Unit 1: Human GeographyUnit 1: Human Geography History of

Discipline Geography

Today Thinking

Geographically

Applications of Geography

History of Discipline

Geography Today

Thinking Geographically

Applications of Geography

Human Geography

• Study of human activities on earth’s surface• Discipline began 3,000 years ago• Looking at the earth from a spatial

perspective means looking at how objects and processes vary over the earth’s surface

• Geographers look at how the world changes over space

EratosthenesEratosthenes Head librarian in

Alexandria Accurate

computation of earth’s circumference

Based sun’s angle at summer solstice and distance between two Egyptian cities

Coined term “geography”

Head librarian in Alexandria

Accurate computation of earth’s circumference

Based sun’s angle at summer solstice and distance between two Egyptian cities

Coined term “geography”

Ptolemy

Published “Guide to Geography”

Included rough maps of landmasses

Western European explorersBartholomeu DiasChristopher ColumbusFerdinand MagellanAlexander von Humboldt

18th - 20th Century Period saw

development of: Anthropology Geology Ecology

Charles Darwin - theory of evolution through natural selection

Alfred Wegner - theory of continental drift

1864-George Perkins Marsh - “Man and Nature, or Physical Geography as Modified by Human Action

Described impact on natural systems by humans

Advocated conservationist approach

Considered to be first “environmentalist”

Carl SauerCarl Sauer

Cultural landscapes are product of complex interactions between humans and their environments

These should be main focus of geographic inquiry

Cultural landscapes are product of complex interactions between humans and their environments

These should be main focus of geographic inquiry

Sauer contd.Sauer contd.

Implied that most places, even natural landscapes (those unaltered by human activities) have been affected indirectly by human activities

Created new form of human environmental relations

Coined the phrase “cultural landscape.”

Implied that most places, even natural landscapes (those unaltered by human activities) have been affected indirectly by human activities

Created new form of human environmental relations

Coined the phrase “cultural landscape.”

Quantitative Revolution

Stressed use of empirical measurements Uses hypothetical testing Develops mathematical models Uses computers to explain geographic

patterns Led to use of GPS and GIS

Global Positioning SystemGlobal Positioning System

Integrated network of satellites that orbit the earth broadcasting location information to hand-held receivers on the earth’s surface

Integrated network of satellites that orbit the earth broadcasting location information to hand-held receivers on the earth’s surface

Geographic Information Systems

Use thematic layers Each layer consists

of a map of specific features

May be combined into one comprehensive map

Helps geographers understand relationships between themes

Human GeographyHuman Geography Combines following subfields

Political Geography - Political Science Population Geography - Demography Urban Geography - Urban Studies, Urban

Social Science Planning Social Geography - Sociology, Language,

Religious Studies Economic Geography - Regional Economics,

Economics Behavioral Geography - Psychology,

Economics Cultural Geography - Anthropology,

Sociology, History

Combines following subfields Political Geography - Political Science Population Geography - Demography Urban Geography - Urban Studies, Urban

Social Science Planning Social Geography - Sociology, Language,

Religious Studies Economic Geography - Regional Economics,

Economics Behavioral Geography - Psychology,

Economics Cultural Geography - Anthropology,

Sociology, History

Other Areas of Geography

• Physical Geography Study spatial characteristics

of earth’s physical and biological systems

Earth System Science - new field that studies interaction between physical systems on a global scale

Systematic Geographystudy the earth’s integrated systems as a whole instead of one phenomenon in a single space

• Environmental Geography Where physical and human

geography meet Anthropogenic - human

induced environmental change

Sustainability - implies an approach to the environment that emphasizes the restraint in the use of natural resources

W.D. Pattison 1964 University of

Chicago Claimed geography

drew from four distinct traditions

The earth science tradition

The culture environment tradition

The locational tradition

Area-analysis tradition

What does it mean to think Geographically???

What does it mean to think Geographically???

Develop a spatial perspective, an appreciation of scale, and ability to analyze and interpret forms of geographic data

Develop a spatial perspective, an appreciation of scale, and ability to analyze and interpret forms of geographic data

Spatial Perspective - intellectual framework that allows geographers to look at earth in relationships

Spatial Perspective - intellectual framework that allows geographers to look at earth in relationships

Why and How Questions

Why and How Questions

• Why Starbucks are located and successful in various parts of the world?

• Why Starbucks are located and successful in various parts of the world?

• How did Starbucks spread to those locations?

• How did Starbucks spread to those locations?

Geography based on premise that all places are different, with similarities

All places on earth are related - some more than others

Geographers look at spatial patterns and spatial relations

Geography based on premise that all places are different, with similarities

All places on earth are related - some more than others

Geographers look at spatial patterns and spatial relations

Scale

• Map scale• Ratio between the

distance on a map and the actual distance on the earth’s surface

• Geographic scale• Conceptual hierarchy of

spaces - from large to small, that reflects actual levels of organization in the real world

• Neighborhood, urban area, metropolitan area, the region

• Watershed, ecosystem, landscape, and biome

Regions

Shared characteristics between places provide a means to group places together into a more manageable unit of study

Area larger than a single city that contains unifying social or physical characteristics

Regions (continued) . . . Regions (continued) . . .

A unifying characteristic of a particular region may be anything that defines that place for the purpose of the particular question being asked

Regions do not exist as well defined units in the landscape

Conceptual constructions that geographers use for convenience and comparison

Regional Geography - Pattison’s area-analysis tradition, is the study of regions

A unifying characteristic of a particular region may be anything that defines that place for the purpose of the particular question being asked

Regions do not exist as well defined units in the landscape

Conceptual constructions that geographers use for convenience and comparison

Regional Geography - Pattison’s area-analysis tradition, is the study of regions

Types of RegionsTypes of RegionsFunctional

RegionsSpecial identities

because of social and economic relationships

Referred to as “Nodal Regions” - due to connections and interactions that occur between them and surrounding areas

Functional RegionsSpecial identities

because of social and economic relationships

Referred to as “Nodal Regions” - due to connections and interactions that occur between them and surrounding areas

Formal Regions Specific

characteristics that are “uniform” from one area to another within the region

Specific characteristics - physical features, cultural properties

Formal Regions Specific

characteristics that are “uniform” from one area to another within the region

Specific characteristics - physical features, cultural properties

Regions (continued) . . . Regions (continued) . . .

Perceptual Regions“fuzzy” bordersInvolve important issues of identity“Sense of place” - give people a

special attachment to that geographic place

Perceptual Regions“fuzzy” bordersInvolve important issues of identity“Sense of place” - give people a

special attachment to that geographic place

Thinking geographically

Thinking geographically

• Qualitative data - often associated with cultural or regional geography because they tend to be more unique to and descriptive of particular places and processes

• Quantitative data - use rigorous mathematical techniques and are important in economic, political, and population geography - where numerical data abounds

• Qualitative data - often associated with cultural or regional geography because they tend to be more unique to and descriptive of particular places and processes

• Quantitative data - use rigorous mathematical techniques and are important in economic, political, and population geography - where numerical data abounds

Idiographic vs. Nomothetic

Idiographic Refers to facts or

features that are unique to a particular place or region Such as its history or

ethnic composition

NomotheticRefers to concepts

that are universally applicable