1. Chapter 2 The Geographer’s World
Section 1: The Five Themes of Geography

2. How Has New Technology Increased Our Knowledge of Earth?

3. Pangaea—The super continent
On January 6, 1912, Scientist Alfred Wegener proposed that the continents were once one large landmass.
Continents seem to fit together.
Tectonic plates caused the continents to drift, which created earthquakes, volcanoes, and mountains.

4. Five themes of geography
Location
Place
Region
Movement
Human-Environment Interaction

5. Theme 1: location Tells where something is located in space.
Absolute Location—The exact spot on Earth something can be found.
Relative Location—Describing the location of one place in relation to another place.

6. Theme 1: location (cont’d)
Latitude Lines—Imaginary lines that run parallel to the equator that show the distance north and south of the equator.
Longitude Lines—Imaginary lines that run between the North and South Poles that show distance east and west of the prime meridian.

7. Theme 2: place What is the area like? Climate? Landforms?
Bodies of water?
Plant and animal life?
Cities?
Governments?
Cultural traditions?

8. Theme 2: Place (cont’d) What causes places to change? Climate
Earthquakes
Volcanic eruptions
Hurricanes
Movement of glaciers

9. Theme 3: region
Group of places that have common physical features and/or human characteristics.
Geographers compare regions to understand the differences and similarities between them.

10. Natural Regions of the World
Climate
Plant Life
Tropical Rain Forest
Hot and wet all year
Thick trees with broad leaves; Trees are green all year
Tropical Grassland
Hot all year
Wet and dry season
Tall grasses; Some trees
Mediterranean
Cool-to-mild winters
Open forests; Some clumps of trees; Many shrubs, herbs, and grasses
Temperate Forest
Warm summers
Cold-to-cool winters
Mixed forests; Some trees lose leaves in winter; Other trees stay green all year
Cool Forest
Cool-to-mild summers
Long, cold winters
Mostly trees with needles; Stay green all year; Some trees lose leaves in winter
Cool Grassland
Cool winters
Drier than forest regions
Prairies; Tall, thick grass; Higher lands; Shorter grass
Desert
Very little rain
Sand or bare soil; Few plants; May have cactus; Some grass and bushes
Tundra
Short, cool summers
Little rain or snow
Rolling plains; No trees; Some patches of moss; Short grass; Flowering plants
Arctic
Very cold
Covered in ice all year
None
High Mountain
Varies, depending upon altitude

11. Theme 4: movement
People, goods, and ideas move from one place to another.
Animals, plants, and other physical features also move.
The Internet helps move ideas around the world.
Migrate—The movement from one area to another.

12. Theme 4: movement (cont’d)
Why do people move?
Reasons for leaving (“Push”): Poverty, overcrowding, lack of jobs and schools, prejudice, war, political oppression.

13. Theme 4: movement (cont’d)
Why do people move?
Reasons for going somewhere (“Pull”): Higher stand of living, employment, educational opportunities, rights, freedom, peace, and safety.

14. Theme 5: human-environment interaction
Interaction between human beings and their environment.
Humans adapt their way of life to the natural resources around them.
Technology has made adaptation easier.
Humans need to interact with their environment responsibly.

15. Questions?