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