APHG
GEOGRAPHERS
AL-IDRISI
By: Kayla Mobley
BIOGRAPHY
Al-Idrisi was born in Sabtah which is now the port city of Ceuta in Morocco
He was born in 1100 and died in 1165 but they are not sure about the year of his
death.
He graduated from the University of Cordova and then traveled Europe and North
Africa where he gathered information of all the regions and became internationally
known as a Geography
CONTRIBUTION TO GEOGRAPHY
King Roger II of Sicily heard of Al-Idrisi’s expertise and summoned him to court then
instructed him to make an updated map of the world.
He hired an Arab geographer to assist him.
Al-Idrisi sent many travelers around the world to get detailed information on the
location and then compiled it all together.
CONTRIBUTION TO GEOGRAPHY (CONT’D)
He also used old maps drawn by other Muslim geographers and the Greek
geographer Ptolemy
The result was a silver planisphere that showed major cities, lakes and rivers,
mountains and trade routes.
He also wrote a book named “Kita Rujar” (Book of Roger) which was completed
shortly before the king’s death.
He drew a map of the Earth North of the Equator divided into 70 sections.
BIBLIOGRAPHY
http://ic.galegroup.com/ic/bic1/ReferenceDetailsPage/ReferenceDetailsWindow?fail
OverType=&query=&prodId=BIC1&windowstate=normal&contentModules=&display
query=&mode=view&displayGroupName=Reference&limiter=&u=tlc199055700&cu
rrPage=&disableHighlighting=false&displayGroups=&sortBy=&source=&search_with
in_results=&p=BIC1&action=e&catId=&activityType=&scanId=&documentId=GALE%
7CK2643410314
ANAXIMANDER
Michaela O’Hara
BASIC BIOGRAPHY
Anaximander was born in 611bc in Miletus, a city of Iona (modern day Turkey). He
was the son of Praxiades. He died in 546bc in Miletus. Cause of death is unknown.
He was the pupil of the first of the 7 wise men, Thales. Thales opened a school called
Milesian and Anaximander succeeded him and became the second master of the
school.
CONTRIBUTIONS TO GEOGRAPHY
Anaximander is thought to be the first person to create a map that he made
cylindrical shaped instead of flat which was how the world was believed to have
been.
He came up with cosmology which is the original theory of how the universe worked.
He believed the earth was the center of the universe and everything else revolved
around it.
CONTRIBUTIONS TO GEOGRAPHY
Anaximander believed that the earth is free floating,
suspended in space. His reasoning was that the earth
had equal pressure on all sides so it must stay where it
is.
He believed all celestial bodies, in their daily routine,
make full circles.
The way he thought earth formed was it was covered in
water that dried then man sprang from aquatic forms
that moved onto land and adapted.
BIBLIOGRAPHY
"Anaximander." Encyclopedia of World Biography. Detroit: Gale, 1998. Biography in Context. Web. 2 Oct. 2014.
Kahn, Charles. "Anaximander." Encyclopedia of Philosophy. Gale, 2006. Biography in Context. Web. 2 Oct. 2014.
Selected Websites on Anaximander's Life and Works." Gale Biography in Context. Detroit: Gale, 2008. Biography in Context. Web. 2
Oct. 2014.
"Phronesis: Vol. 58, No. 1, 2013." The Review of Metaphysics 67.1 (2013): 239+. Biography in Context. Web. 2 Oct. 2014.
CARL SAUER
geographer
BASIC BIOGRAPHY
Born December 24, 1889
Died July 18, 1995
Was born in Warrenton, Missouri and graduated from the
University of Chicago with a Ph.D. in 1915.
Carl O. Sauer died on July 18, 1975 in Berkeley, United States
CONTRIBUTION TO
GEOGRAPHY
After studying the pine forests on Michigan's when teaching at the
University. Sauer's opinions on environmental determinism
changed and he became convinced that humans control nature and
develop their cultures out of that control.
