Chapter 1

Thinking Geographically

An Introduction to Human GeographyThe Cultural Landscape, 9e

James M. Rubenstein

Victoria Alapo, InstructorGeog 1050

How Geographers Address Location

• Maps– Early mapmaking– Projections– Mathematical location (Longitude & Latitude)– Map scale

Maps of the Marshall Islands

A Polynesian “stick chart” depicts patterns of waves on the sea route between two South Pacific islands. Modern maps show the locations of these Marshall Islands.

World Political Boundaries (2004)

National political boundaries are among the most significant elements of the cultural landscape

How Geographers Address Location: Projections

How Geographers Address Location (cont’d)

Projections:

1) Mercator’s Projection

2) Goode’s Interrupted Projection

3) Robinson’s Projection: compromise btw the 2.

Mercator’s Cylindrical Projection

Interrupted Projection

Robinson’s Projection

Mathematical location: Longitude and Latitude

• Longitude– Measures distance east or west around the globe beginning

at the Prime Meridian– 2 most important lines: Prime Meridian & International Date

Line – 0-180 degrees East or West

• Latitude– Location on the Earth’s surface between the equator and

either the north or south pole– Also called parallels– 0-90 degrees North or South

• See Greenwich Meridian Photos

The Geographic Grid

World Geographic Grid

The world geographic grid consists of meridians of longitude and parallels of latitude. The prime meridian (0º) passes through Greenwich, England. See Photos.

World Time Zones

The world’s 24 standard time zones are often depicted using the Mercator projection.

Map Scale

• The relationship of a feature’s size on a map to it’s actual size on earth (comparison).

• Different types e.g.• A) Fractional scale – 1/24,000• B) Ratio scale – 1:24,000• C) Written scale – one inch represents

24,000• D) Graphic scale (see textbook, e.g. pg 10)• See Appendix, pg 502 for more information.

Map Scale (continued)

• Large and Small Scales:– A large scale map has a small denominator and

shows more detail e.g. an architect’s blueprint (e.g. 1:10, 1:100)

– A small scale map is the opposite e.g. a globe. Less detail, large denominator (e.g. 1:1,000,000)

– Which is small and large scale on next slide?

– Which Seattle (pg 10) or Florida map is large or small scale?

Scale Differences: Maps of Florida

The effects of scale in maps of Florida. (Scales from 1:10 million to 1:10,000)

How Geographers Address Location (cont’d)

• Contemporary Tools for making maps:

– GIS (Geographic Info Systems); e.g. how a globe is made.

– Remote sensing is acquisition of data about Earth’s surface from a satellite orbiting the planet or from high-flying aircraft (see next slides)

– GPS (Global Positioning Systems i.e. satellites). “On*Star”.

Layers of a GIS

A geographic information system (GIS) stores information about a location in several layers. Each layer represents a different category of information.

Reddest areas are most recent cuts

Changes in land use in China

Uniqueness of Places and Regions

• Regions: Areas of unique characteristics– Cultural landscape: anything man-made on the ground.

– Types of regions: Formal & Functional

– In a formal region, everyone shares common characteristics. E.g. in Iowa, everyone obeys the same laws within that boundary. Sometimes, in a formal region, xteristics are not universal, but predominant. E.g. the “Wheat Belt”. It doesn't mean only wheat grows there, just predominant. See next slides.

– A functional region is organized around a ‘node’ or focal point, but its importance decreases outwards (e.g. TV, radio stations). Sometimes, there’s overlap. “Distance decay effect”. (Next slide).

Formal and Functional Regions

The state of Iowa is an example of a formal region; the areas of influence of various television stations are examples of functional regions. Read caption pg 22.

World Climate Regions

The modified Köppen system divides the world into five main climate regions: example of a formal region.

Vernacular Regions

A number of factors are often used to define the South as a vernacular region, each of whichidentifies somewhat different boundaries. More of a “cultural” definition of the south by differentpeople.

Similarity of Different Places

• Scale: From local to global

– Globalization is a process that involves the entire world. It makes places “homogenous”.

– Globalization of economy e.g. McDonald’s– Globalization of culture e.g. jeans– If time permits, see video

Globalization of the Economy

The Denso corporation is headquartered in Japan, but it has regional headquarters and other facilities in North America and Western Europe.

Similarity of Different Places

• Connections between places– Spatial interaction: interaction is even faster

today (e-mail, internet, etc). See next slide.

– Diffusion: the process by which an idea or something spreads over time and space. See “Culture Hearths”. A hearth is a place from which ideas or innovations originate. Europe was never an EARLY culture hearth. See the handout “the Kangnido”.

Space-Time Compression, 1492–1962

The times required to cross the Atlantic, or orbit the Earth, illustrate how transport improvements have shrunk the world (see caption, figure 1-20, pg 36).

EARLY CULTURE HEARTHS