AP Human Geography Unit 1 Notes

These flashcards cover key terms and concepts from the lecture on Human Geography.

Human Geography

The study of patterns and processes that shape human interaction with Earth's surface.

Map

A two-dimensional flat scale model of Earth’s surface, used as a reference tool or communication tool.

Core Concept: Space

Refers to the physical distance or area between places on Earth and the arrangement of things across that area.

Core Concept: Place

A specific point on Earth distinguished by a particular characteristic, defined by a unique combination of physical and human characteristics.

Absolute Location

The exact spot on Earth, usually given in coordinates, such as latitude and longitude.

Relative Location

Describes one location in reference to another, measured in distance or time.

Toponyms

Place names that reflect the cultural or historical identity of a place.

Site

The physical characteristics of a place, including climate, water sources, elevation, and soil.

Region

An area defined by shared physical or human characteristics that distinguish it from surrounding areas.

Connection

Relationships among people and objects across the barrier of space.

Meridians (Longitude)

Lines that run north/south and measure east/west of the Prime Meridian.

Parallels (Latitude)

Lines that run east/west and measure north/south of the equator.

Spatial Association

A geographical concept measuring how closely the distribution of two or more different things match up across a map.

Cultural Landscape

The visible imprint of human activity on the natural environment shaped by religion, language, economy, and climate.

Cartography

The science of mapmaking.

Absolute Distance

Distance that can be measured in feet or miles.

Relative Distance

Measures social, cultural, or political differences between two locations.

Clustering

Objects or people that are close together.

Dispersal

Objects or people that are far apart.

Elevation

The height of geographic locations or regions above sea level.

Map Scale

The ratio of the portion of the Earth being studied to the Earth as a whole.

Reference Maps

Maps that show where things are in space and are used for navigation.

Thematic Maps

Maps that communicate data about a specific topic or theme, focusing on spatial distributions or patterns.

Choropleth Map

A map that uses different shades of color to represent values or statistical data.

Dot Distribution Map

A map where each dot represents a specific quantity.

Graduated Symbol Map

A map that uses symbols of different sizes to show different amounts.

Isoline Map

A map that uses continuous lines to depict changes in data.

Cartogram

A map that distorts the sizes of geographic areas to represent a specific variable.

Flow-line Map

A map that uses arrows of different thickness to show movement between locations.

Map Projection

The method of representing the Earth's curved surface on a flat surface.

Mercator Projection

A map projection that preserves accurate direction and shape but distorts size at the poles.

Peters Projection

A map projection that accurately represents the relative size of landmasses but distorts shape.

Robinson Projection

A map projection balancing all four distortions (size, distance, shape, direction) for a natural look.

Geographic Data

Information tied to locations on Earth's surface, helping analyze patterns and human activity.

Quantitative Data

Data that can be measured or counted, often represented with numbers.

Qualitative Data

Descriptive data that explains characteristics or opinions of people.

Census

A complete count of a population done every 10 years, collecting demographic information.

Sampling

A count of a small group to estimate the whole population.

GPS (Global Positioning System)

A system that determines the precise absolute location of something on Earth using satellites.

GIS (Geographic Information System)

A system that stores, organizes, analyzes, and displays geographic data.

Remote Sensing

The collection of data about Earth through satellites or photos.

Volunteered Geographic Information (VGI)

Geographic information shared, created, or collected by private citizens.

Geotagging

The process of adding geographical identification metadata to media like photos.

Sustainability

The practice of using resources to ensure their availability in the future.

Environmental Determinism

The idea that the physical environment causes and limits human behavior and cultural development.

Possibilism

The idea that the physical environment sets limits, but humans can adapt with technology.

Globalization

A process that increases interconnectedness among countries and cultures, making the world appear smaller.

Formal Region

An area where everyone shares one or more distinctive characteristics.

Functional Region

An area organized around a central node linked by communication or economic networks.

Vernacular Region

An area people believe exists as part of their cultural identity.

Diffusion

The process by which a feature spreads from one place to another over time.

Relocation Diffusion

The spread of an idea through the physical movement of people.

Expansion Diffusion

The spread of an idea through the population without movement.

Cultural Ecology

The study of how human cultures adapt to and modify their environments.

Eratosthenes

The first to use the word 'geography' and accurately calculate Earth's circumference.

Ptolemy

Developed a system of latitude and longitude that formed the foundation of modern mapmaking.

Carl Sauer

Developed the idea of the cultural landscape, emphasizing human modification of the environment.