1. Geography102
Ptolemy’s First World Map, c. AD 150

2. What is Geography?
Geography is a representation of the whole known world together with the phenomena which are contained therein.
Ptolemy, Geographia 2nd Century A.D.
Geography is the science of place. Its vision is grand, its view panoramic. It sweeps the surface of the Earth, charting the physical, organic and cultural terrain, their areal differentiation, and their ecological dynamics with humankind. Its foremost tool is the map.
Leonard Krishtalka, Carnegie Museum of Natural History, 20th Century A.D.

3. What is Geography?
Geography is the study of what is where and why it’s there.
Mike Reed

4. Okay, but what exactly is it?
Well, it’s a way of thinking about intellectual problems, both natural and societal, which emphasizes the importance of spatial relationships.. Take any social, environmental, or physical question or problem and ask yourself whether there is a spatial aspect to it. Chances are that space and place play a role in the explanation and distribution of that question.
Mike Reed, Making It Up As I Go
For example:
Why are so many plant and animal species becoming extinct at the end of the twentieth century?
Why do there always seem to be been so many wars in Africa?
How did human beings come to be in North America if they evolved in Africa?
Why is corn such an important part of a traditional Mexican diet?
Why are some beers known as India Pale Ales?
Why are so many California place names Spanish?

5. Divisions of Geography
Physical Geography Human Geography
Rocks and Minerals Population
Landforms Settlements
Soils Economic Activities
Animals Transportation
Plants Recreational Activities
Water Religion
Atmosphere Political Systems
Rivers and Other Water Bodies Social Traditions
Environment Human Migration
Climate and Weather Agricultural Systems
Geography is a bridge between the natural and social sciences. Geography is a holistic or synthesizing science.

6. The Five Themes of Geography

7. The Geography of Breakfast a geographic thinking demonstration
Take a minute to write down everything you had for breakfast today.

8. COFFEE
 Top Ten Coffee Growing Countries

9. CHOCOLATE
Chocolate was “discovered” for Europe by Christopher Columbus, but it’s commercial possibilities were recognized by Hernan Cortez who was served a drink made from cocoa beans by Moctezuma, leader of the Aztecs (whom he later executed). The cacao tree, like coffee, grows only in the tropics. Today it is grown primarily for export to the U.S. and Europe.

10. Breakfast Foods Food Place of Origin Current Production
coffee Ethiopia Tropics
oranges South Asia, India US, Mediterranean
pork China, South Asia Worldwide
wheat Near East US, Russia, Argentina
tea China Asia
oats Near East Temperate Climates
pepper South America Americas, Asia

11. Introduction to Cultural Geography
Definition of Cultural Geography
History of the Discipline
Fundamental Concepts

12. What is CULTURE? What are its elements? How is it transferred?
How has the meaning of the word changed over time?

13. What is CULTURE?
Culture is learned behavior that is passed on by imitation, instruction, and example.
Culture is almost entirely relative. Proper behavior shifts from culture to culture.
U.S. current problems: 1) little shared culture 2) no one is teaching culture.
For example: sex education - Home? School?
Note: experiencing another culture is useful for gaining perspective on your own.
Candidate for harshest punishment in history? Banishment in so-called “primitive” cultures.

14. Geographic Importance of Culture
Geographers study culture because it leaves dramatic imprints on the earth, both physical and cultural.
Language: a crystal ball into culture.
Religion: strongest determinant of ethics.
Nationalism and Borders
Material Culture: tools, clothes, toys, etc.
Architecture: Suburban garages vs. earlier porches

15. What kinds of cultural values are reflected in each of these American houses?
Gated community?

16. Human-Environment Interaction (Cultural Ecology)
Successful cultures are those that adapt well to their environments. (Chaco Canyon, North Africa, Fertile Crescent, Easter Island)
Chaco Canyon, New Mexico
Easter Island, Polynesia

17. The Cultural Landscape
The result of the natural environment and all of the changes to it as a result of a particular culture. (Carl Sauer)
Environmental Determinism: environment is primary determinant of culture.
Possibilism: humans are primary determinant of culture.

19. Environmentally Determined?
N.Y.C.
Environmentally Determined?

20. What about Bali,
Indonesia?

21. Where are we. What values are reflected in each
Where are we? What values are reflected in each? What relation to physical environment?

22. Timber House, Switzerland
Mosque in Istanbul, Turkey
Yurt on Mongolian Steppe
Suburban Home, Chicago

23. Sense of Place
Every place is unique. Imagine where you lived as a child. Where is home?
Why and how do places take on meaning for human individuals?
Sensory
Architecture
Symbolic
Humanistic Geography - values the individual perspective.
Place and Placelessness (Relph, 1978)

24. Sense of Place
Bourbon Street
Groveland, CA

25. Geography and Politics
Ties to Military
Role in Colonization
Role in Imperialism
Role in Cold War
Ethnocentrism
Masculinism
Foreign - 4) Situated in an abnormal or improper place. 5) Not natural: alien.
The American Heritage Dictionary

26. Key Concepts REGIONS Culture Regions
Formal - all members share a characteristic
Functional - defined by a node of activity and distance decay from center
Vernacular - perception of cultural identity

27. Overlapping Formal and Functional Regions

28. Vernacular Regions

31. Diffusion
Relocation
Hierarchical
Contagious
Stimulus

33. Tobler’s 1st Law of Geography
All things are related. However, all other things being equal, those things that are closest together are more related.
Related Concepts:
Distance Decay

34. Space
Latitude and Longitude - a reference system designed to provide “absolute” location (as opposed to relative locations).
Parallels of Latitude
Meridians of Longitude

36. Key Concepts: Core-Periphery
U.S., Europe, Japan, Australia
Wealthy
Powerful
Controls Media and Finance
Technologically advanced
Periphery
Less Developed
Poor
Dependent upon Core countries for:
Education
Technology
Media
Military Equipment

37. Key Concepts: Core-Periphery

38. Globalization
The increasing interconnectedness of different parts of the world through common processes of economic, political, and cultural change. The economic, cultural, and environmental effects of globalization are highly contested.
Panama, 1997

39. End of Slides