Vocabulary
“La revanche des berceaux” – the revenge of the cradles, high birthrates of French Canadians-revenge on
conquest by great Britain.
age cohort – people born at the same time who share similar life experiences
annual natural change of population – difference between births and deaths in a year
barrier to diffusion – retard spread of diffusion, absorb-halt, permeable-weaken
cartogram – map in which thematic variable is substituted for land area or distance
cartographic literacy – ability to read interpret a map
choropleth map - extremely common and useful, use existing boundaries, group data into 2 or more levels,
classes, groups. Show spatial variation of one or two variables at a time by using color, shades and/or patterns. These
maps are usually biased, follows strict boundaries, minorities are overshadowed by majorities, shading scheme could
be hard to read
core of culture region – area near center of region where attributes of the defining region are strongest.
culture region – geographical unit based on characteristics/ functions of a culture
Demography – size, age, gender composition, and spatial distribution
equal interval classification scheme – sets value ranges in each category equal in size.
ethnocentrism - judging another culture solely by the values and standards of one's own culture. Assumption that
one’s own culture is superior to all others, Tendency to view the world in ways that diminish anything that is not
familiar, Judgment of others as bad or inadequate if they are not like oneself
isoline map - a map with continuous lines joining points of the same value. Examples would be equal altitude
(contour lines), temperature (isotherms), barometric pressure (isobars), wind speed (isotachs), wind direction
(isogon), wind shear (isoshear), etc. Isoline mapping is used to interpret the information on some thematic maps.
landscapes of consumption – commercial malls strips on urban arterial streets
map projection – portray the earth or a portion of the earth on a flat surface, distortions always result, some
minimize certain properties while others are compromises
modernization – to bring up to date, rejection of folk culture
cultural diffusion – the spread of elements of culture from the point of origin over an area
cultural ecology – broadly defined as the study of the relationship between the physical environment and culture;
narrowly (and more commonly) defined, the study of cultures as an adaptive system that facilitates human adaptation
to nature and environmental change.
cultural interaction – the relationship of various elements within a culture
cultural landscape – the artificial landscape; visible human imprint on the land, Demonstration of culture,
Preserved record of different periods, Revelation of human-environment relations, Symbolic landscape
culture – a total way of life held in common by a group of people, including such learned features as speech,
ideology, behavior, livelihood, technology, and government; the local customary way of doing things – a way of life; an
ever-changing process in which a group is actively engaged; a dynamic mix of symbols, beliefs, speech and practices.
death rate (DR) – the annual rate of deaths per thousand persons in the population
demographic transition/transformation – a change in population growth that occurs when a nation moves
from rural, agricultural society with high birthrates and death rates to an urban, industrial society in which death
rates decline first and birthrates decline later.
diffusion – the movement of people, ideas, or things from one location outward toward other locations
environmental determinism – the belief that cultures are directly or indirectly shaped by the physical
environment.
folk architecture – structures built by members of a folk society or culture in a traditional manner and style,
without the assistance of professional architects or blueprints, using locally available raw materials.
folk culture – a small, cohesive, stable isolated, nearly self sufficient group that is homogeneous in custom and
race; characterized by a strong family or clan structure’ order maintained through sanctions based in the religion or
family, little division of labor other than between the sexes, frequent and strong interpersonal relationships, and a
material culture consisting mainly of handmade goods.
Globalization – the binding together of all the lands and peoples of the world into an integrated system driven by
capitalistic free markets, in which culture diffusion is rapid, independent states are weakened, and cultural
homogenization is encouraged.
hierarchical diffusion – a type of expansion diffusion in which innovations spread from one important person to
another or from one urban center to another, temporarily bypassing other persons or rural areas.
human geography – the study of the relationships between people and the places and spaces in which they live.
indigenous culture – a culture group that constitutes the original inhabitants of a territory, distinct from the
dominant national culture, which is often derived from colonial occupation.
infant mortality rate – the number of infants per thousand live births that die before reaching the age of one
year.