He became famous for developing the "Berkeley School" of
geographic thought. It focused on regional geography organized
around culture, landscapes, and history.
His most famous work made at U.C. was his paper "The Morphology
of Landscape" in 1925
CONTRIBUTION TO
GEOGRAPHY
In 1938, he wrote a series of essays focused on environmental and economic
issues
Sauer organized a conference named "Man's Role in Changing the Face of
the Earth," at Princeton in 1955
BIBLIOGRAPHY
en.wikipedia.org
http://geography.about.com/ od/historyofgeography/a/carl
sauer.htm
www.amergeog.org
CLAUDIUS PTOLEMY
Paige Rios, Period 5
PTOLEMY’S LIFE
Ptolemy was born in Hermious (Upper Egypt)
Ptolemy was never anywhere besides Alexandria during his lifetime.
Ptolemy’s family was descended from Greece.
THE ALMAGEST
The Almagest is one of Ptolemy’s earliest works
It gives a mathematical theory of the Sun, Moon, and planets.
Ideas of the motions of each planet
GEOGRAPHY
Knew the Earth was a sphere
First known projection of the sphere onto a plane
His work became principal of the subject
Ptolemy’s map was accurate except Asia was too far east.
BIBLIOGRAPHY
Greene, Nick. “Ptolemy Biography.” About Education.
J J O’Connor and E F Robertson. “Claudius Ptolemy.” Claudius Ptolemy.
ERATOSHENES
By: Miranda
Candia &
Richard Moreno
BASIC BIOGRAPHY
Born about 276 B.C.E.
Was born at a Greek colony in Cyrene, Libya
Third librarian at Alexandria University
A leading all-round scholar
His nickname was Beta
Geography was his favorite subject
Died on 194 BCE
CONTRIBUTION TO GEOGRAPHY
PT.1
Discovered the circumference of the earth
CONTRIBUTIONS TO GEOGRAPHY
Eratosthenes made a surprisingly accurate measurement of the circumference of the
Earth Eratosthenes compared the noon shadow at midsummer between Syene (now
Aswan on the Nile in Egypt) and Alexandria. He assumed that the sun was so far
away that its rays were essentially parallel, and then with a knowledge of the
distance between Syene and Alexandria, he gave the length of the circumference of
the Earth as 50,000 stadia.
While it is not known exactly what length of stade Eratosthenes was using, some
scholars think that estimate equaled 31,300 miles.
Eratosthenes measured the tilt of the Earth's axis with great accuracy obtaining the
value of 11/83 of 180°, namely 23° 51' 15".
CONTRIBUTION TO GEOGRAPHY PT.2
He helped make accurate maps
CONTRIBUTION TO GEOGRAPHY
Another contribution that Eratosthenes made to geography was his description of the
region "Eudaimon Arabia", as inhabited by four different races. The situation was
somewhat more complicated than that proposed by Eratosthenes, but today the
names for the races proposed by Eratosthenes, namely Minaeans, Sabaeans,
Qatabanians, and Hadramites, are still used.
He sketched, quite accurately, the route of the Nile to Khartoum, showing the two
Ethiopian tributaries.
he suggested that heavy rains sometimes fell in regions near the source of the river
and that these would explain the flooding lower down the river.
BIBLIOGRAPHY
Ryan. "Eratosthenes of Cyrene." World Geography: Understanding a Changing World. ABC-CLIO, 2014. Web. 2 Oct. 2014.
Lawson, Russell M. "Greek and Roman geographical
science." World History: Ancient and Medieval Eras. ABCCLIO, 2014. Web. 2 Oct. 2014.
GEORGE PERKINS MARSH
By: Brittany Medellin
BASIC BIOGRAPHY
born: March 15, 1801, Woodstock
died: July 23, 1882
considered to be America’s first environmentalist
knew 20 languages
wrote Man and Nature
considered himself “an indifferent practitioner”
studied linguistics
wrote book on origin of English language
designed the Washington Monument
belonged to the Whig Party
CONTRIBUTION TO GEOGRAPHY
(Man and Nature)
Man and Nature is known as the ‘first modern discussion’ of problems in the environment and one
of the most influential text of its time
Observed that erosion, lack of fertile fields were caused by the deforestation of mountains.
