Unit 1 Geography and Perspectives

Transcription

1 Unit 1 Geography and Perspectives

2 History of Geography Began thousands of years ago with Eratosthenes and Ptolemy as mapmaking Eratosthenes calculated the circumference of the earth, only off by 175 km! He also was the first to use the word geography. Europeans continued mapping efforts during Age of Exploration adding findings of climate, cultures, and native plants and animals. Current geographers are concerned with human interaction with and on the earth and use technology to do it. The Why and How of phenomena on the earth This course is more or less a story of regionalism and globalization and their effects across the Earth

3 What is Human Geography? Geographic patterns at a global and local scale what happens at the global affects us at the local scale What happens at the local scale contributes to global patterns (which we will study) Ex. Population growth, cultural diffusion, terrorism, water supply, pollution, growth management How are things organized on the Earth? Is there a pattern? What does it mean? To what extent do things in one place influence those in other places? How do we see change over time and what does it mean?

4 Thinking Geographically: Application Toilet Geography

5 United States

6 Italy

7 Tanzania

8 Russia

9 Bolivia

10 Thailand

11 China

12 Nambia

13 Ethiopia

14 What do these varying styles tell us about geography? Hint: Think about anything EXCEPT maps Available resources Sustainability Cultural ideas of sanitation and privacy/amenities Development (MDC/LDC) Language (Toilet, WC, Restroom) Migration/Diffusion Urban Planning

15 Integrating Culture and the Environment Environmental determinism (19 th century) physical environment causes human development - Example: island nations have unique cultural traits solely because of their isolation from continental societies Environmental Possibilism (20 th century) physical environment may limit some human actions, but we have the ability to adjust Example: choosing the right crops to grow because of soil quality and climate

16 Modifying our Environment -Polders

17 Cultural Landscapes What is culture? Culture is relative. Geographer Caul Sauer: Everything man-made in our environment The built environment The effects or imprint of man on the environment Effects can be negative or positive What is the perfect cultural landscape? How do we maintain our landscape?

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

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

20 Sequent Occupance Layers of imprints in a cultural landscape that reflect years of differing human activity.

21 Using the images provided, Landscape Analysis - FRQ Practice A. Identify and explain ONE way that tourism has diminished regional landscape distinctiveness. B. Identify and explain ONE way that tourism has enhanced regional landscape distinctiveness. Thoughts?

22 THE CONCEPT OF REGION Conceptual constructions (for convenience and comparison) A bunch of places with something in common Regions may be large or small Global or local Regions within regions Regions can overlap A region gains its character through a combination of cultural features (a cultural landscape) and physical features Geographers have identified 3 different types of regions: Formal Vernacular Functional

23 Formal Regions Sometimes called a uniform or homogenous region, everyone shares at least one distinctive characteristic government, economics, language, religion, voting style, climate, crops, etc The criteria for formal regions can be mapped May be easy to identify like a country or state

24 Vernacular Regions Also known as a perceptual region How people think about a region based off prior knowledge People believe these places exist and feel they have a different culture or make up their cultural identity Emerge from an informal sense of place Not easily mapped because perceptions change Examples: The South, Middle East Kurdistan

25 Vernacular Regions Perception of Place Belief or understanding of what a place is like, often based on books, movies, stories, or pictures

26 Functional Regions Sometimes called a nodal region or focal point Region is dominated by a central focus or location and diminishes with farther distance from the central focus. Places in the same functional region have interact activities The size or boundaries are not limited Examples: Newspapers, television stations, shopping centers, jobs Are functional regions diminishing with technology?

27 Tobler s 1 st Law of Geography All things are related. However, all other things being equal, those things that are closest together are more related. Opposite this is Distance Decay in which objects farther away from each other will have less in common. Spatial Interaction - movement of people, goods, and ideas within and among regions. The more accessible a region, the more interaction will occur.

28 Core, Periphery, Semi-Periphery The North-South Split

29 Hearth The region from which a phenomenon originates; a center of innovation Distance Decay The diminishing importance and eventual disappearance of a phenomenon with increasing distance from the hearth Diffusion The spread of a feature or trend through bodily movement of people or technology from one region to another, diffusion has different patterns

30 Time-Space Compression Innovation and technology have allowed for time and space to lessen Think about how long it takes get information from China now compared to 500 years ago

31 Koppen System Biomes The modified Köppen system divides the world into five main climate regions. Freshwater Desert Tropical Forest Grassland Marine Temperate Forest Tundra

32 Fuller Model Mapping

33 Maps A map is a 2-dimensional or flatscale model of a portion of or the whole earth s surface. Cartography map making process Scale can be expressed 3 ways: A ratio or fraction (1:25,000 or 1/25,000) A written scale (1 inch equals 1 mile) A graphic scale (Bar or number line dictates scale)

34 Mapping and Spatial Distribution Arrangement of items on Earth s surface Three concepts 1. Density number within a defined area 2. Concentration or Dispersion amount of spread (cluster, random) 3. Pattern design of spread

35 Spatial Distribution In your own words, what is spatial distribution? It includes density, concentration, and pattern.

