Unit 1: Maps & Geography (LARKINS AP HUMAN)

Distortion and Projection

all maps have _____________ because the world is 3D and it doesn't lay out flat

Mercator projection (1569)

Designed to aid ships; good at finding location; bad at distortion of poles; makes land masses around the equator more accurate

Robinson projection

Good at fixing pole distortion; good for general use/common in classrooms; spreads out the distortion

Peters projection (1974)

Controversial because it distorts familiar land shapes; corrects distortions of Africa and South America; land masses around equator become bigger

Polar projection

United Nations uses this map; Airlines use it when planning flight directions so it's not centered on one land mass; most of the land mass is in the northern hemisphere; this shows that most of the world's surface is water

Goode's Interrupted projection (equal areas)

Shows the land mass more accurately

Dot map

Uses a dot symbol to show the presence of a feature; shows spatial pattern

Isoline map

Lines that connect points of equal value

Chloropleth map

Color-coded map that indicate average values of property or quantity in those areas

Cartogram map

size of country is determined by population, not by actual size

Proportional Symbol map

Type of map that uses a symbol in varying sizes to show the magnitude of a characteristic

Site

the physical character of a place (includes climate, water sources, topography, soil, vegetation, latitude, elevation)

Situation

the location of a place relative to other places; helps us find an unfamiliar place by comparing its location with a familiar one

Latitude and longitude

also called mathematical location

cultural landscape

a region derives its character through the _______________. (ex. language, religion, agriculture, etc.)

Formal region

also called a uniform region, that is an area within which everyone shares in common one or more distinctive characteristics

Functional region

also called a nodal region, is an area organized around a node or focal point

Perceptual region

most vague regions, people believe this region exists as a part of their cultural identity (ex. The South, The Middle East)

Scale

From local (small) to Global (large)

Space

How is it organized?

Density

the frequency with which something occurs in space

Concentration

the extent of a feature's spread over space

Pattern

the geometric arrangement of objects in space

Hearth

Where an idea originates

Distance decay

the farther away from one group is from another, the less likely the two groups are to interact

Relocation

the spread of an idea through physical movement of people from one place to another

Expansion

The spread of a feature or trend among people from one area to another in a snowballing process

Hierarchical

The spread of an idea from persons or nodes of authority or power to other persons or places

Contagious

the rapid, widespread diffusion of a feature or trend though out a population; person to person spread of culture.

Stimulus

the spread of an item or idea, it is introduced for the purpose of spreading it, not by accident

environmental determinism

human behavior is strongly affected by the physical environment/climate (ex. cold climate= cold, harsh, cruel people, temperate climate= calm, intelligent people)

Possiblilism

Human action is a result of many factors like individual choice; humans can overcome their environmental constraints; "science will save us"

Location

Position on the Earth's Surface

Absolute location

The exact position of a place on the earth's surface (answers "where is it?")

relative location

The position of a place in relation to another place

Place

physical and human characteristics

Human/Environment Interaction

Shaping the landscape (depend, modify, adapt)

Movement

Humans Interacting on the Earth

Regions

How they form and change; distinguished by physical and human characteristics

location

Latitude and longitude are examples of ____________

Place

"What's it like there?"

place

physical and human characteristics

Human Environment Interaction

Army Corps of Engineers dredges the Great Dismal Swamp to build a canal is an example of _______________

Region

There are many ways to define The South in the USA. This is an example of ___________________

Location

Richmond, VA is located on the fall line of the James River. This is an example of _____________

movement

Amazon has decided to ship Christmas trees this Holiday season. This is an example of ______________

Movement

How are places connected?

Human Environment Interaction

Air conditioning is an example of _____________

Region

In the USA, the Corn Belt, Rust Belt, and Bible Belt are all examples of ____________

Region

How and why is one region similar to another?

Place

Monument avenue is unique to Richmond

location

40 degrees North, 30 degrees West is an example of ________________

Region

The Rocky Mountains are an example of _____________

Location

Singapore became wealthy when China opened up their economy. This is an example of________________