1. Introduction to AP Human Geography
Mr. Stepek

2. Geography thru history
“geography” from the Greek (Eratosthenes)
“geo” = Earth
“graph” = to write or describe
 geography = “to write about or describe the Earth”
Aristotle = torrid, temperate and frigid zones
Ptolemy = wrote Guide to Geography (“Geographica”) an eight volume series detailing the cities and peoples of the Earth.
Alexander von Humboldt, Carl Ritter = “Father(s) of Modern Geography”
Insert a picture illustrating a season in your country.

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

4. Level of Aggregation (on what “scale” are you analyzing a phenomenon)
Must compare “apples to apples”!!!

5. Models: Abstract generalization to help explain a common pattern.
Non-spatial models shows a pattern related to geography in a graph or from other than a map.
Spatial models show commonalities in the patters of similar landscapes

6. Distribution: use special terms to describe spatial relationships and their organization.
Density: how often an object occurs within a given area or space (used often with population)
Arithmetic density = occurrence or population/total area
Physiological density = population/arable (farmable) land
measures ability of area to feed its population
Agricultural density
measures farming efficiency/modernization
Concentration: refers to the proximity over the area in which an item is spread.
Cluster/agglomeration = close together
Dispersed/scattered = spread out
Pattern: how things are organized within their space.
Linear = along a straight line (any other descriptive shape as well)
Centralized = grouped together
Random = no discernible pattern

7. “Mapping a three dimensional world on a two-dimensional surface” = Map Projections

8. Mercator Projections (1569)

9. Classic distortion example: South America vs. Greenland

10. Robinson Projection

11. Peters Projection

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

13. Map legend/key
For analysis purposes special attention MUST be placed on the map index or legend
Identifies scale
Identifies symbols
Identifies color coding

14. Thematic Types of Maps: choropleth
unit is assigned color
best = shades of same color
darker = greater
strength
shows dominance of a trait
weakness
level of aggregation/generalization must be considered.
could give false conclusion
must compare “apples to apples”

15. Thematic Types of Maps: dot maps
dots indicate the # of occurrences in a given area
provides a spatial pattern
Shows pattern/concentration
Best for raw data, not ratios or normalized data
early use of GIS

16. Thematic Types of Maps: isoline/isopleth
similar data is connected by lines
Always use for elevation
Ex: barometric pressure on weather maps
Data bands assigned colors = isopleth

17. Thematic Types of Maps: flow line maps
Shows movement of people, information, and goods between places

18. Types of Maps: Topographic
Reflects the Earth’s physical features (terrain, elevation)

19. Graphs in the form of “maps”: Cartograms
Distorts size of a map units to allow comparison of data.
more of a “graph” concept than a map = graph in map form

20. 2008 Election Results

21. Five Themes of Geography
Location
Place
Region
Interaction
Movement
Where? (most basic question)
How can this location be described?
With what other locations does this place share certain characteristics?
How have humans and the environment affected each other in this location?
How has this location been affected by the flow of people, goods and ideas?
Insert a map of your country.

22. Five Themes of Geography mnemonic
Movement
Region
Location
Interaction
Place
= “Mr. Lip”
Insert a picture of one of the geographic features of your country.

23. Two ways to describe a “location”
Absolute or “Exact” location
Using latitude and longitude
Latitude (parallels) = horizontal lines
measure distance N/S from Equator
climate
Longitude (meridians) = vertical lines
measured in distance E/W of Prime Meridian
180 E or W = International Date Line
time
Another type = street addresses, “townships”
Insert a picture of an animal and or plant found in your country.

24. Two ways to describe a “location”
Relative location
where something is, in reference to someplace else.
“Illinois is south of Wisconsin”
San Francisco is 350 miles north of L.A.
can hint at the importance of a location
Insert a picture of an animal and or plant found in your country.

25. Location Tools
GPS (Global Positioning System)
uses satellites to pinpoint location, direction, velocity
often used for
civilian navigation
mapmaking and surveying
commerce
hobbies
geocaching
“hi-tech treasure hunt”
Insert a picture illustrating a custom or tradition here.

26. Location Tools (continued)
GIS (geographic info. system)
computer hardware and software permits storage/analysis of data in layers
Ghost Map (Snow/Cholera)
Remote sensing
collect data with tools while physically distant from the area.
areas are dangerous/inaccessible
Insert a picture of the head leader of your country.

