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Human Geography Chapter 1. what is geography?. “description of the earth” a study of spatial variation the how and why of physical & cultural differences location, location, location observable patterns that have evolved through time.
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what is geography? • “description of the earth” • a study of spatial variation • the how and why of physical & cultural differences • location, location, location • observable patterns that have evolved through time
interaction of physical environment and human activity -cultural landscape can alter the natural environment
evolution of the discipline - mapping/human interpretation • Aristotle (384-322 BC)-earth is spherical • Erathosthenes (276 BC)-Greek scholar-”geo”=earth “graphy”=to write • Strabos (63BC-24AD)/Herodotus (484-423BC)
outside the western world • Chinese Scholars • Muslim Scholars
human geography • Where are people? • What are they like? • What is their interaction over space? • What kinds of landscapes do they erect?
physical geography • attention towards natural landscape • landforms and their distribution • atmospheric conditions and climatic patterns • soils / vegetation associations
modern geography….. • 1. Climates, patterns, processes of physical environment • 2. Rapid development of natural sciences • 3. Accurate mapping • 4. Data collection / statistics
academic geography • Earth science • Man-land relations • Areal differentiation • Spatial organization • location • processes • patterns • interactions/relations • distributions
three concepts about space • Location • Direction • Distance
absolute location • Mathematical location • Latitude & Longitude • degrees, minutes, seconds • Township & Range (1785 Land Ordinance) • Subdivision: parallels & meridians • Topographic quadrangle, US Geological Survey • Metes & Bounds
latitude & longitude (22° 15' N, 114° 10‘ E)
relative location • “place” in relationship to surroundings
Site • absolute location concept • physical & cultural characteristics • Topography, vegetation, water, physical characteristic
Situation • external relations of locale • relative location concept • dynamic
absolute directions • Based on cardinal systems • north, south, east, west • from solar system
relative directions • Based on cultural & local perceptions • no absolute boundaries or definitions • “down south”, “out west”, “up north”, “down south”, “Near East”, “Far East”
absolute distance • Absolute mathematical mileage, or measurement of distance
relative distance • Refers to a more regional spatial relationship • how distance is described $$$ & TIME MILES MINUTES
psychological distance • Distance lengthened / shortened • first time traveled • night / day travel • safety / danger / excitement
size & scale • Size of unit studied • Scale implies degree of generalization • broad or narrow • Varying sizes • local • regional • global
landscapes • Natural • Cultural • Dynamic
process of change Before 1970 After development Long Island, New York
spatial interaction • Accessibility • how easy/difficult to overcome time & space separation • Connectivity • how places are connected • Spatial diffusion • process of dispersion of ideas or items from a center of origin to more distant points • Globalization • Increasing interconnection of peoples and societies worldwide
globalization • Standardization • $$$$, EU, time, United Nations • Containerization • movement of products • outsourcing • Intersection of the ‘haves’ & ‘have nots’ • cell phones, internet
spatial distribution • Arrangement of items on Earth’s surface • Three concepts
1. density • Measure of the number/quantity within a defined unit of areas • proportion • arithmetic • physiological density
2. dispersion (concentration) • Amount of spread of phenomenon over an area • 1. clustered, agglomerated • 2. dispersed, scattered, random
3. pattern • Emphasizes design rather than spacing • linear (a) – road, river, rail line • centralized (b) – city & suburbs • random (c) • Rectangular system of land survey - U.S. • rural: checkerboard, 1 mile squares • cities: grid system
regional concepts • 1. formal or uniform regions • Areas of essential uniformity • Physical or cultural • Sahara Desert, “Bible Belt”
2. functional region • spatial system defined by interactions/ connections Glendale Galleria Newspaper Route
3. perceptual regions • Less structured & more culturally based China Town The “Valley’
cartography –the science of making maps • Maps provide a visual tool • Maps are subjective • Map projections transfer locations on a round surface to a flat surface • some form of distortion always occurs • greater distortion results from larger areas depicted
mathematics of the Earth • Aristotle (384-322 BC) discovered the earth to be an oblate spheroid • Equatorial bulge 7926.38 (7924) • Polar shortening 7899.80 (7922) • 23.5° axis (tilt)
seasons and climate • Earth’s rotation & movement around the sun • Tilt of the earth’s axis (23.5°) • Receipt of solar radiation • Re-radiation of energy in the form of heat
the Earth’s divisions • Latitude lines • Equal distance between lines • Lines become increasingly smaller descending from the equator to poles • Longitude lines • Each line is the same exact length • All lines become increasingly close together as they descend to the poles
important lines of latitude • Equator: 0 degrees • Tropic of Cancer: 23.5 degrees North • Tropic of Capricorn: 23.5 degrees South • Arctic Circle: 66.5 degrees North • Antarctic Circle: 66.5 degrees South
important lines of longitude • Prime Meridian: 0 degrees (runs through Greenwich, England) • International Dateline: 180 degrees • Time Zones: every 15 degrees of longitude equals one hour
maps • Scale • the smaller the scale the greater the detail - for example one inch = one mile is more detailed than one inch = one hundred miles 1:1 or 1:100 • Legend • interprets map information
map projections & distortion • Shape • Distance • Relative size • Direction