Used his book to make Americans rethink on how we damage and misuse our natural environment
Believed ancient civilizations (Mediterranean) were their own cause of their collapse due to how
they abused the environment.
CONTRIBUTION TO GEOGRAPHY
*He raised awareness and had good proof in how human activities can cause
destruction on the environment.
With deforesting of hillsides, we destroyed what gave them a good standard of living
because of the lack of natural fertility.
Noticed if we harm our environment now, it can harm us in the future.
His valuation of water pollution, forest cover, (etc.) still remains valid.
Now, 130 years later we listen to what he said, after our fear for the environment has
increased.
(cont.)
BIBLIOGRAPHY
Clark College
-George Perkins Marsh:
Renaissance Vermonter
Encyclopedia of Earth
eoearth.org
published: Feb. 26, 2009
clark.edu
University of Washington Press
National Park Service
-George Perkins Marsh: Father of the
American Conservation Movement
nps.gov
washington.edu
Man and Nature
published: 2003
GERARDUS MERCATOR
Marissa Jensen 4th
Period
QUICK LOOK OVER
Born as Gerhard Kramer in
Rupelmonde, Flanders
Changed his name when he
became a student at the University
of Louvain in 1530
Born: March 15, 1512
Died: December 2, 1594 at age 82
Nationality: Flemish (a Dutch
language spoken in Flanders, and
one the two official languages of
Belgium)
His earliest finished globe was done
in 1536 and his first map was finished
in 1537
WHAT HE DID WITH GEOGRAPHY
Mercator developed a new
projection for the world map in 1569
He made maps easier with more
accurate sea routes for navigators
that were traveling to discover and
trade
He did so by drawing straight
longitude ad latitude lines
Though maps before Mercator were
legible, it was harder to set a specific
route with them due to the lack of
direction
(1538 map by Mercator) 
Mercator’s Studies
More on Maps
While Mercator studied at the
University of Louvain he also had
interests and studies in
philosophy, theology, astronomy,
mathematics, geography, art &
engraving
Mercator had created and
published many maps, some of
which his some had published
Many of the maps his son published
were put together in the first world
atlas by his son
The atlas was titled “Atlas’ or
Cosmographic Meditations on the
Structure of the World”
In the atlas was also where Mercator
introduced the use of Italics
BIBLIOGRAPHY
~Biography in Context (Gale Group)
http://ic.galegroup.com/ic/bic1/ReferenceDetailsPage/ReferenceDetailsWindow?failOverType=&query=&prodId=BIC1&windowstate=norma
l&contentModules=&displayquery=&mode=view&displayGroupName=Reference&limiter=&u=tlc199055700&currPage=&disableHighlighting=false&displayGroups=&sortBy=&sourc
e=&search_within_results=&p=BIC1&action=e&catId=&activityType=&scanId=&documentId=GALE%7CK1647000254
~Google for the pictures
IBN BATTUTA(1304-1368)
By Sergio Perez
BIOGRAPHY
Ibn Battuta was born in Tangier, Morocco in the year 1304.
He was an Arab traveler/writer and he spend thirty years of his life
travelling(started at age 21).
He left his hometown of Tangier on June 13,1325 to travel a journey to
every Muslim country of his day.
Travelled many places in Africa, Europe, and Asia.
CONTRIBUTION TO GEOGRAPHY
Ibn Battuta traveled all of Africa
and Europe to write and sketch
how the land was shaped.
CONTRIBUTION
TO
GEOGRAPHY
He recorded the political and the social life in accurate detail of every
Muslim country back in his day.
