1. Thinking Geographically
Chapter 1

2. Chapter 1 Thinking Geographically
Key Issue 1 Map Scale
3 types of scale:
Fractional/Ratio-1/24,000 or 1:24,000 means 1 inch on the map represents 24,000 inches on the ground
Written: 1 inch equals one mile
Bar -
Scale examples
Neighborhood maps, world maps, country maps all have different scales
The scale is determined by the amount of detail shown in a map
Neighborhood maps will have the largest scale, World maps have the smallest scale

3. Scale Differences: Maps of Florida

4. Projection
Since the earth is a 3D object and a map is a 2D object, maps will have distortions
This leads to distortion
Shape, distance, relative size, direction
Types of projections
Robinson, Mercator, Mollweide, Sinusoidal, Goode homolosine,
Robinson is best to show size of the oceans
Mercator has least distortion in shape and direction. Grossly distorted near poles

6. How Geographers Address Location
GIS- Geographic information system
Software program that producing maps that display data
Typically maps are multiple layers with different data for each layer. Data is relational (meaning there is a connection to all layers)

7. How Geographers Address Location
Chapter 1 Thinking Geographically
How Geographers Address Location
Remote sensing- Satellites that record and map the Earth (mostly environmental but helps with monitoring urban sprawl)
GPS- Global positioning System. Precise location provided by satellites (navigation) Used after 9/11 to record the debris of the World Trade Centers

9. Key issue 2 Uniqueness of Places and Regions
Place: Unique location of a feature
Place names- Lakeland (toponym). Can be named for several reasons
Site- physical character like climate, water, soil, vegetation.
Situation-location to other places. Singapore is a good example.
Mathematical location- GPS coordinates
Greenwich, England
Latitude and longitude provide location
Latitudes are calculated by the sun whereas longitudes are man made
East of international dateline-ahead
West of international dateline-behind

10. World Geographic Grid
Fig. 1-8: The world geographic grid consists of meridians of longitude and parallels of latitude. The prime meridan (0º) passes through Greenwich, England.

11. World Time Zones
Fig. 1-9: The world’s 24 standard time zones are often depicted using the Mercator projection.

12. Calculating Time Zones
Every 15 degrees longitude is an hour difference
Greenwich mean time (GMT) is 0 degrees (England)
New York- 75 degrees WEST
India- 75 degrees EAST
Australia- 120 degrees EAST
California- 120 degrees WEST

13. Uniqueness of Places and Regions
Cultural landscape- regions have distinct characteristics because of social and physical processes and the Earth is shaped by these relationships.
Defined by Carl Sauer
Combination of things like language, religion, jobs and physical earth qualities
Los Angeles is different thank New York City
Spatial association
There are trends between data and the physical earth
Cancer rates are higher in eastern US
Regional integration of culture -Care about/care for help explain why places on the Earth are unique
Cultural ecology-Culture effects the environment
Possibilism versus Environmental determinism
How does the environment affect human actions

14. Types of Regions
Formal regions- clearly defined boundaries with a common characteristic through out (uniform region)
Common language, climate, laws
States, corn belt, voting
Used to identify national or global trends
Function regions- an area or characteristic organized around a node (nodal regions)
New papers, radio stations, tv stations
Vernacular regions- an area distinguished by cultural opinions (perceptual region)
The South is a good example
Everyone has a different idea of what makes up the South therefore the region does not have a defined boundary

15. Formal and Functional Regions
Fig. 1-11: The state of Iowa is an example of a formal region; the areas of influence of various television stations are examples of functional regions.

16. Vernacular Regions
Fig. 1-12: A number of factors are often used to define the South as a vernacular region, each of which identifies somewhat different boundaries.

17. Physical processes that make places unique
Climate- 5 types. People will not live in harsh climates therefore climate influences human activities
Vegetation- 4 types. Mostly influences types of agriculture practiced
Soil-10 orders (not types). Erosion and depletion
Landforms-Geomorphology helps understand the distribution of people and economic activities
Mountains aren’t good places to build Wal-marts

18. Cultural Ecology = Culture + Environment
Environmental Determinism
Possibilism
Humboldt and Ritter
The environment determines human activity
People live and develop in regions where there is a temperate climate
Humans don’t live in hostile areas
The Earth determines where humans develop stuff
Humans are not limited by the environment
We are smart enough to adapt the environment to suit our needs
We irrigate deserts into farms
Air conditioning allows more development in hot regions

19. Key Issue 3 Similarity of Different Places
Scale: From local to global-local decisions impact global
Globalization of economy- people can do business anywhere in the world because of electronic banking. Now economies are more linked than ever
Globalization of culture- The internet has been crucial to spreading popular culture. Fashion is a good example of popular culture. You would find blue jeans in Japan, making it seem familiar
Connections between places
Spatial interaction- Faster travel, technology increases interaction over wide distances
The world is shrinking – space time compression
Popular culture, religion, music, news, disease all spread faster today than in the past

20. Space-Time Compression, 1492–1962
Fig. 1-20: The times required to cross the Atlantic, or orbit the Earth, illustrate how transport improvements have shrunk the world.

21. Diffusion- spread of a characteristic
Relocation - when something is spread by physical movement
Disease popping up in a country
Spread of religion or languages
Expansion- spread in a snowballing pattern
Hierarchical- Spread from a hearth to outward areas
Fashion is a great example (Paris, Milan, New York)
Contagious- spreads like a disease, no discrimination
Think of the wave at a sports stadium
Stimulus-  an idea is diffused or transmitted from one culture to another. This idea then is improved upon or has stimulated another idea or invention
Samsung stealing some of Apple’s patents for cell phones and improving on the technology