Chapter 2, Lesson 1
Studying Geography
It Matters Because:
Geography helps us understand
our place in the world.
I. Displaying the Earth’s Surface
A.Why use a globe?
1. Most accurate way to
display Earth as it is
2. Modeling Earth on a
sphere eliminates
distortion
3. All sizes, shapes, distances
and directions can be
shown as they truly are
B. Why use a flat map?
1. Easier to carry than a globe;
can be folded & carried
anywhere
2. Can show greater detail of
small areas
3. Can be used to show many
different types of information:
a. political boundaries
b. physical features
c. population
II. Hemispheres
A. The Equator
1. Divides Earth into two
hemispheres:
a. Northern & Southern
B. Prime Meridian
1. Divides Earth into two
hemispheres:
a. Eastern & Western
2. Measured in degrees of
2. Measured in degrees of
latitude North & South of
longitude East & West of
the Equator
the Prime Meridian
C. Latitude & longitude lines form grid of degrees & minutes
D. Locations can be found using coordinates
III. From Globes to Maps
A. Lines are distorted when transferred from globe to flat
map
1. Distort - stretch, squeeze, or otherwise change shape
B. A flat map is a projection of the globe
1. Projection - method of showing Earth on a flat map
C. Mapmakers must decide what to distort
1. Landforms usually stretched instead of large empty (ocean)
spaces
D. Mercator Projection
1. Shapes of
landforms and
directions are
accurate
2. Sizes of landforms
and distances are
not accurate
3. Distortion is
greater farther
from Equator
E. Robinson Projection
1. Much less
distortion on size
of landforms
2. Directions are
distorted near
poles
IV. Five Themes of Geography
A. Location: where something can be found
1. Absolute Location: latitude & longitude coordinates, street address
2. Relative Location: location in relation to another object or location
B. Place: human & physical characteristics of a location
C. Human-environment interaction: how humans adapt to modify
their environment
D. Movement: movement of people & ideas from one location to
another
E. Region: areas of land with common qualities
V. Types of Maps
A. Political
1. Shows names and
borders of locations
(countries, states, etc.)
2. Shows cities and major
physical features
3. Colors used to stress
political borders
B. Physical
1. Shows landforms & water
features
2. Displays rivers, deserts,
grasslands, mountains,
glaciers, etc.
2. Colors used to illustrate
features & often elevation
Political Map Tennessee
Counties
Political Map Tennessee
Congressional
Districts
Physical Maps Tennessee
landforms &
major
waterways
VI. Special Purpose Maps
A. Maps can be used to display specific information
1. Population
VI. Special Purpose Maps
2. Voting patterns
VI. Special Purpose Maps
3. Historical
VI. Special Purpose Maps
4. Roads
VII. How Do I Read a Map?
A. Understand the map key
1. Explains lines, colors, symbols
B. Understand the map scale
1. Scale - explains how distance is calculated on map
C. Understand Cardinal Directions
1. north, south, east, and west
VIII. Using Tables,
Graphs, & Diagrams
A. To interpret these tools, first read
title
B. Tables show facts in organized
way
1. Arranged in rows & columns
2. Read labels across rows & down
columns
VIII. Using Tables, Graphs, & Diagrams
C. Graphs come in many different types
1. Bar - uses wide colored lines to compare
data
2. Line - shows change over time
3. Pie - shows data as parts of a whole
VIII. Using Tables, Graphs, & Diagrams
D. Diagram specialized
picture that
shows:
1. steps in a process
VIII. Using Tables, Graphs, & Diagrams
2. parts of an object
VIII. Using Tables, Graphs, & Diagrams
3. how something works
IX. Population & Culture
A. Population - number of people living in a certain location
1. Population density - number of people living in a specific area (such
as a square mile)
2. Migration - movement of a population from one location to another
B. Culture - set of beliefs, behaviors, traits shared by members of a
group
1. Cultural Diffusion - when members of more than one culture come
together, parts of each culture are shared