Geography

Themes of Geography

​World History 1st MQ Review

by Teacher Gemma Heaton

​What is Geography?

​What is geography?

Geography came from the Greek word geographia, which means "description of the earth."

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​Geography is the scientific study of the physical features of the Earth.

It also involves the analysis of the distribution and interaction of different physical, biological, and cultural characteristics of things on the surface of the Earth.

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​A person who specializes in geography is called a Geographer.

​Geography & the other Disciplines

Geography is related to the other disciplines such as:

• history

• political science

• ​sociology

• ​economics

​The Five Themes of Geography

1. Location

2. ​Place

3. ​Region

4. ​Human-Environment Interaction

5. ​Movement

Multiple Choice

Which one is NOT one of the five themes of geography?

• Place

• Location

• Religion

• Movement

First Theme: Location

• ​Location answers the question, "Where it is."

• ​It is used in identifying the site and distribution of people and places on Earth

  • ​Two Forms:

    • ​Absolute location - uses interecttion lines of latitude and longitude

    • Relative location - uses the location of a person or place in relation to the things or places around it.

Multiple Choice

The Philippines is located south of Taiwan,  northwest of Malaysia, north of Celebes Sea and east of the Pacific Ocean. 

In describing the location, I used: 

• Absolute location

• Relative location

​Second Theme: Place

• It answers the question: "What is it like there?"

• ​This theme identifies the physical and cultural characteristics of a place that makes it different from other places on Earth.

• A place may be described in two aspects:

  • Physical Characteristics - the natural environment (land, water, vegetation, climate, natural resources)

  • Human Characteristics- involves ideas, behavior, culture of the people, livelihood.

Multiple Choice

Mongolia is a land-locked country sandwiched between Russia and China. It is known for its steppe lands. These are the dry, grassy plains that support the traditional Mongolian herding lifestyle. Some areas of Mongolia are mountainous, however, while others are desert.

I described the place using: 

• Physical Characteristics

• Human Characteristics

Third Theme: Region

• ​It answers the question, "How are places similar or different?"

• ​It refers to the part of Earth that has similar features.

• ​Each region is bounded by more than on similarity in the physical, political, economic, and cultural aspects. Example: Asia-Pacific, Scandanavia

​Fourth Theme: Human-Envirnonment Interaction

• ​Answers the question, "What is the relationship between humans and their environment?" It is used in discussing and studying how humans depend, modify, and adapt to their environment.

​Fifth Theme: Movement

• ​Answers the question: "Why and how are the places related to one another?"

• ​The theme discusses how the movement of humans, ideas, things and other physical systems, such as air, affect human interactions in different places.

• ​Can be examined in three kinds of distance:

  • ​Linear distance - "how far?"

  • ​Distance of time - "how long is the travel?"

  • ​Psychological distance- distance perceived by humans

Multiple Choice

Numerically, the countries in West Asia predominantly speak Arab, Persian, and Turkish languages. 

Which theme did I use here?

• Place

• Location

• Region

• Movement