.

MOVEMENT- Distance Absolute distance: Absolute mathematical mileage, or measurement of distance Relative distance: Refers to a more regional spatial relationship how distance is described Psychological distance: Distance lengthened / shortened first time traveled night / day travel safety / danger / excitement Distance Decay: The diminishing in importance and eventual disappearance of a phenomenon with increasing distance from its origin. MILES, MINUTES, TIME

Stimulus Diffusion Because Hindus believe cows are holy, cows often roam the streets in villages and towns. The McDonalds restaurants in India feature veggie burgers.

HUMAN- ENVIRONMENT INTERACTION Old Approaches to Human-Environment Questions: Environmental Determinism (has been rejected by almost all geographers) Possibilism (less accepted today) New Approaches to Human-Environment Questions: Cultural ecology- the geographic study of human-environmental relations.

Environmental Modification in the Netherlands Fig. 1-15: Polders and dikes have been used for extensive environmental modification in the Netherlands.

Environmental Modification in Florida View of Miami Beach The barrier Island - Orchid Island – in the town I grew up in. Fig. 1-16: Straightening the Kissimmee River has had many unintended side effects.

SPACE- The physical gap or interval between two objects. SPATIAL- pertaining to space on the Earth's surface; sometimes used as a synonym for geographic- how things are arranged on Earth SPATIAL ORGANIZATION- The arrangement in that of physical and human objects on Earth's surface SPATIAL PERSPECTIVE- Viewing physical and human objects according to where they appear in IN THAT GAP or space SPATIAL DIFFUSION- Refers to the ways in which phenomena, such as technological innovations, cultural trends, or even outbreaks of disease, travel over space. SPATIAL ANALYSIS- how data about the objects in the gap is analyzed SPATIAL INTERACTION: The movement of people, goods, and ideas within and among regions that create connectedness. SPATIAL DISTRIBUTION- physical location of geographic phenomena across space.

spatial interaction Accessibility Connectivity Spatial diffusion how easy/difficult to overcome time & space separation Connectivity how places are connected Spatial diffusion process of dispersion of ideas or items from a center of origin to more distant points Globalization Increasing interconnection of peoples and societies worldwide

spatial distribution PATTERN CONCENTRATION DENSITY Arrangement of items on Earth’s surface CONCENTRATION Amount of spread of phenomenon over an area -dispersion clustered, agglomerated dispersed, scattered, random PATTERN Emphasizes design rather than spacing (a) linear– road, river, rail line (b) centralized– city & suburbs (c) random Rectangular system of land survey – U.S. rural: checkerboard, 1 mile squares U.S. cities: grid system DENSITY Measure of the number/quantit y within a defined unit of areas proportion arithmetic physiological Agricultural

CAN YOU NAME THESE?