36 Understanding Projection and Distortion 1. Pretending your orange is the earth, you are to turn your 3D earth into a 2D map with as little distortion as possible. 2. Questions to Answer in Notes: What was your approach to cutting your orange? What distortion was created given the method you chose?

37 Why All World Maps Are Wrong

38 Projection Earth cannot be accurately represented on a flat surface, maps become distorted Cartographers try to avoid distortion, but 4 types can result: 1. The shape of an area is distorted 2. The distance between 2 points may be shorter or longer 3. The relative size of an area smaller or larger 4. The direction from one place to another may be distorted.

39 Distortion

40 Popular Projections

41

42 Robinson map projection

43 How do we make maps? Contemporary Tools for Mapping Geographic Information Systems (GIS) Computer program takes information on a location and is stored in layers. Layers can be viewed individually or combined. Easily creates maps for today s uses Remote Sensing Satellites scan the earth. Google Earth Global Positioning Systems (GPS) Accurately determines the precise position of something on earth. Originally designed for aircraft and ships, now available for cars and phones.

44 GIS Example

45 What Kinds of Maps Do We Use? Reference Maps Focus on accuracy of absolute location, coordinates Geocaching

46 Thematic Maps Tell a story, usually require a key or legend to interpret

47 Contour or Topographical Maps Spatial Patterns of the Midwest Isolines

48 Dot Maps Show density, clustering, distribution, patterns

49 Cartogram Maps Show a phenomena based on proportion

50 Cognitive or Mental Maps Mental maps are maps in our minds of places we have been and places we have merely heard of. Mental maps include terra incognita, unknown lands that are off limits. Activity spaces are those places we travel to routinely in our rounds of daily activity. Sense of Place helps create meaning and emotion tied to a places, we see it in our mental maps

51 Scale: the size relationship between what the map shows and actual distance on the ground Large scale = small area, shows greater detail Small scale= large area, shows less detail Map Terminology

52 25 Maps That Will Change the Way You See the World

53 Maps That Prove You Don t Really Know Earth

54 Reading a Map How Do We Find Places On A Map? Place is a feature s location on earth. 4 ways to determine location of a place: 1. Place name toponyms (St. John s River, Orlando) 2. Site physical characteristics of a place (climate, elevation, vegetation, etc) 3. Situation location of a place based on relativity to others (girl directions) 4. Mathematical location latitude and longitude *What is the difference between absolute time and relative time? *Understand the difference between site and situation Ex: New Orleans, Singapore and trading routes, Italy during the Renaissance, Houses next to Real Life

55 Toponyms How do places get their names? Pg 197 Why would they be changed?

56 Site vs. Situation

57 Latitude and Longitude The Equator divides the globe into two hemispheres of north and south. Located at 0 latitude. The North and South Poles are at 90 degrees from the Equator. Parallels circle the earth parallel to the equator The Prime Meridian divides the globe into two hemispheres of east and west. Located at 0 degrees longitude. Meridians go from pole to pole.

58

59 Latitude is angular measurement north and south of the equator Longitude is angular measurement east and west of England

60

61 Latitude and Longitude Both are used to identify absolute locations. Latitude and Longitude can be further broken down by dividing each degree in 60 minute intervals and each minute into 60 seconds. International Date Line: An arc that follows 180 longitude E, W. When crossing the date line, the calendar is turned forward or backward one day, depending on direction of travel.

62

63 Pairs Paris, France New York City, New York Tokyo, Japan Capetown, South Africa Darwin, Australia Lima, Peru You will determine latitude first and then longitude An example looks like this 54 degree north latitude and 103 degrees west longitude.

64 Diffusions Know the various types of diffusion Expansion diffusion spreads outward from a hearth Contagious diffusion Hierarchical diffusion Stimulus diffusion Relocation diffusion carries an idea to new place Small Groups: Match the various examples to the diffusion type

65 Diffusion

66 Barriers to Diffusion What barriers exist that stop the diffusion process? What examples can we use for each? 1. Physical barriers in nature rivers, oceans, lakes, and mountain ranges physically separate places 2. Cultural differences Difference in religious beliefs, languages, values 3. Political boundaries Governments impede the adoption of ideas or intervene on behalf of the people 4. Economic factors people in certain places cannot afford to purchase a new commodity or technological innovation.

67

68 Philosophical Chairs Globalization is important to the world we live in. Globalization will eventually cause there to be one uniform culture. Globalization will cause, through a trickle down process, monetary wealth to rise throughout the world. Globalization puts the environment at risk due to further exploitation and pollution. Globalization will cause a violent backlash by traditional societies.