Human Geography - History of Geographical Thought (Lecture Review)

These flashcards cover key definitions, concepts, themes, historical notes, and subfields presented in the lecture on the History of Geographical Thought and the fundamentals of Human Geography.

According to Hartshorne (1959), what is geography concerned with?

Providing accurate, orderly, and rational description and interpretation of the variable character of the Earth's surface.

What ‘zone’ do geographers imply when they refer to the "Earth surface"?

A thin zone extending as far below the surface as humans have penetrated and as far above as humans normally go.

How does The Concise Oxford Dictionary (1964) define geography?

A science of the Earth’s surface, form, physical features, natural and political divisions, climate, productions, population, etc.

What three essential characteristics of geographical work did Haggett (1981 & 1990) outline?

Emphasis on location, society–land (human–environment) relations, and regional analysis.

What is the focus of regional analysis in geography?

Identifying regions, analyzing their internal morphology, ecological linkages, and relations with other regions.

How did Yeats (1968) describe geography?

A science concerned with developing and testing theories that explain and predict spatial distribution and location of characteristics on the Earth’s surface.

According to Johnston (1986), what does geography literally mean and study?

Literally earth description; it studies the Earth as the home of humankind.

What three concepts does the Geography Working Group (1990) emphasize?

Place, space, and environment.

In geography, what does the study of 'place' seek to describe?

The location of physical and human features and the processes and interrelationships that create or influence them.

What does the study of 'space' examine?

Relationships between places and patterns of activity arising from how people use physical settings.

What broad questions do geographers ask when conducting research?

Where, when, what, how, and why.

How did Peet (1998) summarize geography’s subject matter?

Relations between society and the natural environment—how society transforms nature and how nature conditions society.

What overarching purpose does geography serve according to the general definition provided?

To study diverse environments, places, and spaces on Earth and explain where things are and why they are the way they are.

Name the Five Themes of Geography.

Location, Place, Human–Environment Interaction, Movement, and Region.

What are the two main types of location used by geographers?

Absolute location and relative location.

How is absolute location expressed?

By latitude and longitude (astronomical coordinates) marking the exact position of a place.

Give an example of relative location.

“Ethiopia is north of Kenya and south of Europe.”

What does latitude measure, and how are lines drawn?

Distance north or south of the equator; lines are horizontal.

What does longitude measure, and what is its zero-degree reference line?

Distance east or west of the prime meridian; the prime meridian at Greenwich (0° longitude).

What important role does the prime meridian play besides marking 0° longitude?

It serves as the basis for the world’s time zones.

Define the geographic theme ‘Place’.

The physical and human characteristics of a location, including toponym, site, and situation.

Give two examples of distinct 'place' characteristics from the lecture.

Bishoftu is known for its lakes; Afar is noted for the Danakil Depression (-126 m asl).

What is the difference between reference maps and thematic maps?

Reference maps show absolute locations of places/features; thematic maps illustrate patterns, distributions, or movements of a specific attribute.

What are mental maps?

Maps we carry in our minds of places we have been to or heard of.

Define activity spaces.

The places people travel to routinely in their daily rounds of activity.

Explain ‘Human–Environment Interaction’.

How humans affect the environment and are affected by it, encompassing dependency, adaptation, and modification.

Give an example of human adaptation mentioned in the lecture.

Eskimos and highlanders wear thick clothes, whereas lowlanders wear thin clothes to adjust to temperature differences.

What does the theme ‘Movement’ include?

Translocation of people, goods, and ideas across the Earth.

List three types of movement examples provided.

Human movement (trucks, trains, planes), information movement (phones, email), idea movement (TV, radio, magazines).

Define ‘Region’ in geographical terms.

A geographic area with distinctive characteristics that differentiate it from adjacent spaces.

What is a formal (uniform) region?

An area where everyone shares one or more distinctive characteristics, such as language or climate.

Describe a functional (nodal) region.

An area organized around a central node or focal point with interconnecting linkages, e.g., a trade route or TV tower coverage area.

Name the three broad branches of geography highlighted.

Physical Geography, Human Geography, and Geographic Techniques.

Give two subfields under Physical Geography.

Geomorphology and Climatology (others include Hydrology, Oceanography, Biogeography, Soil Geography, Environmental Geography).

Give two subfields under Human Geography.

Cultural Geography and Economic Geography (others include Historical, Social, Population, Settlement, Political, Medical Geography).

What are two key components of Geographic Techniques?

Cartography and Geographic Information Systems (GIS) (others include Remote Sensing, GNSS, Mathematical and Statistical Geography).

Which two 19th-century German scholars demonstrated geography as an integrated study, and what were their focuses?

Alexander von Humboldt (physical aspects) and Carl Ritter (human aspects).

Which ancient civilizations produced early geographic writings?

Chinese, followed by Greek and Roman civilizations.

How did pilgrimages and trade contribute to geography’s development?

They expanded geographic knowledge through exploration and documentation of new lands and routes.