How Do Geographers Describe Where Things Are?
Chapter 1: Thinking Geographically
Geography as a Field of Inquiry:• Human Geo is:- the scientific study of the location of people and
activities on the Earth’s surface- the study of where and why human activities are
located where they are- a look at the world from a spatial perspective,
studying how people and objects vary across the Earth’s surface
- a study of the spatial interaction between people and objects, as well as the diffusion of people and ideas
Geography as a Field of Inquiry
• G’s will:- observe a tension between local uniqueness
and globalizing forces* This will help understand many of the
world’s conflicts (i.e. political strife, development and economic geo, and
the environment)
Nature and Perspectives
• Earliest maps made by Chinese, Greek, and N African scholars *
• Cartography – art and science of mapmaking• Eratosthenes created term geo- (Earth)
graphy (to write)• Strabo – “Geography” , 17 vol. description of
the world (63 BC – 24 AD)• Ptolemy – “Father of Geography”, 8 volume
“Guide to Geography” (90 AD – 168 AD)
Nature and PerspectivesGeography developed as a discipline:
Theories/Beliefs developed:Cultural Ecology – landscapes are the products of complex human-environment relationships Environmental Determinism – the environment causes social development (Humboldt/Ritter)Possibilism (Modern) – physical environment may limit some human actions, but people have the ability to adjust through alternative courses of action—Use resources accordingly Regional Studies (cultural landscape) – emphasizes unique characteristics of each place, both human and physical
Location and Place
• Place is the description of a specific point on the Earth’s surface; including human and physical features that make it unique
• Location:1. place-names (toponyms)2. site3. situation (relative location)4. absolute location
Toponyms
• All inhabited places on Earth have been given a place-name
• Place names may tell us historical origins
Examples:Battle, England
Islamabad, PakistanGold Point, NevadaAberystwyth, Wales
Site
The specific physical characteristics of a place
Rivers, hilltops, and islands historically important
EX. Singapore is a small, swampy island
Singapore is a small, swampy island
Situation OR Relative Location
• Places location relative to other places around it
Absolute Location
• Coordinate System• Latitude (parallels) Equator• Longitude (meridians) Prime Meridian
* International Date Line
Region
• An area larger than a single city that contains unifying cultural and/or physical characteristics
• Controversy: What exactly makes a region?• Necessary to simplify the world for
examination• Three types:
Formal Region (“Uniform” or “Homogeneous”)
• Specific characteristics that are fairly uniform throughout the region
EX. Colorado is a political region and the Rocky Mountains constitute a physical region
Functional Region (“Nodal”)
• Has a social or economic function that occurs between a node or focal point and the surrounding areas
EX. Circulation of the Dallas Morning News is a functional region and Dallas is the node
Perceptual Region (“Vernacular”)
• One that exists in people’s mindsEX. The American “South” – people asked to
draw a boundary will do so based on stereotypes such as climate, accent, religious practices, etc…
* Ones attachment to a region perceived as home is sometimes called a sense of place