AP Human Geography

Political Map

Map displaying political boundaries; countries, counties, cities, parks, etc.

Physical Map

Map illustrating natural features such as mountains, rivers, and terrain. It often shows elevation and landforms.

Mercator Projection

Pros: Accurate shape and direction; great if navigating with a compass

Cons: not correct sizing, very distorted

Gall-Peter’s Projection

Pros: Accurate size

Cons: Shape is very distorted

Robinson Projection

Pros: Kinda able to preserve size and shape

Cons: neither size or shape is accurate

Winkel Tripel Projection

Pros: Kinda able to preserve size and shape

Cons: Neither size or shape is accurate (but better than the Robinson projection)

Polar Azimuthal Projection

Pros: Size, shape and direction are generally accurate

Cons: can only see half the world

Reference Maps

shows boundaries, names of locations, roads, railroads, coastlines, rivers and lakes. think political map or physical map.

Thematic Map

map specifically designed to show a particular theme connected with a specific geographic area. Ex. Choropleth, Dot Density, Graduated Symbol Map, Isoline, Cartogram, Mental Map.

Choropleth

Uses varying shades of color corresponding to a data set

Dot Density

A dot is placed every time a variable is present.

Graduated Symbol Map/Proportional Symbol Map

symbols are used proportional the size of the data

Isoline Map

lines drawn on a map connecting data points

Cartogram

geographic size is altered to be proportional to the data set it is presenting

Mental Map

A map drawn from a person’s point of view without using any reference maps for help

4 Types of Distortion on Maps

direction, distance, size and shape

Map Scale

Distance on the map compared to the distance on the earth

What has more distortion? Smaller or larger scale map?

smaller scale map has more distortion

Smaller Scale Map

More spread out, can see more

Larger Scale Map

zoomed in, can see less of earth

Geographic Scale

how big is the geographic space? what do you see on the map? (whole picture)

Scale of Analysis

At what level is the data being analyzed. (what the whole picture is being split up into)

Types of Scales

world, regional, national, local

GI Science

The analysis of data about Earth acquired through satellite and other electronic information technology.

Geographic Positioning Systems (GPS)/Satellite Navigation Systems

A system that determines the precise position of something on Earth. Three satellites needed.

Remote Sensing

Acquisition of data about Earth’s surface from a satellite or other long-distance methods. images from a camera on airplane, satellite, space station, etc.

Geographic Information Systems (GIS)

Captures data, stores, queries and displays geographic data. (computer programs) Ex. Google maps.

Formal/Uniform Region

State, country, county, etc. You know when you’re in and out of it. At least one common characteristic in this region.

Functional/Nodal Region

Region formed around a node

Principal of Distance Decay

Farther from the source-more dies out, less likely to be adopted or used, etc

Vernacular/Perceptual Region

No defensive borders, people believe it exists, foggy edges, based on stereotype or perception.

Absolute Location

ways to describe a fixed location that never changes. Ex. Address and coordinates

Relative Location

The position of a location in relation to another location

Geographic Site Factors

Describes the physical characteristics of a place, whether it’s natural or human made

Geographic Situation Factors

Describes a location of a place in relation to other places and geographic features around it

Environmental Determinism

Natural Environments place an encompassing influence on human activity in shaping a society

Possibilism

Although the natural environment establishes some limits on a society, Human agency and culture is the ultimate factor in that societies development

Spatial Association

Two or more things on earth’s surface related through a cause and effect relationship

Space

the gap between two objects

Connection

the relationship of people across space

Density

frequency of something occuring in an area

Stage 1 of the DTM

High CBR, High CDR. Low NIR, Low pop.

No country today, most of Human history, hunting and gathering food.

Stage 2 DTM

High CBR, dropping CDR, rapidly increasing NIR, rising pop.

North America and Europe - Industrial Revolution, rest of the world - medical revolution. characterized mainly by dropping CDR

Stage 3 DTM

CBR starts to drop, NIR starts to drop, pop increases, CDR continues to decrease.

starts when CBR goes down, encouraging family planning, education increases, more live in cities, more urbanization

Stage 4 DTM

pop continues to grow from pop. momentum, CDR decreases slightly, meets with decreasing CBR, which causes NIR = ZPG (zero population growth)

education increases, esp women, waiting longer to be married and have family, living costs increases, ZPG

Stage 5 DTM

negative NIR, rising CDR, decreasing CBR, decreasing pop.

