Introduction to Geography Arthur Getis, Mark D. Bjelland, Victoria L. Getis

Introduction Chapter 1

Overview What is Geography? Evolution of the Discipline Some Core Geographic Concepts Geography’s Themes and Standards Organization of the Textbook 3

What is Geography? More than place names and locations The study of spatial variation How and why things differ from place to place on the surface of the earth How spatial patterns evolved through time Focus on the interaction of people and social groups with their environment and with each other Geography is about earth space and the content of that space 4

Evolution of the Discipline Ancient Greeks and Romans Term reputedly coined by Eratosthenes from Greek: geo “the earth” graphein “to write” Herodotus – (c. 484-425 B.C.) Described Persian Empire 5

Evolution of the Discipline Ancient Greeks and Romans Strabo (c. 64 B.C. - A.D. 20) Described inhabited world, including differences Ptolemy – 2nd Century A.D. Map of world based on previously developed latitude/longitude, map accepted in Europe as authoritative for nearly 1500 years 6

Evolution of the Discipline Ancient Chinese As involved with geography as Westerners; however no contact with them Muslim scholars Preserved Greek and Roman knowledge Described and analyzed their known world in its physical, cultural and regional variations European voyages of exploration (15th-16th Centuries) 7

Evolution of the Discipline Modern geography Origins in the surge of scholarly inquiry that began in 17th century Europe, e.g., Alexander von Humboldt By 1900, geography had become distinctive and respected discipline in universities throughout Europe Profession became increasingly specialized into disciplinary subdivisions 8

Evolution of the Discipline Subfields of Geography Three dominating themes across subfields Spatial variation of physical and human phenomena on the surface of the earth Systems that link physical phenomena and human activities in one area with other areas Human-environmental relationships and spatial systems in specific locational settings (known as regional geography) 9

Evolution of the Discipline Subfields of Geography Regional geography Systematic geography Study of one or a few related aspects of the physical environment or of human populations and societies Examines its interrelationships with other spatial systems and areal patterns 10

Evolution of the Discipline Subfields of Geography Physical geography Focus is on the natural environment Human geography Focus is on people 11

Evolution of the Discipline Why Geography Matters The only discipline concerned with understanding why and how both physical and cultural phenomena differ from place to place Vital to an understanding of national and international issues Offers a diversity of job opportunities 12

Some Core Geographic Concepts Geographers believe that recognizing spatial patterns is the essential starting point for understanding how people live on and shape Earth’s surface 13

Some Core Geographic Concepts Geographers use a common store of concepts, terms and methods of study: Space Place Location Direction Distance Size and scale 14

Some Core Geographic Concepts The word spatial is an essential modifier in framing questions and forming concepts Geography is a spatial science Geographers are interested in: The way things are distributed The way movements occur and The way processes operate over the surface of the earth 15

Some Core Geographic Concepts Places have: Location, direction, and distance with respect to other places Size Both physical structure and cultural content Attributes that develop and change over time Content that is structured and explainable Elements that interrelate with other places Places may be generalized into regions of similarities and differences 16

Some Core Geographic Concepts Location Absolute location Based on a precise and accepted system of coordinates – mathematical location Latitude and longitude Other grid systems, e.g., street address and township, range and section property descriptions 17

Some Core Geographic Concepts Location Relative location Position in relation to other places or things Expresses spatial interconnection and interdependence of places May carry social and economic implications 18

Some Core Geographic Concepts Location Site Physical and cultural characteristics of the place itself Absolute location concept Situation External relations of a place Expression of relative location 19

Some Core Geographic Concepts Direction Absolute direction Based on the cardinal points (N-S-E-W) Relative direction Culturally based and locationally variable “Out West” “Back East” “Down South” “Near East” “Far East” 20

Some Core Geographic Concepts Distance Absolute distance Uses standard units such as miles or kilometers Relative distance Transforms linear measurements into other units more meaningful to human experience or decision making, e.g., Time distance Travel cost Psychological perception of distance 21

Some Core Geographic Concepts Size and Scale Size (small, medium, large) Term used by general population Scale Degree of generalization represented: Reference to the size of unit studied E.g., local , regional or global Relationship between the size of an area on a map and the actual size of the mapped area on the surface of the earth 22

Some Core Geographic Concepts Places have physical and cultural attributes Physical attributes Climate, soil, water supplies, mineral resources, terrain features, etc. Natural landscape attributes help shape – but do not dictate – how people live Cultural attributes Language, religion, industries, food, music, etc. Cultural landscape Visible imprint of human activity on the physical environment 23

Some Core Geographic Concepts Attributes of place are always changing The physical environment undergoes continuous and pronounced change Humans alter the environments they occupy Pace of change has accelerated Built landscape has increasingly replaced natural landscape Places are the present result of the past operation of distinctive physical and cultural processes 24

Some Core Geographic Concepts Interrelations Between Places Spatial interaction The movement of people, goods, information, etc. between different places An indication of interdependence between areas 25

Some Core Geographic Concepts Interrelations Between Places Spatial interaction’s core components: Accessibility Relative ease with which a destination may be reached Connectivity All the tangible and intangible ways places are connected Spatial diffusion Dispersion of an idea or thing from a center of origin to more distant points 26

Some Core Geographic Concepts Interrelations Between Places Spatial interaction’s core components: Globalization Increasing interconnection of all parts of the world as the full range of social, cultural, political, economic and environmental processes becomes international in scale and effect. Promoted by continuing advances in worldwide accessibility and connectivity 27

Some Core Geographic Concepts Place Similarity and Regions The distinctive characteristics of places – physical, cultural, locational – suggest two geographically important ideas: No two places on earth can be exactly the same The natural and cultural characteristics of places show patterns of similarity in some areas permitting geographers to recognize and define regions 28

Some Core Geographic Concepts Place Similarity and Regions Regions Earth areas that display significant elements of internal uniformity and external differences from surrounding territories Used to classify the complex reality of the earth’s surface into manageable pieces 29

Some Core Geographic Concepts Types of Regions Formal (uniform) regions Uniformity in one or a limited combination of physical or cultural features Functional (nodal) regions A spatial system with interdependent parts that operates as an organizational unit Perceptual (vernacular/popular) regions Exist in the perceptions of their inhabitants and the general society Reflect feelings and images rather than objective data 30

Geography’s Themes and Standards Five fundamental themes Formulated by joint committee of National Council for Geographic Education and Association of American Geographers Basic concepts and topics that recur in all geographic inquiry Location Place Relationships within places Movement Regions 31

Geography’s Themes and Standards National Geography Standards (1994) 18 standards grouped into six categories The geographically informed person knows and understands: Geographic Techniques and Skills Physical systems Human systems Environment and society The uses of geography Places and regions 32

Organization of Textbook Distinct but closely related areas of study All areas of study connected to Techniques of Geographic Analysis: Introduction (Ch. 1), and Geographic Techniques and Skills (Ch. 2). All chapters contain information on the uses of geography. 33

Organization of Textbook Physical Systems: Landforms (Ch. 3), Weather and Climate (Ch. 4) Human Systems: Population (Ch. 5), Cultural (Ch. 6), Human Interaction (Ch. 7), Political (Ch. 8) Location: Primary Activities (Ch.9), Secondary and Tertiary Activities (Ch. 10), Urban (Ch.11) Environment: Natural Resources (Ch. 12), Human Impact (Ch. 13) 34