GeographyPre-Unit Review

U.S. History

Lesson OverviewReview Geographic ConceptsThe Landscape of AmericaThemes of GeographyMap BasicsPhysical Geography of the USHuman Geography

Review of Key Terms

Class ActivityReview of the Five Themes of

Geography

The Landscape of America

Geography: derived from ancient Greek. Geo meaning “earth” and Graphia meaning a “way of writing, drawing or describing”

The United States

• Geography is more than the study of the land and its people. **It also involves the relationship between people and their environment.

Regions of the U.S.

Just an example, Look at page 2 & 3 in your book

Themes of GeographyLocation: “Where am I?”

Absolute location Use coordinates of Longitude and Latitude to determine

location. For example, if you are in Boston, absolute location is approximately 42° north latitude and 71° west longitude.

Relative location– I live 2 miles east of the St.Johns River

You

are

Here

• Place: “What is it like?”• Refers to physical and human factors that

make one place different from another.• Physical factors: plants, animals, weather,

natural features, physical setting.• Human factors: Cultural diversity and the

things people create such as, language, arts, architecture.

Region: defined by certain characteristics that set it apart from another area. Characteristics might include political division,

climate, language, or religion. What characteristics does Jacksonville share with

nearby cities/towns?

Information movement

Human Movement

• Movement: the shifting of people, goods, and ideas from one place to another. • Airports, shipping centers, trains

• Human-Environment Interaction: the way people interact with the environment around them.• Things like building a dam, or levees. • People have had to invent ways to protect

themselves from extreme weather and natural disaster.

• What innovations have people made to protect themselves from extreme weather or natural disasters?

Map BasicsTypes of maps

Physical Maps- show terrain like mountains, hills, plains, rivers, lakes, oceans, and other physical features of an area.

Political Maps- show political units like, countries, states, provinces, counties, districts, and towns.

Historical Maps- illustrate things like economic activity, migrations, battles and changing national boundaries.

Physical Map

Historical Map

Political Map

Reading a Mapa) Lines- indicate political boundaries, roads

and highways, human movement, and rivers and other waterways

b) Symbols- represent such items as capital cities, battle sites, or economic activities

c) Labels- words or phrases that explain various items or activities

d) Compass Rose- Directions

e) Scale- ratio btwn unit of length on a map vs. the unit of distance on the earth

f) Colors- various info like population density, or growth of a country

g) Legend/Key- Explains symbols, lines and colors on a map

h) Lines of Longitude and Latitude- form a grid to indicate an areas location on the globe

Turn to page 8-9 in your textbooks. We are going to review these map concepts together.

Physical Geography of the United States

Land:

3,717,796 square miles that span the entire width of North America.

Several types of bodies of water: Rivers, Lakes, and Oceans

20% of the United States is farmed. Urban areas cover only about 2% of the country.

Resources: Coal, oil, and natural gas lie underneath American

soil. Lead, zinc, uranium, gold and silver deposits. Look at the map on page 11 to examine the nations

the Nation’s natural resources.

• Vegetation:• Between 20,000 and 25,000 species and

subspecies of plants and vegetation across the US.• Over 1,000 different types of trees.• Climate dictates vegetation.• Climate directly affects the types of planted

crops throughout the country. • Midwest temperate climate supports

wheat, while warm weather of Florida and California allows citrus to be grown.

• Climate:• The US has a variety of climates.• Most of the US experience a continental

climate, or a distinct change of seasons.• **Look at the map on page 12 to see the

various climates throughout the country.

Human Geography of the United States

**Humans Adapt to Their Surroundings Evidence beginning with Native Americans adapting to

the environment. Humans still adapt today

Building dams, bridges and tunnels. Inventing and creating materials to withstand

natural disasters like earthquakes and hurricanes. Adapting to the environment by wearing clothes

suitable for the weather.

Humans Affect the Environment Oil spills, Urban Sprawl, Deforestation (Page 17)

Exxon Valdez in the Prince William Sound, AK 1989. Can you think of a recent event that reflects how

humans can affect the environment?

Preserving and Restoring Conservation Technological advances Recycling

Can you think of some examples of how humans have tried to preserve or restore the environment we live in?

What are some of the ways you help the environment?

• Human Movement• Reasons for people to relocate: cost of living,

job availability, climate, population.• Look at the map on page 18.

• The spread of ideas an information• Human movement• Technology

• How has the internet and technology affected your life?

Your Assignment • Describe you and your family using the Five Themes of Geography

• Make sure you use every theme

(Hint you have an atlas in the back of your textbook)