Five themes of geography: Difference between revisions
m →Movement: transcontinental railroad link |
|||
| Line 27: | Line 27: | ||
'''[[Movement]]''' is the [[travel]] of [[people]], [[good]]s or [[idea]]s from one location to another. Examples of movement include [[United States|America's]] [[westward expansion]], the [[Information Revolution]], and [[immigration]]. New devices such as the [[airplane]] and the [[Internet]] allow physical and ideological goods to be transferred long distances in short time intervals. |
'''[[Movement]]''' is the [[travel]] of [[people]], [[good]]s or [[idea]]s from one location to another. Examples of movement include [[United States|America's]] [[westward expansion]], the [[Information Revolution]], and [[immigration]]. New devices such as the [[airplane]] and the [[Internet]] allow physical and ideological goods to be transferred long distances in short time intervals. |
||
An example of movement is the [[railroad]]. Before its invention in the mid-1800s, a journey across long distances was tiring and difficult. [[Westward expansion]] in the United States was an example of these long, arduous journeys that often required several [[month]]s to complete and were fraught with [[death|danger]]. However, upon the completion of the [[ |
An example of movement is the [[railroad]]. Before its invention in the mid-1800s, a journey across long distances was tiring and difficult. [[Westward expansion]] in the United States was an example of these long, arduous journeys that often required several [[month]]s to complete and were fraught with [[death|danger]]. However, upon the completion of the [[First Transcontinental Railroad]], transportation between the [[East Coast]] and the [[West Coast]] took mere days to complete. |
||
== Human-Environment Interaction == |
== Human-Environment Interaction == |
||
Revision as of 18:14, 9 February 2007
- For a basic list of geography topics, see the List of basic geography topics.
- For a more comprehensive list, see the List of geography topics.
Geography is the study of the Earth and its features and of the distribution of life on the earth, including human life and the effects of human activity. Geography research addresses both the questions of where, as well as why, geographical phenomena occur. In most modern geography and social studies classrooms, students are taught about the five unifying themes of geography. These five themes are location (which can be absolute or relative), place, regions, movement, and human-environment interaction.
Location
Location, the most basic theme of geography, can be expressed simply as where something is. Location can be either absolute or relative. Absolute location is more useful than relative location, but is harder to obtain. On the other hand, relative location is easily obtained but is meaningless in many cirsumstances.
Absolute location
Absolute location is the position of something in regards to an absolute scale (like latitude and longitude), which is the same no matter where one is. Road maps normally use absolute location. Although harder to obtain than relative location (usually requiring knowledge of one's exact location to begin with), absolute location (unlike relative location) can be used by anyone, regardless of location.
Relative location
Relative location is the position of something in regards to another place (usually where one currently is). Relative location is usually expressed in the form of directions, such as "go five miles north and head west for two miles". Relative location varies depending on where one is situated (unless it is relative to a fixed point). Although relative location is easy to obtain (usually requiring only the naked eye for a rough observation), the directions would mean nothing to someone who does not know from which starting point the directions are intended for.
Place
Place is a description of the characteristics that make a certain location distinct. Physical characteristics include landforms, vegetation, and climate. Human characteristics include culture, economy, and government. Every place has a unique combination of physical and human characteristics.
For example, the Great Pyramid of Giza has characteristics such as sand, heat, and the presence of a large pyramid. Chichen Itza also has a large pyramid, but its defining charateristics such as its lush vegetation and humid climate make it distinctly seperate from the Great Pyramid.
Regions
A region is any group of places that share at least one similar characteristic. Regions can be any size, and one location can be a part of multiple regions. For example, Detroit is a part of the American Midwest, the Michigan coastline, and the temperate climate zone.
Movement
Movement is the travel of people, goods or ideas from one location to another. Examples of movement include America's westward expansion, the Information Revolution, and immigration. New devices such as the airplane and the Internet allow physical and ideological goods to be transferred long distances in short time intervals.
An example of movement is the railroad. Before its invention in the mid-1800s, a journey across long distances was tiring and difficult. Westward expansion in the United States was an example of these long, arduous journeys that often required several months to complete and were fraught with danger. However, upon the completion of the First Transcontinental Railroad, transportation between the East Coast and the West Coast took mere days to complete.
Human-Environment Interaction
Human-environment interaction is the complex, interwoven bond between humans and nature. It explores humanity's use and modifications to the environment. Examples of human-environment interaction include bridges, dams, and the mining industry.
References
Cayton, Andrew, Elisabeth I. Perry, Linda Reed, and Allan M. Winkler. America: Pathways to the Present. Boston: Prentice Hall, 2007. ISBN 0-13-133510-3.