Alyssa Manno

Hour 1

Unit 1: Goegraphy 101

Vocabulary

Location: Can be specific (ex. using longitude and latitude) or relative (ex.
next door, next to the gas station).
Place: An area that is defined by everything in it (ex. School: windows, desks,
classrooms, etc.).
Region: An area defined by certain similar characteristics which can be
physical, human, cultural, or natural (ex. The Ring of Fire: lots of volcanic
activity).
Movement: The way people, products, ideas, and information move from one
place to another (ex. How the Scientific Revolution spread throughout
Europe).
Human/Environment Interaction: The relationships between people and the
environment; how people adapt to their environment (ex. digging irrigation
trenches to grow crops; creating cell phones).
Geography: The study of the physical features of the earth and its
atmosphere, and of human activity as it affects, and is affected, by these, as
well as by the distribution of populations, resources, land use, and industries.
(ex. How the world changed when America was discovered by Europe).
Geographic Method & Perspective: Method- Ask, Acquire, Examine, Analyze,
Act. Perspective- A lens one may use to analyze virtually any topic that can
be mapped (ex. Looking at the environment and cultures of an undeveloped
country).
Geographic Investigation Process: Using the Geographic/Scientific method in
order to conduct a field study to collect data or test a hypothesis. The three
stages are Pre-field work, Actual field work, Post-fieldwork (ex. want to know
the effect of polluted water on plants; form hypothesis and test, and then
write findings).
Geographic Questions: The questions that geography attempts to answer (ex.
Where are things located? Why are they important?).
Physical Geography vs. Human Geography: Physical- Natural features and
processes (ex. Mountains, volcanic eruptions). Human- How human activity
affects or is influenced by the earth and its processes (ex. Deforestation in
order to develop land).
GPS (Global Positioning System): a space-based satellite navigation system
that provides location and time information in all weather conditions,
anywhere on or near the Earth where there is an unobstructed line of sight to
four or more GPS satellites. (ex. Navigation systems in cars and on small
devices)

GIS (Geographic Information System): A computer system designed to

capture, store, manipulate, analyze, manage, and present all types of spatial
or geographical data (ex. may find places that produce pollution).
Remote Sensing: the acquisition of information about an object or
phenomenon without making physical contact with the object (ex. Searching
for a new restaurant on your phone).
Cartography: The science or practice of drawing maps.
Political Map: A map that shows country borders (ex. Minnesota next to
Wisconsin and above Iowa).
Physical Map: A map that shows the natural features of the earth (ex.
Mountains, rivers, oceans).
Thematic Map: designed to show a particular theme connected with a specific
geographic area (ex. physical, social, political, cultural, economic,
sociological, agricultural, etc.).
Choropleth Map: A map that uses differences in shading, coloring, or the
placing of symbols within predefined areas to indicate the average values of
a property or quantity in those areas (ex. AZ = Arizona, blue = voted
democratic).
Dot distribution Map: Uses a dot symbol to show the presence of a feature or
phenomenon (ex. Purple means a specific population change).
Isoline Map: A map with continuous lines joining points of the same value (ex.
Showing altitude).
Statistical Map: A map in which the variation in quantity of a factor such as
rainfall, population, or crops in a geographic area is indicated (ex. Yellow
means less rainfall).
Cartogram Map: A map of land area or distance; the map is usually distorted
in order to convey the information of an alternative variable (ex. Number of
people living with a certain disease in the U.S.).
Proportional Arrow Map: A map that shows linear movement between places
(ex. Showing migration of a species).
Distortion in shape: All maps distort shapes to some degree, but the
distortion may be uniform along any given parallel (ex. The USA may look
bigger/smaller than in actuality on a map).
Distance: The space between two places or locations on a map (ex. The
distance between Minneapolis and Phoenix is 1276 miles, represented by a
line on a map).
Relative size & direction: relative sizedistance from an object determines
how small or large it may appear (ex. being far away from a person makes
their head no bigger than your thumb); relative directiondirection
determined by a person or place and its specific location (ex. the sky is up,
trees are to my right).
How scale can be used to manipulate information: The appearance of maps
can alter peoples perceptions of the places or areas which they depict (ex. if

