Chapter 1- Major Geographic Concepts
Phenomenon- all sorts of attributes that can be considered geographically (bodies of water/regions/human society)
Process- represent the evolution and development over time (helps explain why things are the way they are)
When it began and ended
The ordering of a sequence of processes
Why it occurred when it did
Deterministic- process that don’t always have a result in a practical pattern
Probabilistic- result in a pattern
Relative location descriptions
Land-lock country: country that doesn’t have direct access to water
Edge city: a district on the outskirts of a major city
Agricultural hinterland: a farming are surrounding a town or city that provides it with food
Cancer alley: a corridor alleged to have an above-average rate of cancer incidence tied to its proximity to petrochemical plants
Each place will be marked by a comprehensive series of characteristics or attributes that describe it
Physical (elevation, climate, soil, rock formations, topography, vegetation, crops, land use, etc.)
Human ( population, cultural groups, businesses, socioeconomic status, education levels, political systems and institutions)
Aggregate characteristics
Relative significance
Scale
Location within the scale
Thematic maps- maps that show the distribution, flow, or one or more characteristics.
Point pattern(distribution)- every incident is displayed as a point
Absolute distance or Euclidean distance measure the straight line mileage between two places.
If traveling people follow existing transportation routes, leading to distance measures (travel distance)
Functional regions can change as the level of interactions changes
Vernacular region- regions that people construct in their mind and may be very difficult to dissect
Landscapes- estates or manors
Iconic- distinctive landscapes types that bring to mind images and symbols essential to identity
Interior- those that are found inside a building, a house, or another structure
Extra Class Notes:
What is geography- study of the pattern on the earth’s surface
Important Geographers
Aristotle- first person to demonstrate the world was spherical
Eratosthenes- calculated the circumference of the earth using geometry and was the first known person to use the word geography
Claudius Ptolemy- designed the forerunner longitude