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Introduction to Geographic History & Thinking like a Historian/Geographer

Introduction to Geographic History & Thinking like a Historian/Geographer. Monday, August 18, 2014 Mrs. Dent. What’s the Difference Between History and Geography?. History deals with time… Geography deals with space… Not talking about outer space but more of an abstract concept

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Introduction to Geographic History & Thinking like a Historian/Geographer

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  1. Introduction to Geographic History & Thinking like a Historian/Geographer Monday, August 18, 2014 Mrs. Dent

  2. What’s the Difference Between History and Geography? • History deals with time… • Geography deals with space… • Not talking about outer space but more of an abstract concept • Thinking “spatially” means • Understanding pattern and distribution of objects • Analyzing their relationships, connectedness, movement, growth, and change across space and over time

  3. 6 Essential Elements in Geography • Another way to look at geography is to identify essential elements in its study • These 6 essential elements share many properties with the Five Themes of Geography • 1. The Spatial World – no place is alone and maps are used to study connects among people, places, and environments • 2. Places and Regions – each area of the world has unique physical and human characteristics that affect how we perceive various areas • 3. Physical Systems – the physical aspects of our world shape how people are able to interact with it • 4. Human Systems – people’s activities, movements, and settlements shape the Earth • 5. Environment and Society – people use the land for their advantage • 6. Uses of Geography in Today’s Society – think spatially to understand relationship among people, places, and environments over time

  4. How We’re Going to Relate History to Geography in World Regional Studies • Historians ask questions that frame a problem for them to study • Historians gather evidence and ask questions from a variety of different sources • Sourcing: point of view, when/why written • Contextualization: what else was going on during the time period • Close Reading: collecting evidence • Corroboration: collecting other supporting pieces of evidence • Historians then develop, defend, and revise interpretations

  5. Historical Foundations of Geography: Greeks (around 500 BCE) • Geography classified as a study and science • Classic Literature – Homer’s Iliad and Odyssey geographic accounts of Ulysses voyage home from Troy • Explorers around Mediterranean Sea in 800 BCE • Anaximander – first maps of Mediterranean area • Philosophers – Aristotle, Socrates, Plato, Pythagoras earth was round (math/science) • Eratosthenes – used term geography (meaning Earth and to write)

  6. Historical Foundations of Geography: Romans (around 100 CE) • Ptolemy – wrote Guide to Geography, 8 volume series on cities and people of earth • Maps became symbols of art and decoration than mathematical representations

  7. Historical Foundations of Geography: Medieval Period (5th – 15th Century) • Middle Ages – Europe didn’t make huge academic advances • Dark Ages – Europe was in a cultural decline, but rest of world was exploring • Example: Islamic Empire was growing • Example: Chinese explorer Zheng He – rumored to have discovered western coast of North America mid-1400s (before Columbus)

  8. Historical Foundations of Geography:Renaissance – Age of Exploration (14th – 17th Century) • Explorers: Marco Polo, Christopher Columbus, Ferdinand Magellan, Ponce De Leon, etc. • Cartographers – mapmakers • Gerardus Mercator – one of first to produce a world map that showed with relative accuracy the general outline of the continents

  9. Historical Foundations of Geo: Modern Period • 1830 – Royal Geographical Society founded in England • 1888 – National Geographic Society founded in U.S. • Environmental Determinism theory (1900s) – cultures are a direct result of where they exist. Warmer climates cause inhabitants to have more relaxed attitude toward work and progress. Philosophy led people to believe that Europeans from temperate climate were more motivated, intelligent, and culturally advanced • By 1930s – environmental determinism theory was attacked as prejudicial and incorrect, an embarrassment • Today – Possiblistapproach to geographic study – humans are not a product of their environment but possess the skills necessary to modify their environment to fit human needs – people determine their outcomes

  10. Today and Beyond • Global Positioning Systems (GPS) – cars, cell phones, uses latitude/longitude for exact location • Geographic Information Systems (GIS) – layers geo info on new maps to show new data • Satellite Imagery • Remote Sensing • New technologies that have profound impact on the study of geography

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