1. Geography & Six Blind Men from India
A short story illustrating why we study geography

2. The Blind Men and the Elephant
It was six men of India
To learning much inclined
Who went to see an elephant
(though all of them were blind)
That each by observation
Might satisfy his mind

3. The Blind Man & The Elephant
The first approached the elephant
And happening to fall
Against his broad and sturdy side
At once began to bawl,
“God bless me! But the Elephant
Is truly a brick wall!”

4. The Blind Man & The Elephant
The second feeling of the tusk
Cried, “Ho! What have we here
So very round
and smooth and sharp?
To me ‘tis very clear.
This wonder of an elephant
is actually a spear!”

5. The Blind Man & The Elephant
The third approached the animal,
And happening to take
The squirming trunk within
his hands
Thus boldy up and spake:
“I see,” guoth he, “the elephant,
Is indeed a squirming snake!:

6. The Blind Man & The Elephant
The fifth who chanced to touch
the ear
Said: “E’en the blindest man
Can tell what this resembles most
Deny the fact who can,
The marvel of this elephant
is that in fact it is a fan!”

7. The sixth no sooner had begun About the beast to grope,
The Blind Man & The Elephant
The sixth no sooner had begun
About the beast to grope,
Then seizing on the swinging tail
That fell within his scope,
I see, “guoth he, “the elephant
Is very like a rope!”

8. The Blind Man & The Elephant
And so these men of India
Disputed loud and long,
Each in his own opinion
Exceeding stiff and strong.
Though each was partly in the right,
And all were in the wrong!

9. The Blind Man & The Elephant
And so it is with Historians
Who generally are mature.
They memorize facts about history
And think they have it for sure,
But very like the blind men will miss what actually occurred
If they don't see the place and time where the events concurred

10. Think About It
The Blind Man & The Elephant
What Relationship is there between the study of Geography & History and the Blind Man & The Elephant.” Explain your answer, and be prepared to defend your answer.

11. Unit I Introduction to US History
Enduring Understanding:
Geography and the story of mankind are interconnected
Essential Questions
1. Where are the major political features including countries, regions, and states located that have impacted American History?
2. What are the major physical features including bodies of water, mountains, and plains?

12. DEFINITION OF GEOGRAPHY
Geography is the study of everything on earth from rocks and rainfall to people and places.

13. Geography and the development of American History
1. Complete a Venn diagram identifying at least five unique or different features on the each set of maps representing knowledge of the world before 1492 and after 1492.
2. Identify at least five similarities between the two sets of maps.
3. When finished write a paragraph, providing three specific examples defending the following statement:
“The knowledge gained from the 1300’s-1600’s, shaped the development of American and World History.

14. THE WORLD ACCORDING TO PTOLEMY. AD 200
SET 1
THE WORLD ACCORDING TO PTOLEMY. AD 200

15. THE ANGLO-SAXON MAP 900
SET 1

16. THE WORLD ACCORDING TO EDRISI. c. 1150 Arabic
SET 1
THE WORLD ACCORDING TO EDRISI. c. 1150 Arabic

17. MAP OF 1492
SET 1

18. Waldessmuller World Map,
SET 2
Waldessmuller World Map,
Amerigo Vespucci AD 1507

19. Map of the World 1600
SET 2

20. World Map 2013

21. Write a paragraph, providing three specific examples defending the following statement: “The knowledge gained from the 1300’s-1600’s, shaped the development of American and World History.”
"In the past," it began, "I have written to you in rather ample detail about my return from those new regions...and which can be called a new world, since our ancestors had no knowledge of them, and they are entirely new matter to those who hear about them. Indeed, it surpasses the opinion of our ancient authorities, since most of them assert that there is no continent south of the equator....[But] I have discovered a continent in those southern regions that is inhabited by more numerous peoples and animals than in our Europe, or Asia or Africa.“ Amerigo Vespucci

22. What are various ways we (you and others) use maps
What are various ways we (you and others) use maps? How might you use them locally, nationally, internationally? How different would our lives be if we did not have access to accurate maps? Explain your answer. Be prepared to share your answer with others.

23. Why Geography?
"A map says to you read me carefully, follow me closely, doubt me not... I am the earth in the palm of your hand" 
Beryl Markham in West with the Night

24. US Geography Basics
An Example….

25. Third largest country in the world.
US Geography Basics
Third largest country in the world.

26. Map of Contiguous United States Overlaid on the Moon -

27. One third the size of the continent of Africa.
US Geography Basics
One third the size of the continent of Africa.

29. US Geography Basics Half the size of Russia.
Half the size of the continent of South America.
2 ½ times the size of Western Europe.

32. Economic Size of the US (GDP)

33. Visualizing Global Population Density

35. US Territories
The United States currently administers 16 territories as insular areas:
American Samoa
Guam
Northern Mariana Islands
Puerto Rico
U.S. Virgin Islands
Minor Outlying Islands
Bajo Nuevo Bank
Baker Island
Howland Island
Jarvis Island
Johnston Atoll
Kingman Reef
Midway Islands
Navassa Island
Palmyra Atoll
Serranilla Bank
Wake Island

36. US Territories

37. The WebGL Globe