1. What are some of geography’s cognate disciplines?
Social Sciences, Humanities and Earth science
Political Geography ! political science
Economic Geography! economics
Urban Geography ! urban planning
Geography of religions ! theology
Geography of language ! linguistics
2. What are some of the specialized topical or thematic interests within human geography?
Region, mobility, globalization, nature-culture, cultural landscape
3. Write a geographical question about Austin that does not focus on location (where is something).
In Austin’s five o’clock traffic, which route is the best to avoid traffic?
What causes Austin’s drag rat population to be increasingly high?
4. What is the difference between formal, functional, and vernacular culture regions?
Formal-area inhabited by people who have one or more traits in common such as language,
religion, or a system of livelihood.
Functional-not culturally homogeneous, it is an area that has been organized to function
politically, socially, or economically as one unit. Ex city, state precinct, church deices, school districts
Vernacular-on that is perceived to exist by its inhabitants. Widespread acceptance and use of
a special regional name. ex. The valley
Culture5. What do you call a region in which people all share a particular culture trait?
Formal
6. What do you call a region that is tied together by a system of some kind (political, economic, transportation, etc.)?
Functional region
7. What kind of region is "Dixie"?
Nickname for the southern united states, vernacular
8. Why can't geographers agree on a single set of boundaries to divide the world into culture regions?
cultures merge together, there are no distinct boundaries to separate cultures, they usually
merge together.
9. List the most important artifact, mentifact, and sociofact (in your opinion) that define American culture.
artifact-material ! Statue of Liberty, Flag, iPhone
Mentifact-symbol ! Bald Eagle, Uncle Sam
sociofact-organizational, legal framework, economical ! Supreme Court
10. What are the direct and indirect geographical implications the traits you listed above?
Liberty, Freedom, and Justice in the United States
Modernization, urban
11. Be able to describe and give examples of four different kinds of diffusion. Pg11
Relocation diffusion - religion
Hierarchial diffusion – fashion, ideas
Contagious diffusion - disease
Stimulus diffusion - inovations
12. List five ways that traditional (folk and indigenous) culture differs from popular culture.pg32
Folk Cultures are (1)transmitted interpersonally, (2)stable, conservative, traditional,
(3)family and community are paramount, (4)clear-cut social roles, (5)adapted to the
environment. They are also Rural, Coehesive, Self-Sufficient groups that are homogeneous,
Individualism is weakened, distinct
Popular culture or mass culture is (1) constantly changing, innovative, (2) individualism reigns,
(3) flexible and vague social, family roles, (4) adapt the environment to us. It is also mainly
urban; materials are mass produced, placeless, and mobile
13. Describe the distortions of the Mercator projection (for a discussion of projections see the intro in your atlas).
this projection makes areas disproportionately large as you move toward the pole making
Greenland appear to be as large as south America.
14. Explain what the Mercator projection is good for and why it became so popular.
Landmasses on the map are true in shape and thus all coastlines on the map intersect lines of
longitude and latitude at the proper angles.
15. What areas are often portrayed with planar projections?
polar areas or for small scale continental mapping
16. What areas are often portrayed with conic projections?
areas with north-south extent, mid-lattitudes
17. How is the imaginary cylinder usually oriented when creating a cylindrical projection?
vertically; The term "normal cylindrical projection" is used to refer to any projection in which
meridians are mapped to equally spaced vertical lines and circles of latitude (parallels) are
mapped to horizontal lines.The mapping of meridians to vertical lines can be visualized by
imagining a cylinder whose axis coincides with the Ear; th's axis of rotation. This cylinder is
wrapped around the Earth, projected onto, and then unrolled
18. What kind of map projection preserves distances, directions, and areas just as they are on the globe?
there is always a distortion because the earth is not perfectly. It is impossible to flatten out
the world or any part of its curved surface without producing some sort of distortion.
