How Maps Help Us Study History Geographers: use both globes and maps to represent Earth. Q. What are the advantages and disadvantages of each type of tool? Globes: One advantage of a globe is that it looks more like Earth, since both are round. A globe shows the viewer exactly how continents and oceans appear on Earth’s curved surface. A globe also shows the true shapes, locations, and relative sizes of Earth’s landforms and bodies of water. Maps: A map, on the other hand, is a flat representation of Earth’s surface. No flat map can ever be as accurate as a globe because Earth’s surface is distorted (or changed) somewhat when it is flattened to create a map. Maps do have several advantages. For one thing, a map lets you measure distances much more easily. For another, a map lets you see the world at a glance. Most important, it’s much easier to carry a map because you can fold it up!

Reading a Map Most maps have nine features, as shown in the map above Reading a Map Most maps have nine features, as shown in the map above. These features, described below, help you read and understand maps. The Title tells the subject of the map and gives you an idea of what information is shown. The Compass rose shows directions: north, south, east, and west. Symbols represent such items as capital cities and natural resources. The map legend explains what the symbols mean. The Legend, or key, lists and explains the symbols and colors used on the map. Lines of longitude These are imaginary lines that measure distances east and west of the prime meridian. Lines of latitude are imaginary lines that measure distances north and south of the equator. A Scale can be used to figure out the distance between two locations on a map. Labels indicate the names of cities, landforms, and bodies of water. Colors represent a variety of information on a map. The map legend explains what the colors mean.

Activity 1: A. Choose 2 maps from somewhere in the room and write down 3 ways in which they are similar and 3 ways they are different. OR B. Choose 2 maps from around the room and for each map do the following: 1) Calculate the distance from the Southernmost tip of Africa to the Southernmost tip of Greenland. 2) Approximate the ratio in size between Greenland and South America. 3) Finally, do the previous two steps on the Globe. Discussion Question: Distortions in maps often shape the way people view the world and each other. How might the choice of which map to include in school textbooks be controversial?

Hemispheres The Geographic Grid Geographers divide globe into equal halves called hemispheres Equator divides globe into north and south halves - Northern Hemisphere and Southern Hemisphere Prime meridian divides globe into east and west halves - Western Hemisphere and Eastern Hemisphere United States is in northern and western hemispheres The Geographic Grid Grid system fi nds point where longitude, latitude lines cross Point identifi es an absolute location - exact place on Earth where a city or other feature is found - expressed using set of numbers called coordinates - coordinates measured in degrees - every place on Earth has only one absolute location REVIEW QUESTION: How do the latitude and longitude lines on a map help geographers?

Different Maps for Different Purposes ESSENTIAL QUESTION What different maps do we use to see natural and human-made features and to understand patterns? Political maps show features that people created - cities, territories, provinces; state, county boundaries Physical maps show landforms & bodies of water - show what Earth's surface might look like from space - use colors to show elevations Maps often combine political, physical features Thematic maps have certain information about a place, region - use colors, symbols, lines, dots to show patterns - title and legend indicate mapʼs theme, information - can show information such as vegetation, population density

Activity: Discussion Question: Use google earth to make a physical or political map of Harwood. Discussion Question: Which type of map might you find the following information - Why?: Highest mountain in Brazil? The neighboring countries of Mexico? The population density of India?