Human Geography

Jerome D. Fellmann
Mark Bjelland
Arthur Getis
Judith Getis
 Human
Geography
Insert figure CO1
Chapter 1

Introduction
Thinkstock/Masterfile

Site of the wind farm pictured?...

Why at that particular spot?

Image Copyright 2003 by Jon Malinowski, All rights reserved.

 What Is Geography?
Description of the Earth
Greek: geo graphein
The physical and cultural landscape

Human Geography is a spatial science

We attempt to explain what, where and
why?
 What Is Geography?
Study of Spatial Variation (Vocab alert!!)
How and why things differ from place to
placeSolving spatial riddles

Why do Brazilians burn the rainforest?

What are the effects?(2)
What good is such understanding?
Traditional Slash and Burn
Soy
 Terms Review/Discussion:

Globalization
Glocalization
Interdependent
Nationalism
Supra-nationalism
Cultural Imperialism
Cultural Homogenization
Centrifugal forces
Centripetal forces
Environmental determinism
Human Modification of the environment

The Power of Place #1

One Earth, Many Scales

Syria Explained
 Evolution of the Discipline
Ancient PeriodSummarize the contributions
of each to the field of geography:
Eratosthenes
Greek, Head Librarian at Alexandria during 3rd century B.C.E., Computed
the earths circumference with incredible accuracy, early cartographer,
coined the term geography.

Strabo
Describe the physical and cultural traits of the known worldcompare and
contrast countries

Herodotus
Applied a study of geography to analyze the Persian wars and to predict
consequences and outcomes

Idrisi
11th century Arab geographer, assembled an early world maptrade
routes interconnectednessglobalization
 Evolution of the Discipline
Other notable Geographers
Ptolemy
Developed a global grid system the precursor to lat. & long. (also
recalculated the earths circ. 500 years after Eratosthenesand got it
wrong by 9,000 miles.)

George Perkins Marsh

Wrote Man and Nature in 1864. Focused on Human modification of
the environment and warned of the disastrous effects of environmental
degradation on human society.

Carl Sauer
Early 20th century, father of Human Geography - argued that the
main focus of geography should be cultural landscapes (the products
of the interactions between humans and their environments)

Human Geography 11e

 Evolution of the Discipline
What changed geography in the modern
period? (4)

Geography as an integrative science

 Focus of Geography
Explain each of the following three
themes (4)

Areal Variation on the Earths

Surface
Spatial Systems
Regional Geography
 Focus of Geography
Areal Variation on the Earths Surface
Examines relationships between human societies and
the natural environments that they occupy and
modify
Spatial Systems
Link physical phenomena and human activities in
one area of the earth with other areas
Regional Analysis
Studies human-environmental-ecological-
relationships and spatial systems in specific
locational settings

Challenge: Provide one example of each of the above

themes from the Bloomer area
 Human Geography:
The world as it is and as it might be made to be
Subfields:
Behavioral
Political
Economic
Cultural
Social
Urban
Medical
Population
Core Geographic Concepts

Geography is descriptive and analytical

Oakwood
WHAT?
WHERE?
WHY THERE?
Spatial Analysis
-Its relationship to other places in the
region
 Core Geographic Concepts

Space and Place

Absolute
Physically real with measureable extent
Relative space
Perceptual and variable over time
Sense of place
The attachment we have to specific locations
Placelessness
Uniformity; elimination of uniqueness
 Review: Location
Absolute Location
Relative Location
Site vs. Situation
 Absolute Location
Identification of place by some precise
and accepted system of coordinates
Relative Location
The position of a place in relation to that
of other places or activities
Site
Physical and cultural attributes of a place
Situation
Expression of relative location with
particular reference to items of
significance to the place in question
 Location
Explain Site vs. Situation (figures 1.6, 7 on p.9)
 Review questions
What is geography?
Study of Spatial Variation
How and why things differ from place to placeSolving spatial
riddles

In what two meanings and for what two

purposes do we refer to location?
Absolute and Relative

Describe the site and situation of Bloomer.

