1. Map Skills
Maps, Maps and More Maps

2. History of Maps
Hundreds of years ago, people would only draw maps of places that they had been.
If they didn’t know of a place or had an empty location on a map, they often filled the space with monsters or people from myths.

3. Cartographers (Mapmakers) give a much more detailed and accurate representation of the Earth.
GPS (Global Positioning System)

4. Globes vs. Maps
Globe = Three dimensional and shows actual shape, but difficult to carry around
Maps = More practical, but only shows the Earth in two dimensions = not accurate

5. Map Distortion
When a globe is transformed into a map, it becomes distorted.
Distortion = change in accuracy in shape and distances
In order for a map to show a flat representation of a curved Earth, it would need to be peeled like an orange and cut along the lines of latitude – making it difficult to read.

6. Types of Maps General Reference 2 Types of General Reference Maps
Show natural and man-made features
Used to locate a specific place
2 Types of General Reference Maps
Physical and Political Maps

7. Physical Maps Landforms Rivers, Lakes Mountains, Valleys
Plains, Plateaus
Elevation

8. Political Maps
State Borders
Capitals
Major Cities
Roadways
Population

9. Thematic Maps Focus on one specific theme or idea Population Map
Climate Map
Time Zone Maps

10. Map Projections
A different way of showing Earth’s curved surface on a flat map.
Projection maps make places look bigger or smaller in relation to other places.
Two main types of projection maps.
Robinson Projection and Mercator Projection

11. Robinson Projection Most accurate projection of the Earth
Has distortions around the edges of the map

12. Mercator Projection
Used for over 400 years as the primary map of Earth
Conformal map – shows correct shapes but not true distances or sizes