AP Human Geo Unit 1

1.1 Introduction to Maps

1.1 Identify the different types of data presented in maps and in quantitative and geospatial data.

DAILY VIDEO 1: Types of Maps

Two Kinds of Maps

  • Reference Maps: General information / navigation / location.

  • Thematic Maps: Communicate information about a place – spatial aspects – what is it like there.

    • Choropleth: Uses various colors, shades of one color, or patterns to show the location and distribution of spatial data.

    • Dot (Distribution): Each dot represents a specific quantity of a spatial characteristic.

    • Graduated Symbol: Uses symbols of different sizes to indicate different amounts of a variable.

    • Isoline: Uses lines that connect points of equal value to depict variations in the data across space. Useful for weather and elevation.

    • Cartograms: The sizes of countries are shown according to a specific variable. Area is distorted to show a variable.

Summary / Takeaways

There are multiple types of maps used to relay information. Reference maps are more useful when it comes to location and placement while thematic maps can be used to communicate different types of information.

DAILY VIDEO 2: Data Analysis and Patterns

Data and Patterns

Location, Distance, and Direction can be measured in either absolute or relative terms.

  • Absolute: Exact, precise, usually longitude and latitude.

  • Relative: Relationship to another place, using words like “next to” or “between” and making connections.

Patterns and Processes:

  • Patterns: Description of the spatial distribution of a human or physical phenomenon.

  • Processes: The explanation of patterns.

  • ESPeN

    • E = Economic

    • S = Social-cultural

    • P = Political

    • eN = Environmental

Pattern Types:

  • Clustered: grouped, nucleated, clumped

  • Dispersed: distributed, scattered, spread out

  • Uniform: evenly spaced out

  • Random: no discernible pattern

  • Elevation: Looks 3D like the topography of the land

    • What are isolines on an elevation map called? Contour lines or undulations.

Summary / Takeaways

There are multiple types of patterns that have different meanings depending on the map type.

DAILY VIDEO 3: Map Projections

Projections

Map Projection:

  • Distortion:

    • Conformal: Preserve shapes of land features at the expense of distorting their true size.

    • Equal-Area: Distort the oceans to preserve size of land masses.

Key Types of Map Projections (the ones we see most often)

  • Mercator: Latitude and longitude shown at right angles. Preserves shape but distorts size massively at higher latitudes. Commonly used for navigation.

  • Robinson: Preserves size but distorts shape. Image appears opposite of Mercator.

  • Goode:

    • The Goode is an example of an interrupted projection.
      What does this do/mean?
      Interrupted projection removes much of the oceans to preserve size and shape of land masses. Often used for thematic maps.

In what four ways can map projections be distorted?

  1. Distortion in bodies of water

  2. Distorted land areas

  3. Diverging lines at the poles

  4. Distortions at the equator

Summary / Takeaways

Maps can be distorted in different ways. The type of distortion can affect what the purpose of the map can be.

1.2 Geographic Data

1.2 Identify the different types of data presented in maps and in quantitative and geospatial data.

DAILY VIDEO 1: Geographic Data Collection

Out in the Field

What does “in the field” mean?

Anytime geographers are out gathering any kind of data out in the world they are “in the field.”

What kinds of organizations gather geographic data?

  • Organizations:

    1. Governments

    2. Private companies

    3. Research institutions / universities

    • Census: Data gathered about all people in a country every 10 years.

    • How are you affected by the census?
      You may never see companies gathering information about you and your geographic data without even realizing it just by having some kind of device.

  • Individuals:
    Field observation through:

    • Drawing maps

    • Notes

    • Counting and measuring things

    • Interviewing local people

DAILY VIDEO 1: Geographic Data Technologies (or related section)

Technology

Geographic Information Systems (GIS):

A computer system that collects, stores, analyzes, and displays geographic data.

  • Explain one example in detail of what a GIS could be used for (the video gives you at least 3, or you can make up your own):
    It could be used to fight fire and evacuation routes. The layers would show where the fire starts and how it spreads (satellite). The system would plan evacuation routes that avoid highways, bridges, etc. It monitors real time data of an incident while showing open escape routes.

Remote Sensing:

Information gathered from satellites orbiting the earth.

Satellite Navigation Systems (GPS):

Help provide much more specific data about the location of an object or place on Earth using geographic coordinates of latitude and longitude.

Online Mapping and Visualization:

A variety of sources provide online maps for people to analyze data including government, private companies, and research institutions.

  • Random fact about Svalbard… Svalbard is an island that belongs to Norway. It is the location of the Svalbard Global Seed Vault. This vault contains duplicated copies of almost all the types of seeds on earth. That way, if anything is ever completely destroyed due to disaster, it still exists in the seed vault. Cool huh?

Summary / Takeaways

There are various forms of Geographic Information Systems. The format (the way it works) can and will affect what it is used for.

DAILY VIDEO 3: How is geographic data collected?

Gathering Data

  • Field Observations: When someone visits a place first hand and records information gathered while there.

  • Media Reports: Reports from media outlets like newspapers and television and online news sources to help gather information about an area.

  • Travel Narratives: Notes and stories about observations made in the field.

  • Policy Documents: Geographers may look to legislation to gather geographic data.

  • Personal Interviews: Geographers may interview experts to gather information about a specific place.

  • Landscape Analysis: A process of studying and describing a landscape. Geographers will analyze the impact of humans on that space.

  • Photographic Interpretation: Photographs of a place to gather observable data about the world. These photos may be taken from the ground or using aerial photography.

1.3 The Power of Geographic Data

DAILY VIDEO: Geospatial Data Usage

Geospatial Data:

Data related to a specific point on the physical Earth.

