Warm-Ups
1. Which of the
following states
borders Georgia?
A. Mississippi
B. Virginia
C. Louisiana
D. Florida
2. One reason
people might want
to live in Georgia is
that?
A. The climate is the same
throughout the state.
B. The winters are mild.
C. There is little rain in the
Blue Ridge Mountains.
D. The summers are cold.
Chapter One
Let’s Talk Geography
What is Geography?
• The word geography comes from two
Greek words – “geo” for earth and
“graphia” for write about. So that means the
word geography means to write about the
earth.
• But geographers do more than write; they
study the physical and cultural features on
or near the earth’s surface.
The Study of Geography
• Physical Features are
those that occur
naturally, such as
mountains, rivers, and
oceans
• Can you think of
anymore physical
features that appear in
Georgia?
• Cultural Features are
those created by
people, such as
boundaries, towns and
roads
• What cultural features
are created in
Georgia?
What you need to know about
Geography
• When Geographers discuss the earth, they
often use the five basic themes of geography
– Location – Where places are located on earth’s surface
– Place – physical and human characteristics of place
– Relationships or Human Environment Interaction
– interaction of people and environment
– Movement – movement and interaction of people
– Regions – areas with similar characteristics
What is Geology?
• In Greek, Geology means study of the earth
• Geology is the study of the origin,
characteristics, and location of nonliving
materials that make up the earth.
• Geologists are interested in rocks, minerals,
fossils, mountains, earthquakes, and
volcanoes.
Is it Geology or Geography?
• Why are there no mountain in south Georgia?
• How have Georgia’s marble and granite quarries
been important to the state?
• Why are different types of soil in Georgia
• Why has agriculture been so important in Georgia
throughout the years?
• Why do few earthquakes occur in Georgia?
• Why are there so few or no oil deposits in
Georgia?
• Why did the discovery of gold contribute to the
removal of the Cherokee Indians from Georgia?
So what is the difference
• Geographers are more interested in the
principal features on or near the earth’s
surface.
– They are interested in vegetation, climate, ocean currents, ecology,
anthropology, history, economics, culture, technology and politics.
– They examine how these conditions have affected human life and
they analyze how humans have tried to shape their environment.
• Geologist are more interested in items that
come from inside the earth.
A look at Georgia’s Location
• Relative Location
• Absolute Location
refers to the position
refers to the exact spot
of one place in relation
on the earth’s surface
to another.
where a place is
found.
• A good way to express
relative location is by
• To help find absolute
using cardinal and
location, geographers
intermediate
use an imaginary grid
directions.
with coordinates
Absolute Location
• Absolute Location is best used for
navigation, military targets, responding to
police and fire calls and boundary lines.
• An easier way to think of absolute location
is an address.
• Our school has an absolute location of
– 1555 Owens Store Road Canton, GA 30115
– There are no other places in this county or town
with that same address
But how do we identify an
absolute location of a mountain?
• We use an imaginary grid the geographers
of tool of latitude and longitude.
• Latitude – is the parallel lines that
determine the location from 0° to 90° north
and south of the equator
• Longitude – the lines that determine
location from 0° to 180° east and west of
the Prime Meridian.
• When the address is written out it is known
as coordinates
Math Terms Geographers Use
• Sphere – while the earth is
round like a circle because it
is a three dimensional object it
is known as a sphere
• Degrees – because the earth is
a sphere like a circle it can be
divided into equal divisions
known as degrees. 1° - equals
1/360
• Minutes – degrees are further
divided into smaller units
called minutes. 1° = 60’
• Seconds – minutes are
divided into the smallest parts
of a circle, called seconds. 1’
= 60”
Absolute Location
34°14’12”N
84°29’27”W
Relative Location
south of Pickens,
west of Forsyth and
Dawson, north of
Cobb and Fulton, and
east of Bartow.
What are the Absolute and
Relative Locations of Cherokee
County?
Chapter Two
The Land of Georgia