He traveled across North Africa to Egypt and Syria to Mecca. He then
toured the Middle East and the Near East, sailed along the East African
coast, then returned back to Mecca, and travelled across Asia Minor. He
then travelled through the steppes of central Asia to India where he
stayed for 8 years. He later travelled to Maldives all the way to China
and back to his hometown of Morocco in 1349.
Battuta ended his travels in December 1353
He travelled a total of 120,000 kilometers, the longest journey overland before the
invention of the steam engine.
He saw many things in his travels such as court of sultan ceremonies, burning of
widows in India, and even African cannibalism.
BIBLIOGRAPHY
http://ic.galegroup.com/ic/bic1/ReferenceDetailsPage/ReferenceDetail
sWindow&source=Bookmark?u=tlc19905570\0&jsid=fef7f02eb2b76
d85716bbd19cb6bfdaf
http://ic.galegroup.com/ic/bic1/ReferenceDetailsPage/ReferenceDetail
sWindow?failOverType=&query=&prodId=BIC1&windowstate=normal
&contentModules=&displayquery=&mode=view&displayGroupName=Reference&limiter=&currPa
ge=&disableHighlighting=false&displayGroups=&sortBy=&search_wit
hin_results=&p=BIC1&action=e&catId=&activityType=&scanId=&docu
mentId=GALE%7CK3403500207&source=Bookmark&u=tlc19905570
0&jsid=020b75319554d198e1a61f9c8fdc7554
IDRISI
By: Jessica Olivas
BASIC BIO
Al-Idrisi was born in Ceuta in Morocco, a descendant of the sharifian Hammudid
dynasty.
He studied at Cordova, the center of scholarship in Moslem Spain.
He as born in 1100
He died ca. 1165 in Sicily
His work remained important for such Muslim intellectuals as the great Ibn Khaldun,
but it was mostly unknown to Europeans until the 17th century
CONTRIBUTION TO GEOGRAPHY
Later, he traveled to continents likes Africa, Europe, and Asia to gather geographic data and
plant samples.
The extremely informative map had details of major cities, trade routes, lakes, rivers,
mountains and information on altitudes, distances and others.
After years of gathering information , he could make accurate measurements of the earth's
crust in order to make a rough draft of the world map.
He was recognized by the king of Sicili, Rodger. He invited him to make an updated map or
the world.
CONTRIBUTION TO GEOGRAPHY
To complete that task, it is believed that al-Idrisi and the king recruited a number of
dependable men to travel and collect data for the work. Based on his own
experience and knowledge and the reports of those men, al-Idrisi produced his
master work, commonly known as Roger's Book.
The book began with a description of the planet Earth and then moved on to
describe seven climatic zones.
BIBLIOGRAPHY
MLA
Sizgorich, Tom. "al-Sharif al-Idrisi." World History: Ancient and Medieval Eras. ABCCLIO, 2014. Web. 2 Oct. 2014
Larry Padgett
PTOLEMY
Was born as Claudius Ptolemaeus
Born 100 A.D
Died 170 A.D
Theodore Meliteniotes mentioned in 1360 that Ptolemy
was born in Hermiou (which is in Upper Egypt not Lower
Egypt where Alexandria actually was)
INFLUENCE ON GEOGRAPHY
Ptolemy’s maps are todays Atlas.
Latitude is measured from the
equator , but Ptolemy preferred to
express it as climata, the length of
the longest day rather than the arc.
He also provided instructions to
make maps for uninhabited places
for the Roman empire.
• Of Greek descent but a native of Egypt, Ptolemy was one of the wisest men of his
time.
• Few things are known about his life, but many are known about the things he wrote on.
• Ptolemy did not only contribute to geography but to other fields such as astrology,
astronomy, musical theory, physics, and optics.
• In today’s age we still use several of Ptolemys’ theories and argue against the same
problems that he had faced.
• He had collected, looked over, and presented geographical items that would later be
known and geographical knowledge so that it could be used later on in the world.