What are some ways geospatial data is used?

  • By you?
    When you are driving in your car, you might use a GPS based app to decide the fastest route from point A to B.

  • By companies?
    A data driven GIS program to analyze sites for future expansion to better compete in a tough economy.

  • By governments?
    At the local scale, city or municipal leaders might make decisions about urban planning. At the regional scale, state govs might make decisions about transport infrastructure or monitor disease outbreaks. At the national scale, the federal gov may make science based decisions about funding.

What two questions should you be able to answer after observing patterns and processes?

  1. The why or the processes that shape those patterns.

  2. No matter who is using the data, geospatial data is vital to making decisions because…

Scale

What is map scale?

The relationship of a distance on a map to the corresponding distance on the ground.

What is the scale talked about in this video?

Scale as the size or scope of a phenomenon.

This kind of scale can be implemented when looking at what kinds of data sources?

Maps, quantitative and geospatial data, images, and landscapes.

Starting with local, which is the most zoomed in, what are the next steps up in size when talking about the area of our scale (hopefully this question makes sense… I’ve put in local and the biggest area of global)

  • Local – Bigger in details and numbers

  • Global – Smaller in details and numbers

Why is global scale more important now than it used to be?

We now have more geospatial technology tools and we know how one change in one place on Earth may affect change elsewhere.

Scale of Analysis = Determines the level at which we analyze geographic data.

What is the difference between the scale of the data and the scale of analysis? (Explain using an example from the video.)

A zone is colored red to indicate that it went for the republicans yet when we zoom in, we can see that several counties in the state voted blue.

Analysis

The scale someone uses to analyze data can:

  • Inform

  • Change

  • Influence

What is an example of going from global to local and how that changes things?

United Nations → United States federal government → State legislature → Town mayor

Patterns: Geographers will analyze different phenomena at various scales to see if patterns remain the same or look different depending on which scale is used.

Variations in data:

  • What might be an example of this?
    Someone might look at the US when a disease is spreading. They might look at a national scale and say, no, there isn’t much spread. But if we zoom in, maybe a region is still struggling.

Different Interpretations of Data:

How one geographer sees the information may differ from another geographer depending on what scale they’re looking at.

Scale of Inquiry and Scale of Analysis aren’t the same thing!

1.7 Regional Analysis

How do we define regions?

What are the terms for when the characteristic is most heavily there to when it is not there at all?

  1. Dominant

  2. Prevalent

  3. Present

  4. Absent

Type

AKA

Define

Example

Formal

Uniform / Homogeneous

These regions have some unifying physical or human characteristic like language, political system, ethnicity, or faith.

Every school within the School District of Palm Beach County, FL has common policies set by the school board.

Functional

Nodal

These regions have a center of activity or a node, and are often unified by transportation or communication networks.

You can map the pattern of commuters from the residential suburbs to the central city for work.

Perceptual

Vernacular

These regions are defined differently by each person based on their own ideas or perceptions. Therefore, they have “fuzzy” boundaries where people’s perceptions differ based on education or expectations.

The South might be defined by one person differently depending on their own ideas or perceptions. What does it even mean to be Southern.

Can places fit into more than one region?

Due to the nature of defining regions based on common characteristics, sometimes a place can “fit” in more than one region. People might argue about the extent of perceptual regions especially since they are bounded according to individual perceptions.

Why do geographers think regionally?

Because sometimes a region can be part of the world, part of a country, part of a state, or even part of a city.

Other Notes:

  • Regions are important when you change the scale.

  • Most regions have overlaps, making them blurrier in terms of identity.

Spatial Concepts

What are “spatial concepts”?

  • Absolute Location: Describes the location of a place in terms of characteristics that never change like latitude and longitude or the address. It is unique.
    Site: The physical characteristics of that place.

  • Relative Location: The location of a place in relation to other places. Important because it helps us understand the significance.

  • Place: A unique location.
    Humans have a strong “Sense of Place” or feelings associated with the distinctive characteristics of a place.

  • Flows: The ways different places interact with each other. May look at people, information, or goods flow from one place to another.

  • Distance Decay: The farther away one place is from another, the less interaction those two places will have with one another.

  • Time-Space Compression: It feels like time and space have been compressed so the distance feels smaller than it used to due to more sophisticated technology.

  • Pattern: How are objects arranged in space.

What does “why of where” mean?

Geography’s emphasis on landscape features, spatial patterns on the landscape, a definition of geography that is purely locational. The idea that the explanation of spatial pattern is crucial. The depiction of a region’s physical features.

Human-Environment Interaction & Sustainability / Resources and Land Use

Sustainability:

Actions that provide immediate benefits while also preserving resources for future use.

Natural Resources

  • Renewable: Food crops and trees that can be replenished after harvesting.

  • Non-Renewable: Are finite in quantity and are known to have environmental consequences.

Land Use:

  • Agricultural: The farming we do in a country.

  • Industrial/Commercial: The factories and the stores that are utilized to get the products we need.

  • Residential: Where you live, whether that’s an urban setting that’s densely packed together, rural where neighbors may be 5 miles away, or suburban where you have 1000 houses in a few square miles.

  • Transportational: The roads we drive on, the rails, the planes we fly in, the shipping we use.

  • Recreational: Baseball games and soccer tournaments.

More sustainability:

What is cultural ecology?

Theories of Human-Environment Interaction

Environmental Determinism: Natural factors alone determine the cultural attributes of human societies.

The 5 Toos

  1. Too hot

  2. Too cold

  3. Too wet

  4. Too dry

  5. Too mountainous

Possibilism:

The natural environment is still a factor in shaping our way of life; however, humans have choices and can harness technologies to overcome environmental limitations.