GEE 21 TUTORIAL World Geography

Concept #1: Cardinal Directions The cardinal directions are the four principal points of the compass. They are North, South, East and West. Between each cardinal point are found the intermediate directions. They are Northwest, Southwest, Northeast and Southeast. A Compass Rose shows cardinal and intermediate directions on a map.

Concept #2: Map Scale By using a map scale you can determine the distance between two places on a map. A map scale can show distances in both miles and kilometers. By using the map scale and a ruler we can show that the distance between Louberg and Duluville is about 10 miles.

Concept #3: Map Key At the side or corner of a map you will find a guide for understanding the map. This guide is called the map key. A map key is also called a legend. It identifies symbols such as those representing cities, rivers or boundaries. The map key in the map above shows the green area of the map as the Louisiana Purchase.

Concept #4: Latitude and Longitude World maps and globes contain two sets of lines that form a grid around the earth. This grid of parallel horizontal lines (latitude) and parallel vertical lines (longitude) helps us find exact locations. Latitude is measured from 0-90 degrees in the northern and southern hemispheres. Longitude is measured from degrees in the eastern and western hemispheres. At 0 degrees latitude, the equator divides the earth into northern and southern hemispheres.

Concept #5: Time Zones A time zone is a division of the earth’s surface in which standard time is kept. The earth is divided into 24 time zones The U.S. mainland (excluding Alaska and Hawaii) has 4 time zones. As you move from east to west, you subtract an hour as you enter each new time zone.

Concept #6: Climate Zones A climate zone is the long-term weather of an area (at least 30 years). This includes the area’s general pattern of weather conditions, seasons and weather extremes like hurricanes, droughts, or rainy periods. Two of the most important factors determining an area's climate are air temperature and precipitation.

Concept #7: Ocean Currents Ocean currents are great masses of ocean water that are constantly on the move. How they move influences climate and living conditions for plants and animals, even on land. Ocean Currents flow in complex patterns affected by wind, water salinity, heat content, and the earth's rotation.

Concept #8: Culture A culture is set of traits that link a group of people together. These traits may include similar language, housing, clothing, religious beliefs, music and geographic area. Cultural traits such as the ceremonial clothing and dancing of the Zulu Tribe identify their unique culture.

Concept #9: Non-Renewable Resources Resources such as oil, coal and natural gas, are generally considered to be non-renewable. A non-renewable resource cannot be continually reproduced and may take millions of years to replenish. The use of nuclear power is one controversial option for reducing dependence on non- renewable resources such as oil.

Concept #10: Standard of Living The standard of living is a measurement of how people live overall when compared to what they desire. The standard of living can change based on factors such as income, education, housing, war, location and food supply. The tragedies of poverty and hunger are characteristics of a low standard of living.

Concept #11: Benefits of a River A healthy river within your community has several benefits. These benefits include access to a large-scale transportation system, clean water, irrigation for crops, fertile soil, recreation and hydroelectric power. The Mississippi River provides water transportation necessary for businesses to move their products.

Concept #12: Flood Protection Flooding often damages the land and structures of towns and cities in areas of high water levels. Solutions to flooding include the construction of dams, flood levees, sea walls and the use of pump stations. The destruction of protective marshes and swamps in Louisiana makes coastal towns even more vulnerable to flooding.

Concept #13: Third World Nations Third World Nations, also known as developing nations, are in the process of industrialization and are generally poorer economically. These underdeveloped nations depend on basic farming, but many have large amounts of natural resources. Third World Nations (shown in lighter colors on the map) often have high unemployment and high birth rates because of poor education and a low standard of living.

Concept #14: Genocide Genocide is the systematic and deliberate extermination of a national, ethnic, racial, or religious group of people. Genocide has been committed throughout history by nations or groups because of greed, hate, jealousy and for political purposes. An example of Genocide is the murder of millions of Jews by Nazi Germany during World War II.

Concept #15: Ethnic Cleansing Ethnic Cleansing is a process in which one group of people expels or murders civilians of other groups from towns and villages in order to create “ethnically pure areas” for its own people to live. Ethnic Cleansing is very similar, if not identical to, Genocide. The term “ethnic cleansing” was first used to describe the actions of the Serbian army against Muslims during the Yugoslav Civil War of the early 1990’s.

Concept #16: Hiroshima and Nagasaki In 1945 the Nation of Japan became the first country to be attacked with Atomic weapons. The cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki were chosen as targets by the United States because these cities were not previously bombed and their destruction would make a clear showing of the bombs power. The city of Hiroshima lies at the southern end of the island of Honshu. Nagasaki also lies at the southern tip of Japan on the island of Kyushu.