Norway, Denmark, japan; population momentum ends, CBR drops CDR increases = negative NIR, elderly population = high dependency ratio

Population Momentum

time period after the CBR has dropped but the population still grows due to the number of people in reproductive years

Stage 1

Stage 2

Stage 3

Stage 4

Stage 5

Thomas Malthus

Believed population will grow geometrically, food will increase arithmetically. we will run out of resources. Proven wrong

Neo-Mathusians

modern day people who believe population will outstrip the earth of it’s resources. believe malthus calculations were wrong but his prediction will come true for the future. believe societies need ZPG, TFR of 2.1

Anti-Natalist Policy

belief population is growing too fast, running out of resources.

policies such as 1 child, taxes on kids, family planning

Pro-Natalist Policies

from shrinking populations, shrinking workforce

policy ex. tax breaks for children, financial support for doctors and hospitals, affordable child care.

Push Factors

factors that push people to leave a location

Demographics

population characteristics/statistics

Pull factors

factors that entice people to move to a location

voluntary migration

permanent movement by choice

forced migration

permanent movement compelled by cultural or environmental factors

Net it/out migration

more people moving in or out of country?

Refugee

people forced to migrate from home country and cannot return due to fear of persecution/death

Asylum Seeker

someone who has moved to another country in hopes as being recognized as a refugee

Internally Displaced Person

someone forced to migrate, but not across international border

Step Migration

migration that follows a series of steps or stages towards a final destiny

Intervening obstacle/opportunity

environmental or cultural feature of the landscape or a favorable circumstance that alters and intended route.

Diffusion

spread of an idea/feature

Relocation diffusion

spread of an idea/feature through movement of people

Expansion Diffusion

spread of an idea in an additive process

Hierarchal Diffusion

type of expansion diffusion; spread from people or nodes of authority to other persons

Contagious Diffusion

type of expansion diffusion; a rapid, widespread diffusion throughout the population

Stimulus Diffusion

a spread of an underlying principal

cultural hearth

where a major culture began then spread outward

Assimilation

process of a minority group or culture adopting the dominant groups culture

acculturation

balancing of two cultures while adapting to the prevailing culture of the society

Syncretism

when aspects of different cultures blend together and form something new and unique

Multiculturation

presence of several distinct cultural or ethnic groups

Toponym

a place name

Sequent Occupance

the notion that successive societies leave their cultural imprints on a place, each contributing to the cumulative cultural landscape

Creole Language

a fully formed language created by a mix of other languages. usually colonizer language mixed with native language

Pidgin Language

grammatically simplified language made up of 2 or more languages, one of the languages usually used for trade

Placelessness

uniform, homogenous landscapes. loss of a location’s unique culture identity leading to a landscape that looks like it could be from anywhere.

homogeneous

the same, uniform

heterogenous

different, unique

Sense of Place (2 answers)

A. the distinctiveness of unique character of a particular location and regions

B. your relationship with a place, feeling and perception for you

Cultural Landscape

combination of cultural, economic and natural elements that make up any landscape

Ethnic Religion

relates closely to culture, ethnic heritage and to the physical geography of a particular place

Universalizing religion

seeks to convert new believers, global and universal in spread

Cultural Relativism

an unbiased way of viewing another culture; not judging based on your own culture

Ethnocentrism

judging another culture in terms of ones own standards and culture;; believe your culture is better

Artifact

the “stuff” of culture; material manifestations of culture (tangible)

ex. chopsticks, navajo jewelry, smart phone

Sociofact

the ways we act in culture; institutions, structures and rules that shape and unite a culture

ex. religious institutions, political parties, schools, customs

Mentifact

the ways we think in culture. the central beliefs, guiding ideas and values in a culture that endures over time.

ex. religion, folklore, concepts of self, social taboos

Christianity Religious Architecture

crosses, high vaulted ceilings, arches, steeples, stained glass, paintings, murals, Jesus scenes from bible, open areas with seating n rows

Islamic Religious Architecture

mosque!!! domes, crescent moon, prayer hall - big open carpeted area w/ high ceilings and chandeliers, geometric designs, no idols or images, Arabic writing, courtyard with wash basin

Judaism Religious Architecture

synagogue, star of David, a lot of wood/mahogany, onion dome, geometric patterns and stained glass, platform upfront

Hindu Religious Architecture

lots of symbols, sculptures, many statues of gods/animals, covered statues, usually colorful

Buddhism Religious Architecture

lots of red and gold (symbols of good luck and prosperity), swastika, East Asia, dharma wheel, fancy roofs, lotus flower (purity and enlightenment), statues of Buddha, pagoda - Buddhist relic (weird stacky things)

Hinduism Diffusion

ethnic religion, relocation diffusion