Global Studies Unit 1 Study Guide

Flashcards covering map features, geographer subfields, and Earth movements based on the provided notes.

What line of longitude marks 0° and divides the eastern and western hemispheres?

Prime Meridian

Which circle marks approximately 66.5° north and is associated with the Arctic region?

Arctic Circle

What latitude line represents 0° and divides the Earth into northern and southern hemispheres?

Equator

What line lies opposite the Prime Meridian at roughly 180° longitude and is used for the International Date Line?

International Date Line

Which line marks about 23.5° north and is called the Tropic of Cancer?

Tropic of Cancer

Which line marks about 23.5° south and is called the Tropic of Capricorn?

Tropic of Capricorn

Which circle marks 66.5° south and defines the Antarctic region?

Antarctic Circle

What is a Thematic Map?

A map that shows specific information about a place (such as physical features, climate, vegetation, population density, world regions, or economic activity).

List two examples of thematic maps mentioned in the notes.

Physical Features Map, Climate Map, Vegetation Map, Population Density Map, World Regions Map, Economic Activity Map.

What does an Economic Geographer study?

Economies and how they function.

What does a Political Geographer study?

How political processes, governance, and boundaries shape space and places.

What is a Unitary system?

When all government power is held by one central authority.

What is a Federal System?

Power divided between a central government and regional governments.

What does an Environmental Geographer study?

How natural systems change and how humans interact with the environment.

What is a Historical Geographer?

Studies how places and landscapes change over time due to human actions.

What is a Cultural Geographer?

Studies how culture—beliefs, traditions, and language—shapes and is shaped by places.

What is cultural diffusion?

The spread of cultural beliefs, practices, languages, and technologies from one place or group to another.

What is a Case Study?

A detailed look at one example to understand a bigger idea.

How does a map title help you understand a map?

It indicates what the map is about.

What is the purpose of the Legend/Key on a map?

To explain the symbols used on the map.

What is the purpose of a map scale?

To show the relationship between map distance and real-world distance.

What does a map projection do, and what problem does it cause?

Translates the Earth's curved surface into a flat map, causing distortions.

Why is a Compass Rose important on a map?

It indicates directions (North, South, East, West).

What is the Global Grid and what does it use to locate places?

Latitude and Longitude.

What are the four hemispheres that make up Earth?

Northern, Southern, Eastern, Western.

How long does it take for Earth to complete a revolution around the sun?

About 365.25 days.

How does Earth's rotation create a 24-hour day?

Earth rotates on its axis once every 24 hours, causing day and night.

How does Earth's 23.5^\circ tilt affect different regions of the world?

It causes seasons; tilting toward the sun yields summer and tilting away yields winter.

What is the fundamental process performed by a map projection?

Translates the Earth's curved surface into a flat map.

What is the unavoidable consequence when a map projection translates the Earth's curved surface onto a flat map?

Causing distortions.

What are the imaginary lines that run east and west, parallel to the Equator, used to measure distance north or south?

Lines of Latitude.

What are the imaginary lines that run north and south, from pole to pole, used to measure distance east or west?

Lines of Longitude.

What is the primary characteristic preserved by the Mercator projection, making it useful for seafaring navigation?

It accurately shows the shapes of landmasses and the correct angles between points, meaning compass bearings are true.

Which areas on a Mercator map experience the most significant distortion in terms of size and area?

Areas closer to the poles, such as Greenland and Antarctica, appear disproportionately larger than their actual size.

How do the lines of latitude and longitude appear on an unrolled Mercator map?

They are all straight and perpendicular to each other, forming a rectangular grid.

Name two major oceans mentioned in the notes.

Atlantic Ocean and Pacific Ocean

What is the world's third-largest ocean, located east of Africa and west of Australia?

Indian Ocean

Which ocean surrounds the continent of Antarctica?

Southern Ocean

Which is the smallest and shallowest of the world's five major oceans, located around the North Pole?

Arctic Ocean

What is the largest continent by land area and population?

Asia

What continent is south of Europe and contains the Sahara Desert?

Africa

Which continent is entirely covered by ice and surrounds the South Pole?

Antarctica

What continent includes countries like the United States, Canada, and Mexico?

North America

What continent is primarily located in the Southern Hemisphere and includes the Amazon Rainforest?

South America

What continent, bordering Asia, is home to countries like France, Germany, and Italy?

Europe

What is the smallest continent, sometimes referred to as Oceania, located southeast of Asia?

Australia

Judaism

A monotheistic religion originating from the Hebrew Bible, emphasizing a covenant between God and the Jewish people, with core beliefs including the significance of the Torah and the importance of ethical conduct.

Christianity

based on Jesus teachings: spread through eroupe and beyond

Islam

founded by Muhammad spread across the middle east,Africa, Asia

Hinduism

oldest major religion in India it shaped by many cultural traditions

Buddhism

A religion founded by Siddhartha Gautama, emphasizing the practice of meditation, the Four Noble Truths, and the Eightfold Path in the quest for enlightenment.

Confucianism

a philosophical system founded by Confucius, focusing on ethics, morality, and proper social relationships.

traditional economy

An economic system that relies on customs, traditions, and bartering rather than on supply and demand or monetary exchange.

Market economy

An economic system where decisions regarding investment, production, and distribution are guided by the interactions of citizens and businesses in the marketplace.

Command economy