Chapter 1 Thinking Geographically What is Where, Why There, and Why Care? AP Human Geography (HuGs) Boucher Which is the real map? Robinson Projection Peters Projection Spatial Distribution Map The patterns of victims homes and water pump locations helped uncover the source of the disease. Reference v. Thematic Map Reference Map Shows locations of places and geographic features Thematic Map Tells a story Geography v. Human Geography Human Geography the scientific study of location of people and activities on the Earths surface Spatial Perspective v. Interaction Diffusion (movement) of people and ideas What do Geographers do? (Look back at Scavenger Hunt for answers!) Political conflicts Economic and development Connects with history, sociology, economics, and political science Wales Longest city name in the world (Good luck) - Location and Place - Why places are names certain things (Why is Dunwoody Dunwoody?) - Historical names - Descriptive names - Stories-behind-the-names - Absolute v. Relative Location (2 Minute Paper Challenge!) - Site v. Situation Montgomery, AL Place names can reflect the culture of the area or in this case, conflicting cultures. New Orleans, LA Site Situation GIS v. GPS Geographic Information Systems Global Positioning System Regions and Regionalization Regions Areas where spatial regularities exist Formal (uniform) regions Area that has striking similarities in terms of one or a few physical or cultural features Formal political region created when a government draws imaginary lines around an area (states or provinces) May also be defined by cultural characteristics, such as language or religion More Formal Regions in Middle East Functional (nodal) Regions Areas organized around cores, or nodes Core area (like a city) has distinct characteristics that lessen in intensity as one travels to the periphery (regions margins) How is Denver, CO a good example of a functional region? Perceptual (vernacular) Regions Places that people believe to exist as a part of their cultural identity How do you classify Northeasterners? What states are in the South? What defines Southerners? Where is the Midwest? Regions Around Us Activity! Pair up and create a list of the important factors to consider relating to retail mall locations How Are Different Places Similar? Globalization The expansion of economic, political, and cultural activities that have impact on many areas of the world How fast do these changes get to different places and regions? Transnational Corporations Well- known companies that have centers of operation in many parts of the globe (Why are people critical of this?) Connections Between Places Distance Decay Greater distance = less chance of cultural interaction Diffusion Spread of an idea from the hearth (source area) to other places Innovation Diffusion History of the Cell Phone History of the Cell Phone, Pt. 2 History of the Cell Phone, Pt. 3 Text Messages Sent 2000 17 Billion 2001 250 Billion 2004 500 Billion 2007 1.9 Trillion 2011 7 Trillion! Types of Diffusion Expansion Diffusion Contagious Diffusion Nearly all adjacent individuals and places are affected Hierarchical Diffusion Spread of an idea from one node to another Stimulus Diffusion Spread of a principle rather than a specific characteristic (Veggie hamburgers in McDonalds in India Relocation (Migration) Diffusion Which Type of Diffusion Are These? What Are Some Barriers to Diffusion?