Introduction to AP Human Geography Mr. Stepek

Geography thru history GR #3, 7 - 8 “geography” from the Greek (Eratosthenes) “geo” = Earth “graph” = to write or describe  geography = “to write about or describe the Earth” Eratosthenes also calculated the Earth’s circumference within .5% accuracy Aristotle = torrid, temperate and frigid zones Ptolemy = wrote Guide to Geography (“Geographica”) an eight volume series detailing the cities and peoples of the Earth. Insert a picture illustrating a season in your country.

Map scale (relationship of distance on a map to that in reality) (GR 9 – 10) Expressed in terms of words, fraction, ratio, or bar scale Large scale = small area Small scale = large area

Must compare “apples to apples”!!! level of aggregation/generalization (on what “scale” are you analyzing a phenomenon) GR25 Must compare “apples to apples”!!!

Models: Abstract generalization to help explain a common pattern. Spatial models show commonalities in the patterns on the landscapes Non-spatial models show a pattern on other than a map.

“Mapping a 3-dimensional world on a 2-dimensional surface” = Map Projections (GR 11)

Mercator Projection (1569)

Classic distortion example: South America vs. Greenland

Robinson Projection

Peters Projection

Goode’s homolosine “Interrupted” projection All projections have some degree of distortion: size, shape, distance, or direction