ap human unit 6 vocab

borcherts transportation model

defines five distinct epochs in American urbanization based on the impact of changing transportation technology

dispersed rural settlements

a pattern where individual houses, farmsteads, or very small hamlets are scattered far apart across a wide geographic area rather than clustered together

market area/hinderland

the surrounding tributary region from which a city, service center, or transport terminal (such as a port) attracts customers, draws resources, or distributes goods

settlement

describe the spatial distribution of human communities, ranging from rural, agricultural areas to dense urban centers

city

a human settlement of a substantial size.

ecumene

permanently inhabited, settled, and cultivated portions of the Earth, distinguishing them from sparse, temporary, or uninhabited regions.

primate city

the leading city in its country or region, disproportionately larger—often twice as populous—and more influential than any others, acting as the primary hub for economic, social, and political life

service

assistance or advice given to customers during and after the sale of goods.

city state

an independent, sovereign country that consists of a single city and its surrounding territory

enclosure movement

the transition in England from common-use, open-field agriculture to privately owned, fenced-in pastures and fields

range

the maximum distance consumers are willing to travel to acquire a good or service

threshold

the minimum number of people (population or demand) required to support a business, good, or service to make it profitable

central place theory

explains the spatial distribution, size, and number of settlements based on market principles

gravity model

predicts interaction—such as migration, trade, or travel—between two places based on their population size and distance

rank size rule

states that in a developed urban system, the nth largest city is 1/n the size of the largest city. For example, the 2nd city is ½ the size of the 1st, and the 3rd is 1/3 the size.

urban hearth

the distinct, original geographic regions where the world's first cities emerged (roughly 3500–900 BCE), characterized by early agriculture, surplus food, and complex social structures

central business district

the downtown nucleus of a city, characterized by high land values, dense vertical development (skyscrapers), and a concentration of business, public, and high-threshold consumer services

higher order services

specialized, infrequently used services or goods that require a large population (high threshold) to remain profitable

site

the physical characteristics of a specific location, including absolute location, topography, climate, water sources, vegetation, soil, and elevation.

urbanization

the rapid, global shift of populations from rural to urban areas, transforming landscapes into cities and converting agrarian lifestyles into industrial or service-based cultures.

clustered rural settlements

an agricultural-based community where houses, barns, and service buildings are located in close proximity, often surrounded by shared farmland.

lower-order services

essential, frequently accessed goods and services (e.g., groceries, petrol stations, post offices) with high demand but low market thresholds, typically found in small villages, hamlets, or local neighborhood centers.

situation

the location of a place relative to its surrounding environment, including connectivity, accessibility, and economic connections to other places

urban hierarchy

the ranking of settlements—from small hamlets to massive metropolises—based on population size, economic function, and services provided

air and water quality

essential environmental indicators that directly impact human health and ecosystem stability

bid rent theory

Land closer to the city costs more and has values compared to land not close to city.

counterurbanization

the demographic trend of people moving from crowded urban areas to rural, smaller communities, often driven by desires for a better quality of life, lower costs, and enabled by remote work technology

ecological footprint

measures human demand on nature, calculating the biologically productive land and sea area required to regenerate resources and absorb waste, measured in global hectares

farmland protection policies

policies used by governments to minimize the irreversible conversion of agricultural land to non-agricultural uses

infilling

the process of developing vacant or underutilized land within existing urban areas to increase density

infrastructure

the basic physical and organizational structures and facilities (e.g. buildings, roads, power supplies) needed for the operation of a society or enterprise.

linear settlement patterns

community layout patter where buildings and infrastructure are arranged in a long, narrow line, typically following transportation routes (roads, rivers, railways) or natural features like coastlines and valleys

long lot survey

divides land into long, narrow, rectangular parcels stretching back from a central transportation artery or waterway, such as a river, road, or canal

low density housing

residential areas with few dwellings per unit of land, typically characterized by detached single-family homes, private yards, and quiet neighborhoods, often found in suburban settings.

medium density housing

residential developments, typically 1–4 stories tall, that sit between detached suburban homes and high-rise apartments, such as townhouses, rowhomes, and duplexes

high density housing

residential developments, such as high-rise apartments or compact townhomes, designed to accommodate a large number of residents in a small area

metes and bounds system

a traditional, legal surveying method used to define land boundaries by describing the perimeter of a property, starting from a "Point of Beginning" (POB) and using physical monuments, distances (metes), and directions (bounds) to trace the boundary lines back to the start

reurbanization

the renewed growth, investment, and population influx into previously declining inner-city areas or abandoned urban spaces,

satellite city

a smaller, distinct municipality located near a much larger parent city, which, while originally dependent, grows to become self-sustaining with its own residential and employment bases

suburbanization

massive population shift from city centers to surrounding residential areas, or suburbs

sustainable design initiatives

focus on reducing environmental impact, optimizing resource efficiency, and enhancing human health throughout a product's or building's lifecycle

township and range system

established grid method dividing land into mile squares