JOURNAL #2

• Geography - is the study of the different physical, biological, and cultural features on Earth, and how they all interact.

• Perspective – how we view our world

• Landscape – an area of land that is visually distinct or particular to a specific area

• Cartography – the science of mapmaking

• Meteorology – the study of weather formation

• Suburb – a residential area located around a bigger city

TCC STANDINGS

•#1 2nd Hour (3)•#2 1st Hour (1)•#3 4th Hour (0)•#4 7th Hour (0) •#5 3rd Hour (-1)

WHAT IS GEOGRAPHY?G-1

GEOGRAPHY WRITING PROMPT #1

• Describe a place that you would like to live, try to include:• Location of your place• Physical features of your place (mountains,

beaches, etc.)• Climate of your place• Regions that your place belongs to (Douglas is

in Converse County, Wyoming, the U.S., the Rocky Mountains, etc.)• Languages/traditions of the people in your

place• Plants and animals that are present in your

place

WHAT DOES THIS HAVE TO DO WITH GEOGRAPHY?

GEOGRAPHY

• Geography is the study of the different physical, biological, and cultural features on Earth, and how they all interact.

• Geographers study the relationships between people and the environment by looking at cities, cultures, plants and resources.

KEY TERMS

• Perspective

• Landscape

• Cartography

• Meteorology

TWO BRANCHES OF GEOGRAPHY

• Human Geography• Population• Settlements• Economics• Human Migration• Political Systems• Religions• Social Traditions

• Physical Geography• Landforms• Rocks and Minerals• Animals• Plants• Soils• Water• Climate and

Weather

REGIONS

• A region is an area with one or more common features that make it different from surrounding areas.• There are different types of regions• Formal regions - Yellowstone• Perceptual regions – The South

THE FIVE THEMES OF GEOGRAPHY

• Location

• Place

• Human-environment interaction

• Movement

• Region

HUMAN GEOGRAPHY OF THE UNITED STATES

• Population: about 307 million as of 2009• For comparison China has about 1.3 billion people

• Major settlements• Over 1/3 of Americans (over 100 million) live on the East

Coast

HUMAN GEOGRAPHY IN THE UNITED STATES

• The United States economy is the largest in the world – producing about ¼ of the world’s goods and services (GDP)

• The United States’ strong economy has and continues to attract immigrants from all over the world (although it has recently moved from 1st to 4th in terms of immigration)

• The United States political system is a federal constitutional republic• Federal government – President, congress, judiciary• State governments• A 2 party system which has been dominated by the Democrats and the

Republicans since the Civil War (1865)

RELIGIONS IN THE UNITED STATES

PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS OF THE UNITED STATES

CLIMATE MAP OF THE UNITED STATES

REGIONS OF THE U.S.

• In this class we will break the U.S. down into 5 regions• The West, the Southwest, the Midwest, the Southeast,

and the Northeast

THE WEST

• Includes the states of Hawaii, Alaska, California, Oregon, Washington, Nevada, Utah, Idaho, Montana, Wyoming, and Colorado

• Sub-regions include the Pacific West and the Mountain West

• California has a long history of European settlement and it is now the most populated state• Los Angeles is the 2nd largest city in

the United States• Hollywood is a suburb of Los Angeles

• This area (the West) is known for its scenic beauty and large amounts of government owned land

THE SOUTHWEST

• States include: Arizona, New Mexico, Texas, and Oklahoma

• The Southwest is the driest region in the U.S.

• This area has strong Spanish-American and Native-American ties

• The Grand Canyon is a major physical feature

• Phoenix, Arizona and Dallas, Texas are the largest cities

THE MIDWEST

• Includes: Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, South Dakota, and Wisconsin

• This area is known as the nation’s “breadbasket” because the fertile soil makes it possible to produce lots of crops – corn is the most important

• Mid-westerners are often thought to be friendly, open, and honest

• Physical features include the Great Lakes

• Major cities include Chicago, Detroit, and St. Louis

THE SOUTHEAST

• States include: Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, West Virginia

• Hurt by the Civil War

• Has a large population of African Americans

• Now a manufacturing region

• Important cities include Atlanta, Miami, Little Rock

THE NORTHEAST

• Includes: Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, Vermont, Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, and Washington D.C.

• Includes the sub-regions of New England, and the Mid-Atlantic

• New England is one of the oldest historical areas in the United States

• Education is important in New England – Harvard, Yale, Brown and Dartmouth are all in New England

• Boston is the largest city in New England

• The mid-Atlantic is known for its heavy industry which produce iron, glass, and steel

• Important cities are New York City (the largest in the U.S.), Philadelphia, and Baltimore