1- The Five Themes of Geography

I) The Geographer’s Perspective

A) geography comes from the Greek geographia, meaning “to describe the earth”
B) geographers look for patterns and connections between people and the world
a) geography is the study of the distribution and interaction of physical and human
features on earth
II) Methods
A) maps are the most common tool used
B) also use graphs, charts, tables, etc to track changes made
C) all tools used by geographers are connected by the 5 themes
III) Theme: Location
A) two main types- Absolute and Relative
a) Absolute
(i) uses the grid system to note the exact location of something
1 grid system established by longitude and latitude
2 divides the earth into hemispheres (halves)
B) Latitude Lines
a) run left to right, but measure North and South
b) equator is center, measured at 0°
C) Longitude Lines
a) run up and down, but measure East and West
b) prime meridian is center, measured at 0°
c) international date line is 180°
D) Relative Location
a) describes a place in comparison to other places around it
IV) Theme: Place
A) answers the question “what is it like”
B) can describe climate, landforms, and vegetation
a) also describes things humans have done in an area
V) Theme: Region
A) describes how areas are alike or different
B) Formal Regions
a) defined by a limited number of characteristics
(i) these can be anything, but regions we will study include US and Canada, Latin
America, Europe, Southwest Asia, etc
C) Functional Regions
a) organized by interactions and connections between places
(i) ex: Dallas/Ft. Worth and their suburbs
D) Perceptual Region
a) determined by how people see a region
 (i) this can vary greatly depending on the person or people
(ii) ex: the Middle East
VI) Theme: Human-Environment Interaction
A) describes how human beings relate to the physical world
a) tracks how we change the environment and vice versa
b) is the most wide ranging discipline of geography
(i) includes different crops, architecture, recreation, etc
VII) Theme: Movement
A) describes the movement of people, goods, and ideas around the world
a) includes trade, immigration, and cultural diffusion
B) Linear Distance and Time Distance
a) linear is simply the distance something or someone travels
(i) can be affected by physical landscapes, like mountains
b) time distance measures the amount of time it takes for someone or something to travel
(i) this has increased immensely with new technologies, esp. the internet
C) Psychological Distance
a) how someone views the distance
(i) this changes based on age- the world seems much bigger when we are younger
(ii) can influence decisions on travel

2- The Geographer’s Tools

I) Maps and Globes

A) Two or Three Dimensions
a) globes are 3d representations of the earth
(i) not typically very practical
b) maps are 2d representations of selections of the earth
(i) easily portable, now even easier with digital technology
c) cartographer
(i) a mapmaker
d) map projection
(i) a way of drawing a map that reduces the distortion of a round earth on a flat
surface
B) Types of Maps (pg. 20-23)
a) general reference maps
(i) includes topographical maps, which shows natural and man-made features
b) thematic maps
(i) show information, like population or climate
c) navigation maps
(i) most used by regular people (Google maps)
II) Science of Mapmaking
A) Surveying
a) first step of making a map- the cartographer has to observe, measure, and record
specific areas
b) mostly done by remote sensing, but some areas must be walked and visually recorded
(i) remote sensing is done easily through the use of satellites
B) Satellites
a) most useful tool for geographers
b) provide data for maps, tracking movement, provided specific location, etc
c) Landsat- able to scan the surface of the earth in 16 days
d) GOES- weather satellite that reports on atmospheric conditions
C) Geographic Information Systems (GIS)
a) stores information in a worldwide digital database
b) allows geographers to combine data from all over and attempt to solve problems
associated with population change, climate change, or other issues
D) Global Positioning System (GPS)
a) originally used by the military, but now fairly widespread
(i) not the same as Google maps, but that uses the same basic technology
b) gives the exact latitude, longitude, altitude, and time
c) very useful in tracking animals and their movements