Geography and Map Concepts Flashcards

A set of vocabulary flashcards covering basic geography concepts, the five themes of geography, map projections, symbols, and dimensions.

Creation mandate

God's command for people to "be fruitful and multiply," work together, and subdue the earth by caring for and making good use of His creation; also called the cultural mandate because culture develops as people fulfill this responsibility.

Prime meridian

The imaginary line at 0° longitude that passes through Greenwich, England, divides Earth into the Eastern and Western Hemispheres, and serves as the starting point for measuring longitude and establishing the world's time zones.

Physical geography

The study of natural features of the Earth, such as mountains, rivers, oceans, and climate.

Geography

The detailed study of Earth and the ways people relate to Earth and one another.

Location

One of the five themes of geography describing where something is located, either absolutely or relative to another place.

Place

One of the five themes of geography describing the physical and human characteristics of an area.

Movement

One of the five themes of geography describing how people, goods, ideas, and diseases travel from place to place.

Region

One of the five themes of geography describing an area defined by common features, boundaries, or functions.

Human-environment interaction

One of the five themes of geography describing how people adapt to and change their environment.

Map scale

A marked line on a map that shows the relationship between distance on the map and actual distance on Earth.

Meridians

Imaginary lines of longitude that run from the North Pole to the South Pole and measure distance east or west of the prime meridian.

Map projections

Different ways of showing Earth's round surface on a flat map, which always cause some distortion in shape, size, distance, or direction.

Mercator map

A flat map made using a cylindrical projection with straight latitude and longitude lines, accurate directions and shapes, but distorted areas and distances farther north or south of the equator.

Point symbols

Small shapes, colors, or lines on a map that represent specific feature locations like cities, buildings, wells, or monuments.

Line symbols

Map symbols representing features such as roads, railroads, rivers, or power lines.

Area symbols

Map symbols representing features such as lakes, swamps, marshes, glaciers, or other land features.

Legend (key)

An explanatory element on a map that explains what each symbol means.

Three-dimensional (3D)

Describing an object that has length, width, and height, such as a globe.

Two-dimensional (2D)

Describing a flat surface or map that has length and width.