Introduction to AP Human Geography Mr. Stepek

Geography thru history “geography” from the Greek (Eratosthenes) “geo” = Earth “graph” = to write or describe  geography = “to write about or describe the Earth” Eratosthenes (“Father of Geography”) calc. Earth’s circumference within .5% accuracy idea of climate zones Aristotle Earth is a sphere, natural process, hotter by equator Ptolemy wrote Guide to Geography (“Geographica”) an 8-volume series detailing the cities and peoples of the Earth. “codified” mapmaking Strabo also wrote a descriptive history of known people and places Insert a picture illustrating a season in your country.

Map scale (relationship of distance on a map to that in reality) Expressed in terms of words, fraction, ratio, or bar scale Large scale = small area Small scale = large area

“level of aggregation”/ “generalization” (over what “spatial unit” are you analyzing a phenomenon)

Scale (“level of analysis”) Over what “scale” would these environmental problems be analyzed? Acid rain (factories produce sulfur which drops elsewhere) NATIONAL or REGIONAL Garbage, landfill, recycling, etc. LOCAL Climate change GLOBAL

Models: Abstract generalization to help explain a common pattern. Non-spatial models show a pattern on other than a map. Spatial models show commonalities in the patterns on landscapes Qualitative vs. Quantitative analysis “qualitative” refers to information about subjective characteristics (softness, beauty, feelings); information that can't actually be measured. “quantitative” refers to data that can be measured and written down with numbers.

“Mapping a 3-dimensional world on a 2-dimensional surface” = Map Projections Method Goal “Equal area” – relative sizes of landmasses are maintained, but shape is often grossly distorted. “Conformal” – shapes of landmasses and local direction maintained while sacrificing accurate size.

Azimuthal or Planar Projections

Mercator Projection (1569)

Classic size distortion example: South America vs. Greenland

Gall-Peters Projection

Goode’s homolosine “Interrupted” projection

Robinson Projection

All projections have some degree of distortion: size, shape, distance, or direction