Unit 1: The Basics of Unit 1: The Basics of GeographyGeography

What is Geography?What is Geography? Field of study Field of study

that tries to make that tries to make sense of the sense of the world around us, world around us, how people, how people, places, and places, and environments environments came to be and came to be and how they affect how they affect each othereach other

Different TypesDifferent Types

Physical Physical Geography: Study Geography: Study of natural features of natural features on the surface of on the surface of the earththe earth• Plants, animals, Plants, animals,

mountains, mountains, temperature, wind, temperature, wind, weather, etc.weather, etc.

Human Geography: Human Geography: Study of people Study of people and seek to and seek to understand who understand who lives where, how lives where, how and whyand why

History of GeographyHistory of Geography

450 BC Herodotus 450 BC Herodotus created the first created the first map of the known map of the known worldworld

Early 1800s Lewis Early 1800s Lewis and Clark and Clark journeyed west to journeyed west to the Pacific Oceanthe Pacific Ocean

Key TermsKey Terms

Absolute Location: the precise Absolute Location: the precise point where a place is on Earthpoint where a place is on Earth

Relative Location: the location of Relative Location: the location of one place compared to anotherone place compared to another

MapsMaps Distortions: change Distortions: change

the shape, size, and the shape, size, and position of featuresposition of features• Try to use Try to use

globes, better globes, better modelsmodels

• Map Projections- Map Projections- a way of a way of representing the representing the spherical Earth spherical Earth on a flat surfaceon a flat surface

Map Titles and SymbolsMap Titles and Symbols

Titles located to give a clue about Titles located to give a clue about contentcontent

Compass Rose- a diagram on maps Compass Rose- a diagram on maps that shows directionsthat shows directions• Cardinal Directions- four directions (N, S, Cardinal Directions- four directions (N, S,

E, W)E, W)• Intermediate Directions- lines between Intermediate Directions- lines between

cardinal pointscardinal points Northeast, southeast, southwest, northwestNortheast, southeast, southwest, northwest

Map Legend/KeyMap Legend/Key

Lists each Lists each symbol and symbol and explains what explains what is shows on is shows on the mapthe map

OrganizingOrganizing Map Grid- system Map Grid- system

of imaginary lines of imaginary lines to divide up to divide up space on mapsspace on maps

Global Grid- Global Grid- latitude and latitude and longitude allows longitude allows you to locate any you to locate any place on earth place on earth with a simple with a simple number codenumber code

Lines of LatitudeLines of Latitude

Parallels of Parallels of Latitude- lines Latitude- lines run east and run east and westwest

Equator- 0° Equator- 0° latitude, it is latitude, it is reference for reference for measuring other measuring other parallelsparallels

Lines of LongitudeLines of Longitude Meridians of Meridians of

Longitude- run from Longitude- run from pole to pole, but pole to pole, but are not parallel, so are not parallel, so the distance variesthe distance varies

Prime Meridian- Prime Meridian- runs through runs through Greenwich, England Greenwich, England at 0° longitudeat 0° longitude

International Date LineInternational Date Line

International Date International Date Line- travelers Line- travelers moving cross the moving cross the line, cross over to line, cross over to a different daya different day• Go west over line, Go west over line,

go forward a daygo forward a day• Go east over line, Go east over line,

go back a daygo back a day

Read pg. 17 Read pg. 17

““Latitude and Longitude Mark Latitude and Longitude Mark Absolute Location”Absolute Location”

Dealing with ScaleDealing with Scale

Washington DC Washington DC mapmap

Notice the Notice the difference of a difference of a large vs. small large vs. small scale mapscale map

Hemispheres, Continents, and Hemispheres, Continents, and OceansOceans

Hemisphere- the earth Hemisphere- the earth divided into two halvesdivided into two halves

Equator- divides Equator- divides Earth into Northern Earth into Northern and Southern and Southern HemispheresHemispheres

Prime Meridian- Prime Meridian- divides Earth into divides Earth into Eastern and Eastern and Western Western Hemispheres, Hemispheres, divide again at the divide again at the International Date International Date LineLine

Oceans and ContinentsOceans and Continents The Earth is covered with 70% The Earth is covered with 70%

water, really just one big body water, really just one big body of waterof water

AtlanticAtlantic PacificPacific IndianIndian ArcticArctic

ContinentsContinents AsiaAsia AfricaAfrica North AmericaNorth America South AmericaSouth America AntarcticaAntarctica EuropeEurope AustraliaAustralia

Earth and SunEarth and Sun

Revolution- one round trip takes 365 Revolution- one round trip takes 365 ¼ days, which make a year¼ days, which make a year

Axis- imaginary line that runs from Axis- imaginary line that runs from the North Pole to the South pole the North Pole to the South pole through the center of the Earth, what through the center of the Earth, what the earth rotates on the earth rotates on • Full Rotation ever 24 hours Full Rotation ever 24 hours

Tilted EarthTilted Earth

Creates the Creates the different seasonsdifferent seasons

Look at the Look at the diagramdiagram

TropicsTropics Tropic of Caner- Tropic of Caner-

northern linenorthern line Tropic of Capricorn- Tropic of Capricorn-

southern linesouthern line• 23 1/2˚ N/S23 1/2˚ N/S• Known as Tropical Known as Tropical

ZonesZones• The points where the The points where the

sun’s rays beat straight sun’s rays beat straight down, no winter seasondown, no winter season

CirclesCircles

Arctic Circle- north most point where Arctic Circle- north most point where sun doesn’t shine for one day sun doesn’t shine for one day straightstraight

Antarctic Circle- southernmost pointAntarctic Circle- southernmost point• Polar Zones- North and South polesPolar Zones- North and South poles

**In between these zones, **In between these zones, TEMPERATE TEMPERATE ZONESZONES, no weather extremes, no weather extremes

Seeing the World Like a Seeing the World Like a GeographerGeographer

Thematic Map- presents information related to only one theme or topic• Physical Features- natural parts of

Earth’s surface• Landforms- mountains, valleys, plains,

plateaus and water• Climate- long-term weather patterns• Vegetation- trees and other plants

Human Geography Population Density-

average number of people who live in a unit of area, such as a square mile…how crowded an area is

Economic Activity- the way people produce, buy and sell services

• Natural Resources- useful items found in nature

Mapping Physical Features

Shows the shapes of features as seen from above

Show elevation with shading areas by their height above sea level

Earth’s ClimatesEarth’s Climates

Climate Zones- each Climate Zones- each zone has a particular zone has a particular pattern of pattern of temperature and temperature and participationparticipation

Climagraph- shows Climagraph- shows the average the average temperature and temperature and precipitation in a precipitation in a place over a yearplace over a year

Prime MeridianPrime Meridian EquatorEquator International Date International Date

LineLine Tropic of CancerTropic of Cancer Tropic of CapricornTropic of Capricorn