Introduction to AP Human Geography

1. Introduction to AP Human Geography Mr. Stepek

2. “Geography” • “geography” from the Greek • “geo” = Earth • “graph” = to write or describe •  geography = “to write about or describe the Earth” • Geographers organize things across space while historians organize over time • Periodization vs. regionalization

3. Map scale (relationship of distance on a map to that in reality) • Expressed in terms of words, fraction, ratio, or bar scale Small scale = large area Small scale = less detail • LARGE(R) SCALE • Therefore does a larger scale cover a larger or smaller area in reality? • Large scale = small area • Large scale = more detail

4. Scale (“level of analysis”) • Over what “scale” would these environmental problems be analyzed? • Acid rain (factories produce sulfur which drops elsewhere) • NATIONAL or REGIONAL • Garbage, landfill, recycling, etc. • LOCAL • Climate change • GLOBAL

5. “level of aggregation”/ “generalization”(over what “spatial unit” are you analyzing a phenomenon)

6. Models: Abstract generalization to help explain a common pattern. Spatial models show commonalities in the patterns on landscapes Non-spatial models show a pattern on other than a map. • Qualitative vs. Quantitative analysis • “qualitative” refers to information about subjective characteristics (softness, beauty, feelings); info that can't actually be measured. • “quantitative” refers to data that can be measured and written down with numbers.

7. “Mapping a 3-dimensional world on a 2-dimensional surface” = Map Projections Method Goal • “Equal area” – relative sizes of landmasses are maintained, but shape is often grossly distorted. • “Conformal” – shapes of landmasses and local direction maintained while sacrificing accurate size.

8. Azimuthal or Planar Projections

9. Mercator Projection (1569)

10. Classic size distortion example: South America vs. Greenland

11. Gall-Peters Projection

12. Goode’s homolosine “Interrupted” projection

13. Robinson Projection

14. Winkel-tripel Projection

15. All projections have some degree of distortion: size, shape, distance, or direction

16. Map legend/key • For analysis purposes special attention MUST be placed on the map index or legend • Identifies scale • Identifies symbols • Identifies color coding

17. Thematic Types of Maps: choropleth • unit is assigned color • best = use shades of same color • darker = greater occurrence of the phenomenon being analyzed • strength • shows dominance of a trait • weakness • level of aggregation/generalization must be considered. • could give false conclusion • must compare “apples to apples”

18. Thematic Types of Maps: dot maps • dots indicate the # of occurrences in a given area • Best for raw data, not ratios or normalized data • Snow video = early use of GIS • can be described using the three properties of a distribution

19. Thematic Types of Maps: isoline • similar data is connected by lines • always used for elevation • ex: barometric pressure on weather maps • Data bands assigned colors = isopleth

20. Thematic Types of Maps: flow line maps Shows movement of people, information, and goods between places

21. Types of Maps: Topographic Reflects the Earth’s physical features (terrain, elevation)

22. Graphs in the form of “maps”: Cartograms • Distorts size of a map units to allow comparison of data. • more of a “graph” concept than a map = graph in map form

23. 2008 Election Results

24. Five Themes of Geography • Location • Place • Region • Interaction • Movement • Where? (most basic question) • How can this location be described? • With what other locations does this place share certain characteristics? • How have humans and the environment affected each other in this location? • How has this location been affected by the flow of people, goods and ideas?

25. Five Themes of Geography mnemonic • Movement • Region • Location • Interaction • Place = “Mr. Lip”

26. Two ways to describe a “location” • Absolute or “Exact” location • Using latitude and longitude • Another type = street addresses, “townships”

27. Two ways to describe a “location” • where something is, in reference to someplace else. • “Illinois is south of Wisconsin” • San Francisco is 350 miles north of L.A. • can hint at the importance of a location • Relative location

28. Location Tools • GPS (Global Positioning System) • uses satellites to pinpoint location, direction, velocity

29. Location Tools (continued) • GIS (geographic info. system) • permits storage/analysis of data in layers • Ghost Map (Snow/Cholera) • Remote sensing • collect data with tools while physically distant from the area.

30. Place: how can a location be described? Physical People • toponym = place name • Michigan = “large water” • “Half Day Road” • climate and vegetation • see GR #37 and #38

31. Koppen’s climate classification

32. Place: how can a location be described? Physical People toponyms England = “Land of the Angles” “New England” “Greektown” What do the toponyms of San Diego, San Francisco, Los Angeles tell you about California? demographics population/cultural stats ethnicity, language, religion age & gender, birth rates economic stats density (a property of distribution) • toponym = place name • climate and vegetation • see GR #37 and #38 • terrain/landform • mountainous, flat, coastal • built landscape • type and density of construction

33. Distribution: use special terms to describe spatial relationships and their organization • Density: how often an object occurs within a given area or space (used often with population) • Arithmetic or population density • occurrence of a phenomenon or population / total area

34. “Arithmetic” or “Population” Density

35. “Arithmetic” or “Population” Density

36. “Arithmetic” or “Population” Density

37. “Arithmetic” or “Population” Density

38. “Arithmetic” or “Population” Density

39. “Arithmetic” or “Population” Density

40. Physiological density= • pop. / unit of arable (farmable) land • If all other factors are held constant it is a rough measure of the ability of area to feed its population • related to the concept of carrying capacity

41. “Physiological” Density

42. Physiological density= • pop. / unit of arable (farmable) land • If all other factors are held constant it is a rough measure of the ability of area to feed its population • related to the concept of carrying capacity

43. Agricultural density • = farmers / arable land • measures farming efficiency/modernization • consequently – it shows development! • High = many farmers, by hand, low tech = less development • Low = few farmers, lots of machinery = more developed

44. Distribution: use special terms to describe spatial relationships and their organization GR 35 • Density: how often an object occurs within a given area or space (used often with population) • Concentration: refers to the proximity over the area in which an item is spread. • Cluster/agglomeration = close together • Dispersed/scattered = spread out

45. Distribution: use special terms to describe spatial relationships and their organization GR 35 • Density: • Concentration: • Pattern: how things are geometrically organized within their space. • Linear = along a straight line (any other descriptive shape as well) • Circular, grid pattern, U-shaped, L-shaped, etc. • Random = no discernible pattern

47. Region: commonalities between places (GR 24) • 3 ways to discuss region • Formal or uniform = homogeneous characteristics • area where everybody speaks the same language • uniform terrain or physical features • jurisdictions (everyone is subject to same laws)

48. Formal regions

49. Region: commonalities between places • 3 ways to discuss region • Functional or nodal = organized around a central point. • market areas are the best example • Radio stations, zip codes, delivery areas, etc.

50. Functional region