• Some of these ideas were location by latitude and longitude, earth being spherical
though the ground is flat, and developing the first equal area map.
OTHER WORKS OF PTOLEMY
Ptolemy worked on other things other than
geography. He also was a astronomer and
he wrote on about the suns, Earths, and
moons motions and how they worked. Ptolemy
also made the geocentric model (also known
as the Ptolemaic system). The geocentric
model is a model that shows Earth at the
center of the solar system. Since this model
was the only known model of the solar
system, they assumed that the Sun, Moon,
stars, and other planets circled Earth.
• Through a series of 8 books titled Geographica (his guide to geography), Ptolemy
explains how to calculate a places location by using latitude and longitude (the
location for calculations was for near 8,000 places).
• How to put the whole earth on a flat map in multiple ways; The ways the maps were
produced were in an equal area projection, stereographic projection, and in a conic
projection.
 (It included a world map, 26 regional maps, and 67 maps of smaller areas; and
everything else that compiled and summarized most of the geographic information
gathered by the Greeks and Romans up to that time.)
• Copies of Ptolemys’ world maps took up most of navigation and other maps for
centuries to come, which provided necessary help to early European explorers.
BIBLIOGRAPHY
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ptolemy#Geography
http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/482098/Ptolemy
http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/482098/Ptolemy
http://www.csiss.org/classics/content/76
http://cdn1.thefamouspeople.com/profiles/images/claudius-ptolemy.jpg
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ptolemy
THALES
By: Rosa Briones.
Biography of Thales
Thales was born 620 BCE in the Greek town of Miletus. He discovered the basics of
geometry and was named one of the seven sages (the wisest men of the ancient world).
Thales brought common sense to the world because most geographers thought the
location of Miletus at a midpoint between eastern and western civilizations contributed
to the intellectual advances of Thales and his fellow Ionians. The Ionian Greeks were
active traders throughout the eastern Mediterranean Sea, and their travels brought them
in contact with the learning of civilizations in Egypt and the Near East. Thales is thought
to have visited Egypt at some point, and it is probable that his exposure to Babylonian
astronomical observations influenced his thinking on astronomy. explained their
discoveries to be a work of magic. He presented logic to the ancient era.
Contribution to Geography (1)
The location of Miletus at a midpoint between eastern and western civilizations contributed to the intellectual advances
of Thales and his fellow Ionians. The Ionian Greeks were traders throughout the eastern Mediterranean Sea, and their
travels brought them in contact with the learning of civilizations in Egypt and the Near East. Thales is thought to have
visited Egypt at some point, and it is probable that his exposure to Babylonian astronomical observations influenced his
thinking on astronomy.
The crucial advance of Thales and his school of thought was in their approach to understanding the world. He began
with the premise that the physical world was an ordered place governed by a set of laws of nature, rather than by the
random and arbitrary acts of divine beings. The Ionian philosophers referred to the universe as the "cosmos," or an
orderly arrangement that is beautiful. Since the world was an ordered place, Ionians believed it was therefore
intelligible, and people could consequently understand the world only through careful observation and reason. The
Ionians believed the key to understanding the world was logic (derived from the Greek work logos), which can be
defined as a reasoned explanation.
Contribution to Geography (2)
The difference between the Ionian philosophers and earlier scholars in Greece and the Near East was
that the Ionians separated scientific thinking from magic and religion; Babylonian astronomers, for
example, had always incorporated their celestial observations into their preexisting religious
beliefs. While the Ionians did not seem to have disputed that the gods existed or that they were
important, they did not seek divine causation or magic as the ultimate reality of the physical world.
That approach freed them to believe that they could achieve a better understanding of the world
around them, rather than relying only on what was known in the past. They also came to believe
that statements about the natural world had to be backed by reasoned arguments grounded in
evidence. Those crucial philosophical innovations are seen by many as the beginning of Western
science.
Sources
http://ancienthistory.abc-clio.com/Search/Results?q=Thales