Unit 1: Human Geography  History of Discipline  Geography Today  Thinking Geographically  Applications of Geography  History of Discipline  Geography Today  Thinking Geographically  Applications of Geography

Human Geography Study of human activities on earth’s surface Discipline began 3,000 years ago Looking at the earth from a spatial perspective means looking at how objects and processes vary over the earth’s surface Geographers look at how the world changes over space

Eratosthenes FHead librarian in Alexandria FAccurate computation of earth’s circumference FBased sun’s angle at summer solstice and distance between two Egyptian cities FCoined term “geography” FHead librarian in Alexandria FAccurate computation of earth’s circumference FBased sun’s angle at summer solstice and distance between two Egyptian cities FCoined term “geography”

Ptolemy Published “Guide to Geography” Included rough maps of landmasses

Western European explorers ZBartholomeu Dias ZChristopher Columbus ZFerdinand Magellan ZAlexander von Humboldt

18th - 20th Century Period saw development of: Anthropology Geology Ecology Charles Darwin - theory of evolution through natural selection Alfred Wegner - theory of continental drift 1864-George Perkins Marsh - “Man and Nature, or Physical Geography as Modified by Human Action Described impact on natural systems by humans Advocated conservationist approach Considered to be first “environmentalist”

Carl Sauer  Cultural landscapes are product of complex interactions between humans and their environments  These should be main focus of geographic inquiry

Sauer contd.  Implied that most places, even natural landscapes (those unaltered by human activities) have been affected indirectly by human activities  Created new form of human environmental relations  Coined the phrase “cultural landscape.”

Quantitative Revolution Stressed use of empirical measurements Uses hypothetical testing Develops mathematical models Uses computers to explain geographic patterns Led to use of GPS and GIS

Global Positioning System  Integrated network of satellites that orbit the earth broadcasting location information to hand-held receivers on the earth’s surface

Geographic Information Systems Use thematic layers Each layer consists of a map of specific features May be combined into one comprehensive map Helps geographers understand relationships between themes

Human Geography  Combines following subfields  Political Geography - Political Science  Population Geography - Demography  Urban Geography - Urban Studies, Urban Social Science Planning  Social Geography - Sociology, Language, Religious Studies  Economic Geography - Regional Economics, Economics  Behavioral Geography - Psychology, Economics  Cultural Geography - Anthropology, Sociology, History  Combines following subfields  Political Geography - Political Science  Population Geography - Demography  Urban Geography - Urban Studies, Urban Social Science Planning  Social Geography - Sociology, Language, Religious Studies  Economic Geography - Regional Economics, Economics  Behavioral Geography - Psychology, Economics  Cultural Geography - Anthropology, Sociology, History

Other Areas of Geography Physical Geography  Study spatial characteristics of earth’s physical and biological systems  Earth System Science - new field that studies interaction between physical systems on a global scale Systematic Geography study the earth’s integrated systems as a whole instead of one phenomenon in a single space Environmental Geography  Where physical and human geography meet  Anthropogenic - human induced environmental change  Sustainability - implies an approach to the environment that emphasizes the restraint in the use of natural resources

W.D. Pattison 1964 University of Chicago Claimed geography drew from four distinct traditions The earth science tradition The culture environment tradition The locational tradition Area-analysis tradition

What does it mean to think Geographically??? / Develop a spatial perspective, an appreciation of scale, and ability to analyze and interpret forms of geographic data / Spatial Perspective - intellectual framework that allows geographers to look at earth in relationships

Why and How Questions Why Starbucks are located and successful in various parts of the world? How did Starbucks spread to those locations?

 Geography based on premise that all places are different, with similarities  All places on earth are related - some more than others  Geographers look at spatial patterns and spatial relations  Geography based on premise that all places are different, with similarities  All places on earth are related - some more than others  Geographers look at spatial patterns and spatial relations

Scale Map scale Ratio between the distance on a map and the actual distance on the earth’s surface Geographic scale Conceptual hierarchy of spaces - from large to small, that reflects actual levels of organization in the real world Neighborhood, urban area, metropolitan area, the region Watershed, ecosystem, landscape, and biome

Regions Shared characteristics between places provide a means to group places together into a more manageable unit of study Area larger than a single city that contains unifying social or physical characteristics

Regions (continued)...  A unifying characteristic of a particular region may be anything that defines that place for the purpose of the particular question being asked  Regions do not exist as well defined units in the landscape  Conceptual constructions that geographers use for convenience and comparison  Regional Geography - Pattison’s area-analysis tradition, is the study of regions  A unifying characteristic of a particular region may be anything that defines that place for the purpose of the particular question being asked  Regions do not exist as well defined units in the landscape  Conceptual constructions that geographers use for convenience and comparison  Regional Geography - Pattison’s area-analysis tradition, is the study of regions

Types of Regions  Functional Regions  Special identities because of social and economic relationships  Referred to as “Nodal Regions” - due to connections and interactions that occur between them and surrounding areas  Functional Regions  Special identities because of social and economic relationships  Referred to as “Nodal Regions” - due to connections and interactions that occur between them and surrounding areas  Formal Regions  Specific characteristics that are “uniform” from one area to another within the region  Specific characteristics - physical features, cultural properties  Formal Regions  Specific characteristics that are “uniform” from one area to another within the region  Specific characteristics - physical features, cultural properties

Regions (continued)...  Perceptual Regions  “fuzzy” borders  Involve important issues of identity  “Sense of place” - give people a special attachment to that geographic place  Perceptual Regions  “fuzzy” borders  Involve important issues of identity  “Sense of place” - give people a special attachment to that geographic place

Thinking geographically Qualitative data - often associated with cultural or regional geography because they tend to be more unique to and descriptive of particular places and processes Quantitative data - use rigorous mathematical techniques and are important in economic, political, and population geography - where numerical data abounds Qualitative data - often associated with cultural or regional geography because they tend to be more unique to and descriptive of particular places and processes Quantitative data - use rigorous mathematical techniques and are important in economic, political, and population geography - where numerical data abounds

Idiographic vs. Nomothetic  Idiographic  Refers to facts or features that are unique to a particular place or region  Such as its history or ethnic composition  Nomothetic  Refers to concepts that are universally applicable