CHAPTER INTRODUCTION
Humans are geographers by nature. They can think territorially or spatially and have an awareness of, and curiosity about the distinctive nature of places. Even children possess qualities of geographers, creating carefully mapped realms in tiny places. Places possess an emotional quality, and we all must belong somewhere. Humans' insatiable curiosity and the place-centered element within us gave birth to geography as an academic discipline. Conquest and commerce generated a need to know about the world and pragmatism was added long ago by traders and explorers. Geography literally means "to describe the Earth," and the practical aspects of geography first arose among the Greeks, Romans, Mesopotamians, and Phoenicians.
Divisions
Physical and human geography are two great branches of the discipline, and their origins can be traced to the Greeks and later the Romans. Greek scholars were curious about the world, particularly the physical aspects, and collected information from traders and travelers. The Romans, un-like the Greeks, were empire builders and brought many different cultures under their control. They added to the Greek knowledge of the physical Earth and added information about different cultures they encountered or conquered. By the end of the Roman era, theories about a spherical Earth, latitudinal climatic zones, environmental influences on humans, and humans' role in modifying the Earth were established. The latter two are quite significant because today environmental geography is emerging as a link between human and physical geography.
Traditions
During the twentieth century, geography was marked by four durable traditions: earth-science (physical geography); cultural-environmental (encompasses a wide range of topics with a difficult, even controversial history); locational theory (the spatial focus of the discipline), which has be-come a modern element of human geography; and area-analysis (primarily involving the description of areas and regions), giving rise to what is today called regional science. These Four Traditions of Geography were first identified in an article by University of Chicago geographer W.D. Pattison in 1964. He argued that these were the four areas where geographic teaching, research, and other activity were concentrated.
New Themes
In the 1980s, rising concerns about geographic illiteracy in America prompted the National Geo-graphy Society, and several other organizations, to begin campaigns to reintroduce geography into school curricula. In a 1986 publication, the NGS proposed a useful five-theme framework for geography as developed by the Geography Education National Implementation Project (GENIP). Three of the themes correspond to traditions identified earlier: location, human-environment inter-action, and regions. As the fourth tradition, the NGS proposed a single word, place, because all places on the surface of the Earth have distinguishing human and physical characteristics. A fifth theme, movement, refers to the mobility of goods, ideas, and people, an appropriate theme in light of the mobile world we live in today.
Maps
Maps—graphic representations of all or part of the Earth's surface drawn to scale—are the most important tool of geographers. Maps and geography are practically synonymous, and mapmaking (cartography) is as old as geography itself. The spatial perspective is geography's unifying bond and there is no better way to demonstrate insights gained through spatial analysis than through the use of maps. Maps are our "window on the world."
Maps are used to portray the distinctive character of places; their relationship to environmental issues; the movements of people, goods, and ideas; and regions of various types. Maps are used to wage war, make political propaganda, solve medical problems, locate shopping centers, bring relief to refugees, warn of natural hazards—in short, for countless purposes.
Maps are not always printed. Everyone has a mental map—a map in their mind—that has developed over years of looking at wall maps, atlas maps, and maps in books, magazines, and newspapers. People’s perception of places and regions is influenced by their individual mental maps as well as printed maps. Since one's perception of different places is a combination of general information, personal experiences, and what is called "hearsay" in the legal profession, that perception is not always accurate. Look carefully at text Figure 1-9 in your text and you will begin to get some idea of the influence that mental maps and perception of places have on people.
CHAPTER QUIZ
MULTIPLE-CHOICE QUESTIONS
1. This text focuses on human geography. What is the other half of geography called?
a. environmental
b. spatial
c. physical
d. regional
2. When geographers look at the way places and things are laid out on the cultural landscape, they are taking a:
a. pattern analysis
b. distribution measurement
c. spatial perspective
d. map measurement
3. Which of the following is not true regarding remote sensing?
a. began with air photography
b. does not involve satellites
c. involves aircraft
d. reveals environmental changes
4. When the National Geographic Society developed what they called the "five themes" of geography they did not specifically include a traditional theme of geography, which is:
a. location
b. human-environment
c. landscape
d. movement
5. Of the following, which cannot be shown on a map?
a. housing styles
b. river flow direction
c. diffusion of disease
d. relative location
6. What event markedly changed Chicago's relative location (which already had good centrality)?
a. new interstate highway
b. more railroads
c. opening of the St. Lawrence Seaway
d. new airport
7. Symbols on maps represent many different things. Arrows can show:
a. direction of migration
b. numbers of people
c. intensity of traffic on routes
d. all of the above
8. The spread of various aspects of culture, such as language, knowledge, skills, religion, etc., from one place to another is called:
a. distribution
b. relocation
c. diffusion
d. infection
9. Geographers define and delimit a region by:
a. establishing criteria
b. walking the region
c. asking others how they define the region
d. using climate changes
10. A city is an example of a region.
a. formal
b. functional
c. perceptual
d. physical
TRUE/FALSE QUESTIONS
1. Human geography encompasses several sub-fields and has an environmental component. (TF)
2. Medical geography is not a part of human geography. It belongs to physical geography. (TF)
3. Movement is not an important theme in the study of geography. (TF)
4. The geographical hypothesis of continental drift was actually developed by a climatologist. (TF)
5. The only thing maps can tell us is the absolute location of places. (TF)
6. The relative location of a place can change constantly but only for the better. (TF)
7. A map of worldwide precipitation can show us areas prone to droughts and floods. (TF)
8. The Pacific Ocean affects precipitation on more continental landmasses than any other ocean. (TF)
9. All regions have clear and concise boundaries. (TF)
10. A country is divided into separate regions. No region overlaps another and each is equal in importance. (TF)
STUDY QUESTIONS
1. We all live in a region as well as a country or state. What region do you live in? How is it defined? Is it a formal, functional, or perceptual region as defined in your text? Do you have different perceptions about your region?
2. Make a list of some of the many ways maps are used. Do you understand the importance of relative location as shown in Figure 1-3? Can you find a map of another place that shows good relative location as described in the text?
3. Why is the spatial perspective so important to geographers? How do patterns and distribution fit into this concept?
4. How is your mental map of the city and/or region you live in? After reading the part about mental maps in this chapter, do you think you need to improve yours? Close your eyes. How many Western European nations can you visualize? Go to a map of Europe and see how well you did. Can you accurately visualize the major city locations in your country?