19. What is a “compromise projection”?
these projections moderately distort all of these properties: area, distance, direction, shape
but are still fairly close to reality
20. In what ways (other than choice of projection) do cartographers reveal their biases?
Maps can be analyzed and critiqued just like literature to determine what the cartographer
believed and thought about the world, and his/her values, beliefs, objectives
In the way in which they display data on choropleth maps
21. How is an isoline map different from a choropleth map?
Make it easy to slant data to suit the cartographer’s purpose
Create the illusion of rapid breaks whereas data varies continuously and gradually in the real
world
Allow small areas (like major cities) to overwhelm the data of large regions (like states)
May not be clear if the coloring/shading scheme is not clear
22. How might the Mormon religion function as a barrier to diffusion?
population centralization, minority religion, lower cultural receptivity
23. Globalization is likely to be equated with Americanization when people consider certain aspects of
globalization—what are these aspects?
Growing Interdependency among distant places – global American companies
Accelerating diffusion between places – McDonald’s
dependency and unevenness – dependency on foreign goods and unequal distribution
24. What is striking about geographies of beverage consumption as one travels from Colorado to California?
the west has the highest level of beer consumption with the exception of Mormon Utah,
Whiskey is popular in the south and California prefers wine.
25. Give three different examples of cultural modernization in which traditional culture traits have been altered to
give them popular appeal.
multinational corporations have to change their foods and beverages to suit local cultural
preferences.
26. What are the differences between indigenous culture and folk culture?
Folk is transplanted but stable, indigenous are in the place where they developed
Indigenous are regarded as descendents from people present in the area at the time of
conquest or colonization.
27. Name and locate ten different folk or indigenous culture regions that can still be found in North America. Pg 34
Quebec French – Eastern Canada
Acadian French – Southern Louisiana
Yankee – Northeast US
Upper Canadian – Southern Canada
Pennsylvania – southern Pennsylvania, Maryland
Upland Southern – Tennessee, West Virginia, Virginia, areas of Texas,
Mexican – Border areas of Arizona, New Mexico, Texas
Highland Hispanic – New Mexico, Colorado
Mormon – Utah and Idaho
Mountain Western – Colorado, Idaho,
African –American – Southeastern US
28. Describe some of the elements of Sami culture, including the group’s location and economy, then explain some
of the ways (legal, economic, political, expressive) that Sami culture has been able to persist to the present day.
The Sami culture is located in northern Norway, Sweden, Finland and the Kola peninsula in
Russia. Their main economy is reindeer herding and in Norway it is legally reserved to them.
Oral tradition of ‘Yoik’ and the festival of Riddu, starting to become part of popular culture.
29. When traditional culture undergoes modernization there can be borrowing in either direction as well as cultural
hybridization and open struggle to assert certain ways to doing things. Give examples of all of these processes.
Modernizing Maasai beads: now they are made of glass from 19th century European traders;
cultural hybridization: traditional medicinals
30. What are some issues included in the geography of sports?
Rivalries between teams (locally and nationally), different versions of the games (ex. Rugby,
soccer, American and Australian footy)(Cricket, Baseball), different climates (hot and cold),
national and local rivals, rivals of sports in general (countries hating other sports)
31. What is the approximate population of the world today and when was the world population half this size?
7 Billion people. The population was close to 3 billion in 1960 and 4 billion in 1975, about 45
years ago
32. What is the approximate population of the US today?
300 million about 4.6% of the worlds population
33. Describe the four stages of the demographic transition in terms of BR, DR, natural population growth rate, and
population size.
Stage 1-(Preindustrial societies) high birth and death rate, almost no population growth
Stage 2-(Industrialized societies) death rate declines rapidly, causes a population explosions
as the gap between the number of deaths and births widens
Stage 3-the birthrate begins a sharp decline
Stage 4-(post-industrial)both birth rates and death rates have reached low levels
34. What happens to population in a region when the BR exceeds the DR?
population explosion
35. From the 19th century to the present, how has the demographic transition affected migration to the US?
Increased because of better health care; countries are industrializing and improving but US
already had industrialized and improved
36. Besides population, what else in the society changes when a society goes through the demographic transition,
and what is the connection between culture and the demographic transition?
The economy changes from rural to industrial, and the culture can usually be bogged down by
the deats of industrialism and the immigration.
