What is Geography?

• Geo - geo= land• Graphy= study/ chart

• The study of the Earth, including land, places, and people

• The study of geography led to the creation of

maps

Location

• Location is a particular place or position. Location can be absolute or it can be relative.

• Absolute: is precise, more exact

• Relative: gives only a general idea of where something is located

Location Examples

• Coordinates, street addresses, cities – (40 N, 74W; 100 Main Street, Trenton, NJ; Oahu,

Hawaii; Phoenix, Arizona)

• Alpine is West of Norwood; Hawaii is an island in the Pacific Ocean

Place• A Place has describing characteristics that

define a location. These characteristics can be physical or human.

• Physical: features that naturally occur on the Earth. This also includes animal and plant life

• Human: features that are man-made, such as architecture, or elements of culture

Place Examples

• Physical: rivers, beaches, mountains, waterfalls, caves, etc.

• Human: Eiffel Tower, a straw hut, Stonehenge, your home, etc.

Human-Environment Interaction

• Involves how people use, adapt, or modify their environment. This can have positive or negative effects

• Adapt vs. Modify: – Adapt- when you change yourself to fit your

environment– Modify- when you change your environment to fit

you

Examples

• Adapt- wearing shorts & a t-shirt in hot weather

• Modify- using irrigation systems to water crops in areas of dry land/ no rain

• Positive- fertilizing crops to feed more people• Negative- polluting clean air and water

sources

Movement

• When people, ideas, goods, fads, etc. are brought from one place to another or are exchanged between places

Movement Examples

• One Direction first became popular in Britain, then in the US

• Internet began in California and is now used globally

Regions

• A group of places with at least one common characteristic. Regions can be formal or vernacular

• Formal: Officially marked boundaries- can be for continents, countries, towns, cities, etc.

• Vernacular: No official boundary lines, but instead are understood, or are “perceived”

Region Examples

• Formal : New York City, the USA, Europe

• Vernacular: “The South” or “the Middle East”

• In your notes:– Think About It: Which theme do you think is most

important? Why? Explain.

Types of Maps

Political Maps• A political map shows boundaries• Examples: countries, states,

counties, etc.

Physical Map• A visual representation of an area,

usually includes landmarks, cities, major highways, bodies of water, etc.

Economic Map

• An economic map can show industry, agriculture, or where wealth or poverty are located

Topography Map• A topographic map shows elevations

or high and low altitudes found in a country or region• Examples- mountains, cliffs, valleys

Climate Map• A climate map shows temperatures

and climates found within a country or region