AP Human Geography Unit 1 Vocab

sections

A square normally 1 mile on a side.The land ordinance of 1785 divided townships in the us into 36 ________

thematic map

A type of map that displays one or more variables-such as population, or income level-within a specific area.

resource

Anything that can be used to produce something else

situation

Contradiction between what we expect to happen and what really happens.

possibilism

The theory that the physical environment may set limits on human actions, but people have the ability to adjust to the physical environment and choose a course of action from many alternatives.

density

the amount of people in a specified area

distribution

the arrangement of something across Earth's surface.

scale

the difference between the size on a map and the size on the earth

distance decay

the diminishing in importance and eventual disappearance of a phenomenon with increasing distance from its origin.

map

the display of the world (no matter how large or small the scale) on a flat surface

environmental determinism

the idea that cultures are formed by the surrounding environment

legend

the key to a map

concentration

how dispersed people are in the world

GIS

a planetary mapping system that uses remote sensing to map topography

expansion diffusion

a quickly growing diffusion

GPS

a system of satellites that determine where on earth you are

choropleth map

a thematic map that uses tones or colors to represent spatial data as average values per unit area

globalization

an action where the entire world is involved

regional studies

an approach to geography that emphasizes the relationships among social and physical phenomena in a particular study area

region

an area that is grouped together by its culture or climate

functional region

an area where people do similar things

formal region

an area where the people share certain characteristics or traits

pattern

recurring things in the world

connections

relationships among people and objects across the barrier of space

cartography

science or art of making maps

base line

an east-west line designated under the Land Ordinance of 1785 to facilitate the surveying and numbering of townships in the United States.

space

anywhere on earth

culture

beliefs, customs, and traditions of a specific group of people.

spatial data

data with tie to earth's surface. defined by coordinates of the shape and extent of the phenomena. ex. mountain, land form etc.

hierarchical diffusion

diffusion where idea spreads from socially elite people on down

cultural ecology

geographic approach that emphasizes human-environment relationships.

polder

A piece of land that is created by draining water from an area

mental map

how a person perceives a region or location

prime meridian

0 degrees longitude

township

A 6-by-6 mile area containing 36 sections each 1 mile square. A division of land in the rectangular survey method of land description.

transnational corporation

A company that conducts research, operates factories, and sells products in many countries, not just where its headquarters or shareholders are located.

map scale

A comparison of the distance on a map to the distance in the real world. It helps you find the real distance.

land ordinance of 1785

A law that divided much of the United States into a system of townships to facilitate the sale of land to settlers.

remote sensing

A method of collecting data or information through the use of instruments that are physically distant from the area or object of study.

principal meridian

A north-south line designated in the Land Ordinance of 1785 to facilitate the surveying and numbering of townships in the United States

secondary data

Data previously collected for any purpose other than the one at hand

primary data

Data that you gather yourself (not from secondary sources such as books and magazines).

latitude

East-west lines parallel to the equator used to measure distance in degrees north or south of the equator

simplification

Elimination of unimportant detail on maps and retention and possibly exaggeration and distortion of important information, depending on the purpose of the map

movement

how an idea or people move about the world

reference map

Maps that show the absolute location of places and geographic features determined by a frame of reference, typically latitude and longitude

longitude

North-South lines parallel to the prime meridian used to measure distance in degrees east or west of the prime meridian

site

Physical character of a place

toponym

Place name

uneven development

The increasing gap in economic conditions between core and peripheral regions as a result of the globalization of the economy.

physiological density

The number of people per unit of area of arable land, which is land suitable for agriculture

relocation diffusion

The spread of a feature or trend through bodily movement of people from one place to another.

stimulus diffusion

The spread of an underlying principle, even though a specific characteristic is rejected.

proportional symbol map

Type of map that uses a symbol in varying sizes to show the magnitude of a characteristic

cultural landscape

a combination of cultural features, economic features, and physical features.

aggregation

a large group or collection of people, animals, or things.

isoline map

a map with lines that connect points of equal value (Ex: Elevation)

vernacular region

a perceptual region

meridian

line of longitude

dot map

maps where one dot represents a certain number of a phenomenon, such as a population.

location

the physical or general positioning of a place

hearth

the place where diffusion starts

international date line

the point opposite the prime meridian where time moves forward or goes back a day when crossed (180 degrees longitude)

contagious diffusion

the rapid diffusion of a feature or trend throughout a population.

agricultural density

the ratio of the number of farmers to the total amount of land suitable for agriculture.

space time compression

the reduction in the time it takes to diffuse something to a distant place, as a result of improved communications and transportation systems

diffusion

the spread of an idea, innovation, or tradition

human geography

the study of why people are where they are

human-environmental interaction

the theme of geography that explains how people interact with their environment

GMT

the time at the prime meridian (Greenwich, England)

arithmetic density

the total number of people divided by the total land area.

map projection

the transferring of the earth's surface to a map

parallel

two societies moving up together

place

what a location looks like