THINKING GEOGRAPHICALLY

Chapter 1

Key Issue 1 Map Scale• 3 types of scale:

• Fractional/Ratio-1/24,000 or 1:24,000 means 1 inch on the map represents 24,000 inches on the ground

• Written: 1 inch equals one mile• Bar -

• Scale examples• Neighborhood maps, world maps, country maps all have different

scales• The scale is determined by the amount of detail shown in a map• Neighborhood maps will have the largest scale, World maps have

the smallest scale

Scale Differences: Maps of Florida

Projection

• Since the earth is a 3D object and a map is a 2D object, maps will have distortions

• This leads to distortion• Shape, distance, relative size, direction

• Types of projections• Robinson, Mercator, Mollweide, Sinusoidal, Goode homolosine,

• Robinson is best to show size of the oceans• Mercator has least distortion in shape and direction. Grossly distorted near poles

How Geographers Address Location• GIS- Geographic information system• Software program that producing maps that display data

• Typically maps are multiple layers with different data for each layer. Data is relational (meaning there is a connection to all layers)

How Geographers Address Location

• Remote sensing- Satellites that record and map the Earth (mostly environmental but helps with monitoring urban sprawl)

• GPS- Global positioning System. Precise location provided by satellites (navigation) Used after 9/11 to record the debris of the World Trade Centers

Key issue 2 Uniqueness of Places and Regions

• Place: Unique location of a feature• Place names- Lakeland (toponym). Can be named

for several reasons• Site- physical character like climate, water, soil,

vegetation. • Situation-location to other places. Singapore is a

good example.• Mathematical location- GPS coordinates

• Greenwich, England• Latitude and longitude provide location• Latitudes are calculated by the sun whereas longitudes are

man made• East of international dateline-ahead• West of international dateline-behind

World Geographic Grid

Fig. 1-8: The world geographic grid consists of meridians of longitude and parallels of latitude. The prime meridan (0º) passes through Greenwich, England.

World Time Zones

Fig. 1-9: The world’s 24 standard time zones are often depicted using the Mercator projection.

Calculating Time Zones• Every 15 degrees longitude is an hour difference• Greenwich mean time (GMT) is 0 degrees (England)• New York- 75 degrees WEST• India- 75 degrees EAST• Australia- 120 degrees EAST• California- 120 degrees WEST

Uniqueness of Places and Regions• Cultural landscape- regions have distinct characteristics

because of social and physical processes and the Earth is shaped by these relationships.• Defined by Carl Sauer• Combination of things like language, religion, jobs and physical

earth qualities• Los Angeles is different thank New York City

• Spatial association• There are trends between data and the physical earth

• Cancer rates are higher in eastern US

• Regional integration of culture -Care about/care for help explain why places on the Earth are unique

• Cultural ecology-Culture effects the environment• Possibilism versus Environmental determinism• How does the environment affect human actions

Types of Regions• Formal regions- clearly defined boundaries with a common

characteristic through out (uniform region)• Common language, climate, laws• States, corn belt, voting• Used to identify national or global trends

• Function regions- an area or characteristic organized around a node (nodal regions)• New papers, radio stations, tv stations

• Vernacular regions- an area distinguished by cultural opinions (perceptual region)• The South is a good example• Everyone has a different idea of what makes up the South therefore the

region does not have a defined boundary

Formal and Functional Regions

Fig. 1-11: The state of Iowa is an example of a formal region; the areas of influence of various television stations are examples of functional

regions.

Vernacular Regions

Fig. 1-12: A number of factors are often used to define the South as a vernacular region, each of which identifies somewhat

different boundaries.

Physical processes that make places unique

• Climate- 5 types. People will not live in harsh climates therefore climate influences human activities

• Vegetation- 4 types. Mostly influences types of agriculture practiced

• Soil-10 orders (not types). Erosion and depletion• Landforms-Geomorphology helps understand the distribution of people and economic activities• Mountains aren’t good places to build Wal-marts

Cultural Ecology = Culture + Environment

Environmental Determinism

• Humboldt and Ritter• The environment

determines human activity• People live and develop in

regions where there is a temperate climate

• Humans don’t live in hostile areas

• The Earth determines where humans develop stuff

Possibilism

• Humans are not limited by the environment

• We are smart enough to adapt the environment to suit our needs

• We irrigate deserts into farms

• Air conditioning allows more development in hot regions

Key Issue 3 Similarity of Different Places

• Scale: From local to global-local decisions impact global• Globalization of economy- people can do business anywhere in the

world because of electronic banking. Now economies are more linked than ever

• Globalization of culture- The internet has been crucial to spreading popular culture. Fashion is a good example of popular culture. You would find blue jeans in Japan, making it seem familiar

• Connections between places• Spatial interaction- Faster travel, technology increases interaction

over wide distances• The world is shrinking – space time compression• Popular culture, religion, music, news, disease all spread faster today

than in the past

Space-Time Compression, 1492–1962

Fig. 1-20: The times required to cross the Atlantic, or orbit the Earth, illustrate how transport improvements have

shrunk the world.

Diffusion- spread of a characteristic• Relocation - when something is spread by physical

movement• Disease popping up in a country • Spread of religion or languages

• Expansion- spread in a snowballing pattern• Hierarchical- Spread from a hearth to outward areas

• Fashion is a great example (Paris, Milan, New York)

• Contagious- spreads like a disease, no discrimination • Think of the wave at a sports stadium

• Stimulus-  an idea is diffused or transmitted from one culture to another. This idea then is improved upon or has stimulated another idea or invention• Samsung stealing some of Apple’s patents for cell phones and

improving on the technology