Concept #17: Infrastructure An areas infrastructure is defined as the basic facilities, services, and installations needed for the functioning of society. These basic facilities include transportation (roads) communication systems (phones), water and power lines, and public institutions including schools, post offices, and prisons. A weakly developed infrastructure can be a major cause for the poverty of an area. This may lead to increased crime, poor education and high unemployment.

Concept #18: Water Transportation In 1850 the largest cities of the United States depended on water transportation for the movement of products from ports to inland areas. Rivers and man-made Canals connected port cities to inland areas and allowed for the movement of people and supplies. People and products from the New York port could move north by the Hudson River, inland through the Erie Canal and into the Great Lakes.

Concept #19: Immigration Immigration is the movement of people from their homeland to a new country or region. Throughout history people have immigrated for reasons such as war, famine, disease or in search of freedom and opportunity. Escaping their war-torn country, nearly 823,000 Vietnamese "boat people" immigrated into the United States in the 1970’s.

Concept #20: The Cold War The Cold War was the global competition between the United States and the Soviet Union from 1945 to This conflict took many forms: political, economic, ideological, cultural and military. During 1956 in Budapest, Hungary and during 1968 in Prague, Czechoslovakia, Soviet tanks were used to crush attempts at freedom, while in the divided city of Berlin, East Germany a wall was erected in 1961 to keep the people in.

Concept #21 : Divided Berlin In 1945, after the defeat of Germany in World War 2, the capital city of Berlin, Germany was divided into occupation zones between the U.S., France, Great Britain and the Soviet Union. The city remained divided into a democratic West Berlin and a Communist East Berlin until The Berlin Wall, constructed by East Germany in 1961, separated East Germany from West Berlin until the fall of the Soviet Union in 1989

Concept #22: Spanish Settlements The Spanish were one of the first European cultures to colonize areas of North America that would become the United States. Eventually the Spanish government lost control of these colonies, but the Spanish culture became part of America. Areas of Florida and the Southwest of America, including California, Texas and New Mexico were some of the first Spanish settlements in the U.S.

Concept #23 : French Settlements The French were the first European Culture to colonize Louisiana. Aspects of French culture are still present within Louisiana and can be seen in its people, architecture, language and customs. The French Louisiana Colony once stretched from the Gulf of Mexico to the Canadian Border. This region was purchased by the United States in 1803.

Concept #24 : Political Maps A political map shows how a country or continent is organized into smaller units. Political maps may show boundaries and the names of nations, parishes and cities. This political map of the Continent of Africa shows the names of African countries.

Concept #25 : Global Warming Global Warming is the gradual increase of temperatures throughout the world. This increase of average temperatures is caused by the release of “greenhouse gases” into the atmosphere, such as carbon dioxide and fluorocarbons. The release of fluorocarbons from products such as hairsprays and carbon dioxide from car exhaust has created a hole in the “ozone layer” of our planets atmosphere, which protects our planet from the sun.

Concept #26 : The Rim of Fire In the land area known as the Pacific Rim, active volcanoes are known collectively as the Pacific “Rim” or Ring of Fire. These volcanoes produce earthquakes and eruptions that disrupt human life but also build new surface areas such as islands. Volcanoes on the Pacific Rim of Fire lie on the boundary of the Pacific Tectonic Plate. Where the Pacific plate meets other plates you find fault lines and volcanoes such as Mount St. Helens in North America

Concept #27 : Pollution The natural environment can be degraded or destroyed by pollution from manufacturing businesses and transportation. Heavy pollution can occur because of gas or smoke emissions from vehicles and industrial complexes. Anti-pollution laws not only limit the amount of pollution allowed by vehicles and businesses but also cover oil spills by ships and tankers.

Concept #28 : Urban Sprawl As an area’s population grows, there is an overflow of people into surrounding locations without a plan or structure. Rapid new construction of homes, schools and shopping areas causes road systems and residential areas to be poorly developed. Urban Sprawl can be avoided by creating Suburbs in an attempt to get people to spread out in an orderly fashion around urban (city) areas.

Concept #29 : Physical Maps A physical or topographical map shows land features and elevations. Sometimes it includes cities, mountain ranges, boundaries and rivers. Physical maps may include symbols that represent such features as streets, buildings and streams. Topographic maps may show the shape of an area by using contour lines. Contours are imaginary lines that join points of equal elevation on or below the surface of the land.

Concept #30 : Population Density Population density is a statistic that describes the number of people living in a square mile or kilometer. High population density develops due to population growth as more people move into an area. Countries with a very high population density often have more problems with cleanliness, housing and pollution.