Orientation Module: Introduction to Geography

GEO200: Weather and ClimateAugust 27th

Geography

Geography is “the science of place, i.e., the study of the surface of the earth, the location and distribution of its physical and cultural features, the areal patterns or places that they form, and the interrelation of these features as they affect humans.”

Source: "geography." The Columbia Encyclopedia. New York: Columbia University Press, 2008. Credo Reference. Web. 22 August 2011.

Geography

Geography is an ancient discipline. More than 2600 years ago Greek

scholars correctly reasoned Earth to have a spherical shape.

Geography

Interest in geography grew between the 15th and 19th centuries when explorers began to investigate parts of the world previously unknown to people of European descent.

Geography

The two leading geographic figures during the 19th century were: Alexander Von Humboldt (1769–1859)

German naturalist and explorer Carl Ritter (1779–1859)

Professor of geography at Berlin

Source: Andrews, Gavin J. Linehan, Denis "Geography." Encyclopedia of Environment and Society. 2007.

Humboldt and Ritter

Geography

Today, most geographers consider themselves to be a human (cultural) or physical (environmental) specialists.

Within these two broad fields are a range of subfields which overlap.

Geography

Physical Geography Study of the physical elements of

geography. Cultural Geography

The study of the human and/or cultural elements of geography.

Geography

The Science of Geography

Five Spatial Themes Location Place Movement Regions Human-Earth Relationships

The Science of Geography

Five Spatial Themes Location

Absolute and relative location on Earth. Location answers the question “Where?”

Source: Elemental Geosystems 6e, p.3

The Science of Geography

Five Spatial Themes Place

Tangible and intangible living and nonliving characteristics that make each place unique.

Source: Elemental Geosystems 6e, p.3

The Science of Geography

Five Spatial Themes Movement

Communication, movement, circulation, migration, and diffusion across Earth’s surface.

Global interdependence links all regions and places.

Source: Elemental Geosystems 6e, p.3

The Science of Geography

Five Spatial Themes Regions

Areas having uniform characteristics; how they form and change; their relation to other regions.

The American Midwest is a distinct region of grasslands and prairie, corn, soybean, and feed crops, and huge regional feedlots and animal processing factories.

Source: Elemental Geosystems 6e, p.3

The Science of Geography

Five Spatial Themes Human-Earth Relationships

Resource exploitation, hazard perception, and environmental pollution and modification.

Source: Elemental Geosystems 6e, p.3

Weather and Climate

Weather The short-term atmospheric conditions

for a given time and a specific area. Climate

An aggregate of day-to-day weather conditions and weather extremes over a long period of time.