a country is blown up to show something more clearly, people may assume

its bigger than in actuality).
Large vs. small scale: Large scale maps depict small areas; small scale maps
depict large areas (ex. large scale shows a county, small scale shows a
continent).
Toponyms: A place name derived from a topographical feature (ex. Hell,
Michigan).
Site vs. Situation: Site-the actual location of a settlement on the earth and is
composed of the physical characteristics of the landscape specific to the area
(ex. Chanhassen). Situation-the location of a place relative to its surroundings
and other places (ex. Chanhassen is west of Eden Prairie and East of Carver).
Geographic Coordinate Grid System: a system which uses one or more
numbers, or coordinates, to uniquely determine the position of a point or
location (ex. latitude and longitude).
Geographic Coordinate Latitude & Longitude: Locations on earth are
represented by numbers given to imaginary horizontal and vertical lines
across the earths surface (ex. Minnesota is 46 degrees North and 94 degrees
west).
Meridians: The imaginary northsouth line on the Earth's surface that
connects both geographic poles and is used to indicate longitude (ex. 40 th
meridian has a longitude of 40 degrees E or 40 degrees W).
Parallels: The imaginary line extending around the earth parallel to the equator
and used to indicate latitude (ex. 38th parallel has a latitude of 38 degrees N or
S).
Prime Meridian: The line of 0 longitude; can technically be anywhere (ex.
universally agreed to run through Greenwich, England).
International Date Line: An imaginary line of longitude on the Earth's surface
located at 180 degrees east or west of the Prime Meridian (the Greenwich,
England Prime).
GMT Greenwich Mean Time: The standard time for the world; the place that
determines true time (ex. Noon in Greenwich, England is when the sun peaks
over the prime meridian).
Formal Region: Created by geographers on the basis of one or more shared
traits that distinguishes it from the surrounding area. (ex. States: Texas,
Florida, Minnesota).
Functional Region: An area defined by a system of interaction (ex. Dallas/Fort
Worth metropolitan area share one airport).
Vernacular Region: An area defined by the peoples subjective perceptions
about key place characteristics (ex. Chanhassen is a warm, inviting
community).
Cultural landscape: A geographic area, including both cultural and natural
resources, and the wildlife or domestic animals therein; associated with a
historic event, activity, or person or exhibiting other cultural or aesthetic
values (ex. Grand Canyon).

Spatial interaction: The movement of people, goods, and ideas within and
across geographic space (ex. Trade routes).
Relocation Diffusion: The spread of a feature or trend through bodily
movement of people from one place to another (ex. Apples brought to Europe
by explorers).
Expansion Diffusion: The spread of a feature or trend among people from one
area to another in a snowballing process (ex. Spreading of disease).
Contagious Diffusion: The rapid, widespread diffusion of a feature or trend
throughout a population (ex. Christianity spreading).
Hierarchical Diffusion: The spread of a feature or trend from one person of
authority or power to other people or places (ex. How to build warships).
Stimulus Diffusion: The spread of an underlying principle, even though a
specific characteristic is rejected (ex. Different types of Christianity but one
core belief).
Hearth: the region from which innovative ideas originate (ex. The renaissance
originated in Italy).
Space-time compression: Any phenomenon that alters the qualities of and
relationship between space and time (ex. driving a car means covering more
distance than would be possible on foot).
Distance decay: A principle that states that the interaction between two
locations declines as the distance between them increases (ex. more difficult
trade or understand each other)
Concentration Spatial Distribution: The extent of a feature's spread over
space (ex. how far a mountain range spans).
Density Spatial Distribution: the number of thingswhich could be people,
animals, plants, or objectsin a certain area (ex. population of a city).
Pattern Spatial Distribution: The pattern of where people live (ex. China has
an extremely high population).
Environmental determinism vs possibilism: determinism-- all events, including
human action, are ultimately determined by external causes (ex. people dont
live near active volcanoes); possibilism-- the theory that the environment sets
certain constraints or limitations, but culture is otherwise determined by
social conditions (ex. water may be scarce, but people will find a way to live
despite that).
Atmosphere: The envelope of gases surrounding the earth or another planet
(ex. lots of nitrogen).
Hydrosphere: All the water on the earth's surface, and sometimes water over
the earth's surface (ex. lakes and clouds).
Lithosphere: The rigid outer part of the earth, consisting of the crust and
upper mantle (ex. the ground we walk on).
Biosphere: The regions of the earth that are occupied by living organisms
(land, sky, sea, etc.).
Ecosystem: A biological community of interacting organisms and their
physical environment (ex. forest)

Globalization: A process of interaction and integration among the people,

companies, and governments of different nations (ex. international trade).
Transnational Corporations: Incorporated or unincorporated enterprises
comprising of parent enterprises and their foreign affiliates (ex. General
Electric).

MAP & Interpretation

This is a good map to look at for finding the location of countries. While flat,
the two side of the map retain their circular hemisphere shape and the lines of
latitude and longitude connect at the poles, and also curve at the edges so as to
accurately match up with their other-hemispheric counterparts. The continents and
countries shown are also to scale which allows for an accurate depiction of their
individual standing on the globe.

Why Central America Should be Considered a Part of Both Americas

Central America lies in that awkward in between where geographically they

belong to one continent, but culturally they lie within another. The culture of Central
America is consistent with the cultures of South America. They share common
ancestors, similar languages and customs, as well as similar ways of life. The rest of
North America however is distinctly European-esque with a specific USA/Canada
flare that came to be through the countries respective development.
From a geographic standpoint, Central America is connected to South
America by a small tail, whereas the base of North America is bordered by Mexico.

This easily makes Central America a part of the Northern continent. Climate wise,
the central countries are divided. Most of Mexico has a similar climate to the
American South, but the farther down countries are more like South America when it
comes to climate. In regards to other geographic aspects, such as mountains and
forests, Central America is similar to the South. There is a long mountain range that
spans most of the middle continent, which isnt unlike much of South America.
This leads me to the conclusion that Central America must be divided into
two regions, and that division must be dependent on what is specifically being
discussed. Culturally it should be grouped with South America, but geographically,
despite the similarities in certain land formations and more southern climates, must
be grouped with the North. Continents are considered so based on their connections
by land, or lack thereof, which is why Central America must be a part of North
America. Its more connected to the North literally, even though the culture is
deeply connected to the South.