Human Characteristics Can you differentiate between what is human and what is physical? What are the human characteristics of this area (Duncan and Lyman?)

Definitions Immigration – To enter a country that is not of ones native homeland, and to live there permanently. Diffusion - In terms of geography, the spread of ideals and people. Innovation - New adaptations to the world, which help improve the life of people in an area. These innovations can be spread by diffusion. Assimilation - To take an idea or product and make it part of ones lifestyle. (What is something we have assimilated into our lives recently?) Democracy - A type of government which allows for the freedom of each person.

How are ideas spread? An important part of geography is the spread of ideas and people across the nation and world. Lets compare how ideas are spread, communications are sent, and how people get around in the modern era to the ancient days.

Pre-technology How did people talk to one another? For pilgrims and settlers of America, they used letters as a form of messaging. Instant? I don’t think so. Try several months. Pony Express did not get around as fast as texting or even our USPS does today. For Native Americans, they used messengers who ran between tribes or settlements delivering news and threats. The phrase, “Don’t Kill the Messenger” originated with this style of communication.

How did people get around? (Pre-tech) Travel by horse, foot, and boat. It was not until the late 18 th and early 19 th centuries that railroads began to have popular use. Even with a railroad, it took weeks to get from one side of the nation to another. What does this mean? Can ideas get around quickly? How long does it take to travel, by FOOT, from Wilmington, NC to San Francisco, CA?

The Technology Age It takes 5 or less seconds to transmit a new idea from one computer, cell phone, or tablet to another anywhere in the world.

Technology We have several hundred different ways to communicate. Cell Phones, Facebook, Twitter, and hundreds of other tools to communicate. This means information you think is new is more outdated than most cars by the time this sentence is finished. Over 294 billion s are sent each day. That’s 42 billion s per person on average..

How do we get around now? Airplanes make travel to and from other countries shorter than some trips made by automobile. Cars make trips that took hours (Spartanburg to Greenville) last only minutes. How long does it take to drive from Wilmington, NC to San Francisco, CA? Helicopters are often quicker than airplanes, and definitely faster than cars.

Using your devices Try to discover where an invention was created. Remember, you need to think about how this might have been harder to mass produce in the past. What invention would you try to make that would sweep the world?