 Physical & Cultural Attributes
Natural Landscape
Climate, soil, water
resources, minerals
and terrain features
Provides the setting Insert figure 1.10
within which human
actions occurs
Cultural Landscape
Visible expression of Doug Sherman/Geofile

human activity
 Places
Changing Attributes of Place
Across both space and time (Fig. 1.11,12, p.12,13)

Interrelations between Places

Accessibility and Connectivity (1.13, p.14)
Spatial Diffusion and Globalization
The Rational Structure of Place (1.14,15, p.15)

Density
Dispersion
Pattern Patterns revealed in light
 Places
The Rational Structure of Place
Density
a measure of the number of anything within
a defined unit area
Number of items in relation to the space in
which they are found
Dispersion
The amount of spread of a phenomenon
over an area
Pattern
The geometric arrangement of objects
 For Wed. Place Similarity & Regions

1 Read pp.15,16 pay attention to figs.

1.17,1.17 as well
2. Define Region
3. Distinguish between formal/uniform
regions, functional/nodal regions and
perceptual regions providing two examples
for each type of region.
Read pp. 17-27 and respond to 6, 7, 8 on
p. 28

Human Geography 11e

 Place Similarity & Regions
The Characteristics of Regions
Types of Regions:
Formal
Uniform regions; uniformity in one or a
limited combination of physical or cultural
features
Functional
Give an organizational basis
Perceptual
Reflect feelings and images

Human Geography 11e

 Maps
Map Scale
The Globe Grid
How Maps Show Data
Geographic Information Systems (GIS)
Mental Maps
 Application
Constructing a mental (perceptual) map
Your task is to draw a mental map of the
Chippewa Valley. Your map should include
the following:
Physical landscape (rivers/lakes in our case)
Cultural landscape
Cities, Hwys, and other important cultural
features that tie this specific are together as a
region (i.e., spatial interaction).
Population
Density,dispertion, pattern(1 dot = xpeople)

How will you deal with location/distance? (i.e., absolute

vs.relative?)
Large scale: The larger the scale the smaller the area depicted
and the greater the detail shown

Map Scale
aka. How much can I confuse you

Small Scale: The

smaller the scale the
larger the area
depicted and the less
detail visible.
 What is the best map?
With a globe the
four main map
properties are
preserved:
Area
Shape
Distance
Direction
 The Global Grid
Type of location?
Key Reference points?
Natural reference points:
Poles & Equator
constructed reference
point?
Prime Meridian
Latitude
Longitude
 How maps show data
General Purpose maps
These maps show natural or human
made features with no analysis
Streets
Topography
Water bodies
Etc.
 How maps show data
Thematic Maps
Show spatial distribution of some specific
variable
Climate, vegitation, soil types, population characteristics,
etc.
Thematic maps can be qualitative or quantitative
Qualitative maps show the distribution of some phenomenon
Sand Mines in Wisconsin

Quantitative maps show the quantity of some phenomenon

World Oil Production
Types of Thematic maps
 Types of Thematic Maps
Statistical Maps
Population Cartogram
 Contemporary Geospatial
Technologies
Global Positioning Systems (GPS)
Satellite triangulation

Remote Sensing
Imaging earths surface
Arial Photog. Infrared, Radar

Geographic Information Systems

GIS Explained
 GIS (cont.)
Used to analyze geographic data tied
to specific locations

GIS Aggregation of data:

Raster approach
-Describes the content of
rectangular cells
Vector approach
Precise location of each object or
phenomenon in a distribution
 Mental Maps
Our understanding
of distributions
Our view of spatial
reality
Insert figure 1.25
images about an
area or an
environment
developed by an
individual on the
basis of information
or impressions
received,
interpreted, and
stored
Systems, Maps, and Models
Spatial System
The content of area is interrelated
Component parts are interdependent
Maps can segragate a limited amount of
dataGIS takes this to a higher level

Model
Simplified abstraction
Clarifies causal relationships