1. 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!

2. 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.

4. 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?

5. 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?

6. 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

7. 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?