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Unit 1: Human Geography. History of Discipline Geography Today Thinking Geographically Applications of Geography. Human Geography. Study of human activities on earth’s surface Discipline began 3,000 years ago - PowerPoint PPT Presentation
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Unit 1: Human GeographyUnit 1: Human Geography History of
Discipline Geography
Today Thinking
Geographically
Applications of Geography
History of Discipline
Geography Today
Thinking Geographically
Applications of Geography
Human Geography
• Study of human activities on earth’s surface• Discipline began 3,000 years ago• Looking at the earth from a spatial
perspective means looking at how objects and processes vary over the earth’s surface
• Geographers look at how the world changes over space
EratosthenesEratosthenes Head librarian in
Alexandria Accurate
computation of earth’s circumference
Based sun’s angle at summer solstice and distance between two Egyptian cities
Coined term “geography”
Head librarian in Alexandria
Accurate computation of earth’s circumference
Based sun’s angle at summer solstice and distance between two Egyptian cities
Coined term “geography”
Ptolemy
Published “Guide to Geography”
Included rough maps of landmasses
Western European explorersBartholomeu DiasChristopher ColumbusFerdinand MagellanAlexander von Humboldt
18th - 20th Century Period saw
development of: Anthropology Geology Ecology
Charles Darwin - theory of evolution through natural selection
Alfred Wegner - theory of continental drift
1864-George Perkins Marsh - “Man and Nature, or Physical Geography as Modified by Human Action
Described impact on natural systems by humans
Advocated conservationist approach
Considered to be first “environmentalist”
Carl SauerCarl Sauer
Cultural landscapes are product of complex interactions between humans and their environments
These should be main focus of geographic inquiry
Cultural landscapes are product of complex interactions between humans and their environments
These should be main focus of geographic inquiry
Sauer contd.Sauer contd.
Implied that most places, even natural landscapes (those unaltered by human activities) have been affected indirectly by human activities
Created new form of human environmental relations
Coined the phrase “cultural landscape.”
Implied that most places, even natural landscapes (those unaltered by human activities) have been affected indirectly by human activities
Created new form of human environmental relations
Coined the phrase “cultural landscape.”
Quantitative Revolution
Stressed use of empirical measurements Uses hypothetical testing Develops mathematical models Uses computers to explain geographic
patterns Led to use of GPS and GIS
Global Positioning SystemGlobal Positioning System
Integrated network of satellites that orbit the earth broadcasting location information to hand-held receivers on the earth’s surface
Integrated network of satellites that orbit the earth broadcasting location information to hand-held receivers on the earth’s surface
Geographic Information Systems
Use thematic layers Each layer consists
of a map of specific features
May be combined into one comprehensive map
Helps geographers understand relationships between themes
Human GeographyHuman Geography Combines following subfields
Political Geography - Political Science Population Geography - Demography Urban Geography - Urban Studies, Urban
Social Science Planning Social Geography - Sociology, Language,
Religious Studies Economic Geography - Regional Economics,
Economics Behavioral Geography - Psychology,
Economics Cultural Geography - Anthropology,
Sociology, History
Combines following subfields Political Geography - Political Science Population Geography - Demography Urban Geography - Urban Studies, Urban
Social Science Planning Social Geography - Sociology, Language,
Religious Studies Economic Geography - Regional Economics,
Economics Behavioral Geography - Psychology,
Economics Cultural Geography - Anthropology,
Sociology, History
Other Areas of Geography
• Physical Geography Study spatial characteristics
of earth’s physical and biological systems
Earth System Science - new field that studies interaction between physical systems on a global scale
Systematic Geographystudy the earth’s integrated systems as a whole instead of one phenomenon in a single space
• Environmental Geography Where physical and human
geography meet Anthropogenic - human
induced environmental change
Sustainability - implies an approach to the environment that emphasizes the restraint in the use of natural resources
W.D. Pattison 1964 University of
Chicago Claimed geography
drew from four distinct traditions
The earth science tradition
The culture environment tradition
The locational tradition
Area-analysis tradition
What does it mean to think Geographically???
What does it mean to think Geographically???
Develop a spatial perspective, an appreciation of scale, and ability to analyze and interpret forms of geographic data
Develop a spatial perspective, an appreciation of scale, and ability to analyze and interpret forms of geographic data
Spatial Perspective - intellectual framework that allows geographers to look at earth in relationships
Spatial Perspective - intellectual framework that allows geographers to look at earth in relationships
Why and How Questions
Why and How Questions
• Why Starbucks are located and successful in various parts of the world?
• Why Starbucks are located and successful in various parts of the world?
• How did Starbucks spread to those locations?
• How did Starbucks spread to those locations?
Geography based on premise that all places are different, with similarities
All places on earth are related - some more than others
Geographers look at spatial patterns and spatial relations
Geography based on premise that all places are different, with similarities
All places on earth are related - some more than others
Geographers look at spatial patterns and spatial relations
Scale
• Map scale• Ratio between the
distance on a map and the actual distance on the earth’s surface
• Geographic scale• Conceptual hierarchy of
spaces - from large to small, that reflects actual levels of organization in the real world
• Neighborhood, urban area, metropolitan area, the region
• Watershed, ecosystem, landscape, and biome
Regions
Shared characteristics between places provide a means to group places together into a more manageable unit of study
Area larger than a single city that contains unifying social or physical characteristics
Regions (continued) . . . Regions (continued) . . .
A unifying characteristic of a particular region may be anything that defines that place for the purpose of the particular question being asked
Regions do not exist as well defined units in the landscape
Conceptual constructions that geographers use for convenience and comparison
Regional Geography - Pattison’s area-analysis tradition, is the study of regions
A unifying characteristic of a particular region may be anything that defines that place for the purpose of the particular question being asked
Regions do not exist as well defined units in the landscape
Conceptual constructions that geographers use for convenience and comparison
Regional Geography - Pattison’s area-analysis tradition, is the study of regions
Types of RegionsTypes of RegionsFunctional
RegionsSpecial identities
because of social and economic relationships
Referred to as “Nodal Regions” - due to connections and interactions that occur between them and surrounding areas
Functional RegionsSpecial identities
because of social and economic relationships
Referred to as “Nodal Regions” - due to connections and interactions that occur between them and surrounding areas
Formal Regions Specific
characteristics that are “uniform” from one area to another within the region
Specific characteristics - physical features, cultural properties
Formal Regions Specific
characteristics that are “uniform” from one area to another within the region
Specific characteristics - physical features, cultural properties
Regions (continued) . . . Regions (continued) . . .
Perceptual Regions“fuzzy” bordersInvolve important issues of identity“Sense of place” - give people a
special attachment to that geographic place
Perceptual Regions“fuzzy” bordersInvolve important issues of identity“Sense of place” - give people a
special attachment to that geographic place
Thinking geographically
Thinking geographically
• Qualitative data - often associated with cultural or regional geography because they tend to be more unique to and descriptive of particular places and processes
• Quantitative data - use rigorous mathematical techniques and are important in economic, political, and population geography - where numerical data abounds
• Qualitative data - often associated with cultural or regional geography because they tend to be more unique to and descriptive of particular places and processes
• Quantitative data - use rigorous mathematical techniques and are important in economic, political, and population geography - where numerical data abounds
Idiographic vs. Nomothetic
Idiographic Refers to facts or
features that are unique to a particular place or region Such as its history or
ethnic composition
NomotheticRefers to concepts
that are universally applicable
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