37. Where would you expect to find a relatively young population in terms of average age? Why?
The majority of countries in Africa, Latin America and tropical Asia. Close to half of the
population is younger than 15. Still in the transitional stage of industralization
38. Where would you expect to find a relatively old population in terms of average age? Why?p8 75
Italy, one of the lowest birthrates in the world (1.3), 18.6% of the population is over 65,
because it has already gone through its demographic transition. Also Arizona, and Coastal
districts
39. What is indicated when a population pyramid looks like: a column, a pyramid, a wine glass?
column-Population is stable or in demographic decline, pyramid-rapid growth or population
explosion, wine glass-high elderly population, low death rates.
40. Why would a population pyramid get narrower toward its base?
example Arizona, the population is declining, total fertility rate has decreased
41. Why is population growth “our problem” even though it is occurring mainly in Africa and Asia?
if they follow the western lifestyle sustainability will not be able to be achieved. The world
would be depleted of its natural resources.
42. What mentifacts and sociofacts help explain why girls are scarcer than boys in certain parts of Asia?
mentifact-boys are the heir, more dominant, sciofacts-Government applied the one child rule
so parents chose a boy, also a patriarchal society, sex-selected abortions
43. How does the diffusion of Western technology (artifacts) relate to this situation?
Birth control, abortions, and medical technology are used to control birth rates. Furthermore
(going back to China) western technology can make controlling the gender of your child
possible. Also Pro-Choice ideas of Western culture affecting people in other parts of the
world (like China).
44. When a minority is oppressed, what effect does this often have on their TFR?
Increase because they want to build a community to rely on
45. Name a population that had a tremendously high rate of natural increase that declined when it achieved political
power.
China with the one couple one child rule
46. When life is unstable and insecure what effect does this often have on the TFR?
Increases, logical response to various forms of vulnerability and insecurity, for ex. Economic,
political, demographic
47. Why is population growing fastest in parts of the world that are least capable of supporting extra population?
(this requires a detailed explanation)
They “insure” themselves by having more children than we consider “sensible”
48. Why is the demographic impact of a disease not always easy to predict?
There are too many factors
49. How important is the education of women in regard to the overall demographic pattern in a country?
Extremely important. Education delays child birth, reduces infant mortality, decreases family
size, improves women’s status in society and increases women’s literacy and skills
50. Why is it important to understand demography if one wants to understand geography in general?
Geographers are interested in demography because a simple demographic variable like
population density can affect many other geographical variables. To know something about
the pattern of people on the land is to have insight into other things such as climate,
agriculture, and urbanization.
1) language family
• a group of related languages derived from a common ancestor
2) linguistic drift
• changes in a language accumulate over time; reduced interaction over a period of time leads to an
increasing number of linguistic changes that are not shared
3) bilingualism
• the ability to speak two languages with fluency
4) multilingualism
• the ability to speak multiple languages fluently (polygot)
5) pidgin
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6) creole
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a composite language consisting of a small vocabulary borrowed from the linguistic groups involved in
international commerce
hybrid languages used for routine, public communications
learned as second languages
often used in linguistic contact situations
often emerged from trade between people speaking different languages or from colonialism
"pidgin" is from the word "business," as it is translated into a pidgin that was used in communications
between Chinese and English speakers
a language derived from a pidgin language that has acquired a fuller vocabulary and become the native
language of its speakers
hybrid languages used for most kinds of communication
learned as first languages
form when pidgins mature
often emerge in environments where pidgins are used extensively
7) Tok Pisin
• "talk business"; English-derived Pidgin language in Papua New Guinea; official national language (despite
other Papuan languages)
8) lingua franca
• an existing, well established language of communication and commerce used widely where it is not a
mother tongue
9) linguistic divergence
• Growing apart linguistically
• Occurs when contact is limited between 2 or more segments of a language community.
• Occurs when a language community is fractured into segments by ethnicity, class, etc.
10) linguistic convergence
• Increasing linguistic similarity
• Occurs when two different linguistic communities are in frequent contact and when a language
community is regarded favorably (in some way) by members of the other language community