From Sea to Shining Sea

GEOGRAPHY OF THE AMERICA’S:*Understanding geography is important to our understanding of the past and present.

-Geography is linked to history. -To understand history, you must understand geography. -All of human history has taken place in and is influenced by the environment we live in.-The environment a person lives in affects the development of their culture.

Columbus landing in New World in 1492.

General George Washington at Valley Forge in 1777. Erie Canal in New York in the 1800’s.

Question: What do all 3 events have in common?

Answer: ALL 3 took place in the environment.

GEOGRAPHY: The study of the physical, biological, and cultural features of the Earth’s surface.

●Geography is the environment in which we live.

ENVIRONMENT: The surroundings in which we live.

●Geography includes: 1. Physical/geographic features

2. Human, animal, and plant life3. Weather4. Climate5. Natural resources

Rivers and mountains are physical or geographic features.

Gold, trees, and cotton are examples of natural resources.

Plants and animals are part of the geography.

GEOGRAPHY:

PHYSICAL FEATURES: (LANDFORMS, GEOGRAPHICAL FEATURES) -Features on the Earth’s surface such as mountains, rivers, lakes, and deserts.

NATURAL RESOURCES: Materials humans take from the environment to use to survive.

Ex: Plants, Trees, Oil, Water, Soil

Mountains

Rivers

Lakes

Desert

Soil for growing crops.

Oil

Logs

WEATHER: The condition of the Earth’s atmosphere at a given time and place. -What it is doing right now outside! -Sunny, rainy, snowy, cloudy, hot, cold, dry, wet……

CLIMATE: The average weather of a place over a period of 20-30 years. -Made up of temperature and precipitation (rain, snow, sleet, hail)

Rainy Day

Lightening Storm

Hot Sunny Day

Snowy Day

Cloudy Day

The Earth can be divided into climate zones. Each zone has a

unique climate or average weather over a period of time.

Quick Check Quiz #1: Directions: Answer the following questions and write your answers on the correct line in your student packet.

1. In order to understand and comprehend history and historical events, you must:

a. understand economics c. understand geography

b. understand religious beliefs d. understand different cultures

2. Which of the following has the largest influence or affect on the development of a person or groups culture?

a. environment c. physical features

b. natural resources d. weather

3. Which of the following terms describes the surroundings in which we live?

a. geography c. natural resources

b. environment d. climate

4. Which of the following terms describes features on the Earth’s surface such as mountains and rivers?

a. natural resources c. geography

b. weather d. physical features

5 Themes of Geography:●To understand geography, historians study the 5 Themes of Geography. 1. Location: Uses Latitude and Longitude lines on maps. 2. Place: 3. Interaction Between People and Their Environment: 4. Movement: 5. Region:

1. Location: Tells where a place is. A. Relative Location: Tells where a place is in relation to another place. Example: Gloversville is 1 hour northwest of Albany, New York.

Example: The school is to the right of the covered bridge. Example: The Inn is next to the Minister’s House.

Typical New England Colonial Village in the 1600-1700’s.

Latitude: Lines that run east and west and are located north (above) and south (below) of the equator.

Longitude: Lines that run north and south and are located west (left) and east (right) of the Prime Meridian. They run up and down the map.

Equator

Prime Meridian

B. Exact (Absolute) Location: Tells where a place is by using Latitude and Longitude lines on maps.

LATITUDE: Lines on a map that measure distance north and south from the Equator.

LONGITUDE: Lines on a map that measure distance east and west from the Prime Meridian.

When you combine the two sets of lines, you get a grid. This allows you to find exact or absolute locations on the Earth’s surface.

UNDERSTANDING GEOGRAPHY: AMERICA’S LOCATION: ●The United States is part of the continent of North America. ●North America is one of the seven continents on the Earth.

1

2

3

5

4

6

7

AMERICA’S LOCATION: America’s location is in the Northern and Western Hemisphere’s.

North America

North

America

Quick Check Quiz #2: Directions: Answer the following questions and write your answers on the correct line in your student packet.

1. If I said that Gloversville is 10 minutes east of Johnstown, I would be using which of the following?

a. region c. exact (absolute) location

b. place d. relative location

2. Using lines of latitude and longitude are part which of the following?

a. exact (absolute) location b. relative location

3. The United States is part of which continent?

a. South America c. Africa

b. Europe d. North America

4. The United States is in which hemisphere or hemispheres?

a. Northern c. Northern and Western

b. Western d. Eastern and Western

2. Place: Describes an area’s physical and human features.

A. Physical Features: (LANDFORMS, GEOGRAPHICAL FEATURES)

B. Human Features: Houses, transportation, jobs,

language, and religion.

All of these are things found in nature that are natural.

Mountains

Rivers and Lakes

Forests

Vehicles

Buildings

Cities

Jobs

All of these are man made things that are not found in nature without being made by man.

3. Interaction Between People and Their Environment:A. People adapt to their environment by

changing the way they live in order to survive. B. People change the environment by

physically changing it.

●As humans, we can either change our environment, or we have to change to fit into it.

This picture shows land that has been cleared by humans in order to plant and grow crops. Clearing land and planting crops is an example of humans changing the environment to suit our needs.

Sometimes, humans cannot change the environment. Therefore, humans need to change to fit into and survive in the environment. For example, we cannot change mountains or stop snow from falling. Therefore, we need to change to survive.

Vineyard

4. Movement: Movement of people, goods, and ideas.

5. Regions: An area with certain unifying characteristics. -Physical or human.

POLITICAL/SOCIAL REGIONS OF THE UNITED STATES:

The United States is broken down into 6 general sections. This breakdown is for political/social purposes.

1. Northeast 3. Midwest 5. Mountain States

2. Southeast 4. Southwest 6. West

NortheastMidwest

West

SouthwestSoutheast

Mountain States

MAP: A representation of the features of the Earth or part of the Earth.

1. TYPES OF MAPS: There are 2 main types of maps; physical and political maps.

PHYSICAL MAP: POLITICAL MAP:

A map that shows landforms A map that shows states, national

on the surface of the Earth. boundaries, cities, capitals, roads,

and other human features.

2. PARTS OF A MAP: All maps have 4 basic parts.

A. Title

B. Legend/Key

C. Scale

D. Compass Rose

Quick Check Quiz #3: Directions: Answer the following questions and write your answers on the correct line in your student packet.

1. “Interaction Between People and Their Environment” can be seen in which of the following situations?

a. you turn on the tv to watch sports c. you read a book about a president

b. you put on a sweatshirt because it is cold outside d. you go to bed because you are tired

2. Cutting down trees to build houses, planting crops in a field, and building a dam to create a lake are examples of which theme of geography?

a. location b. interaction between people and their environment

b. place c. movement

3. Which of the following types of maps shows landforms on the surface of the Earth?

a. political map c. demographic map

b. natural resource map d. physical map

4. Which of the following is a part of a map?

a. compass rose c. legend/key

b. scale d. all of the above