27. Place: how can a location be described?
People
Physical
toponym = place name
Chicago = “skunk place”
swamp where wild onions grew
Michigan = “large water”
“Half Day Road”
climate and vegetation
Koppen’s climate classification
5 main regions furthered subdivided by temperature and precipitation
Biomes (ecosystems)
Examples: forest, grassland, savanna, desert

28. Koppen’s climate classification

29. Place: how can a location be described?
People
Physical
toponyms
England = “Land of the Angles”
“New England”, “Greektown”
demographics
“demo” = people
 “to describe people”
population/cultural stats
ethnicity, language, religion
age & gender, economic stats
density
toponym = place name
climate and vegetation
terrain/landform
mountainous, flat, coastal
built terrain
type and density of construction

30. Region: commonalities between places
3 ways to discuss region
Formal or uniform = homogeneous characteristics shared by places.
area where everybody speaks the same language
uniform terrain or physical features
jurisdictions (everyone is subject to same laws)

31. Formal regions

32. Region: commonalities between places
3 ways to discuss region
Functional or nodal = organized around a central point.
market areas are the best example
Radio stations, zip codes, delivery areas, etc.

33. Functional region

34. Region: commonalities between places
3 ways to discuss region
Perceptual or vernacular = based on a person’s cultural identity, shared values, cultural landscape, “in our minds” = mental map
Midwest, “Rust Belt”, “Middle America”
South, “Bible Belt”, “Deep South”
Neighborhood designations

35. Perceptual or vernacular regions

36. Perceptual regions are often contradictory

37. Interaction: the relationship between humans and their environment.
Adaptation
Modification
How do humans  to better fit into their environment.
Clothing, housing, behavior
New Yorkers often don’t own cars.
Too crowded, too hard to park

39. Interaction: the relationship between humans and their environment.
Adaptation
Modification
How do humans  their environment to better suit themselves, examples:
infrastructure
public improvements
engineering
New York City
largest subway in world
How do humans  to better fit into their environment.
Clothing, housing, behavior
New Yorkers often don’t own cars.
Too crowded, too hard to park
Use the subway or walk
Cultural ecology = Carl Sauer
Environmental determinism vs. possibilism
Does our environment determine who we are or simply give us possibilities?

41. Interaction: the relationship between humans and their environment.
Adaptation
Modification
How do humans  their environment to better suit themselves, examples:
infrastructure
public improvements
engineering
New York City
largest subway in world
sewer system
bridges and tunnels
Lower Manhattan landfill
Central Park
Natural oasis in the midst of urban density
How do humans  to better fit into their environment.
Clothing, housing, behavior
New Yorkers often don’t own cars.
Too crowded, too hard to park
Use the subway or walk
Cultural ecology = Carl Sauer
Environmental determinism vs. possibilism
Does our environment determine who we are or simply give us possibilities?

43. Modification

44. Movement (people = “migration”)
sequent occupance
stages of human occupation over time
Reflects impact of different groups on a place
Each group leaves their mark
Example: Can you name this neighborhood
Irish, Germans  Czech  Mexicans  hipsters
PILSEN

45. Movement (of ideas/culture = “diffusion”)
hearth = place of origination
1) Relocation diffusion spread thru migration
2) Expansion diffusion
a) Contagious
fast, widespread to those in contact or adjacent (like disease)
b) Hierarchical
spread through nodes of power or influence or authority
Stimulus examples = Cherokee alphabet, development of Judeo-Christianity, changes to fast food menus

47. Movement (of ideas/culture = “diffusion”)
hearth = place of origination
1) Relocation diffusion spread thru migration
2) Expansion diffusion
a) Contagious
fast, widespread to those in contact or adjacent (like disease)
b) Hierarchical
spread through nodes of power or influence or authority
c) Stimulus
underlying principles/idea spread but not end product
Barriers to diffusion
physical and cultural barriers
distance decay (Tobler’s Law)
Time-space compression
reduction of time it takes for movement
especially quickened by the internet
Stimulus examples = Cherokee alphabet, development of Judeo-Christianity, changes to fast food menus

48. Globalization set of processes that are: increasing interactions
deepening relationships
heightening interdependence
without regard to
country borders
set of outcomes that are:
unevenly distributed
varying across scales
differently manifested
throughout the world.

49. “Site and Situation”
combines “physical place” concepts and “relative location” to explain the importance of a place.
site = what gives a location its distinctive character
situation = how the “site” factors give this location importance (what connections does it facilitate? what advantages do the site factors give?)
London
Site:
island
Thames River = estuary
North Atlantic
Situation
Protected from invasion ideal for trade
1530 = 50,000
1625 = 225,000

50. New York City “Site and Situation”
island
Atlantic coast
large, natural, deep-water harbor
mouth of Hudson River
Erie Canal (1825)
mountains to west form barrier
abundant fresh water
ideal for shipping
docks numerous and protected
triangular trade, connect to Europe
connects to the interior
before RRs
ship through Great Lakes
Access to raw materials
center of commerce and trade
overtakes Philly as largest port
inland movement limited → can support a large population
1 of 3 dominant global cities