AP Human Geography
• Intro to APHG
• Maps
• Spatial Thinking
• "As a young man, my fondest dream was
"
to become a geographer. However, while
working in the customs office I thought
deeply about the matter and concluded it
was too difficult a subject. With some
reluctance I then turned to physics as a
substitute."
Geography
• “Geo”= Earth, “Graphy”= to write
• Geography is divided into two categories
• Physical: natural forces such as climates,
landforms, types of vegetation
• Human: where human activities are
located such as industry, religion,
language, etc.
• In AP Human Geography we are
concerned with Where and Why?
Maps
• Maps are the primary tools geographers
use to display and analyze information.
• Geography is distinguished from other
subjects by its reliance on maps.
• Today you will be looking at the different
ways in which maps display information
and are designed.
Maps: Two-dimensional, scaled representations of
Earth surface - show spatial data (data with
locational component)`
Cartography (map-making) involves 4 design
decisions – based on purpose of map
Projection
Scale
Aggregation
Type of Map (thematic* or reference)
Sample Map Projections Systematic methods of
transferring a spherical
surface to a flat map
Distortion must occur in
either size, shape,
distance, or direction – all
projections are
Mercator compromises
Robinson Polar
Equal-Area projections best where purpose is to
compare distributions of a variable between places
(They distort shapes to make sizes correct.)
What impressions do you get from this map?
Map Scale The ratio of map distance to earth distance,
measured in the same units
smaller scale
Sample Area Covered Fraction Scale Verbal Scale
World 1:78,000,000 1 in = 1,250 mi
No. America 1:36,000,000 1 in = 570 mi
Central U.S. 1: 4,000,000 1 in = 64 mi
AAA Colo map 1: 1,267,200 1 in = 20 mi
larger scale
Smaller-scale shows more land area in less
detail. Used to show global patterns.
Larger-scale shows less land area in more
detail. Used on local maps.
The scale at which one analyzes an issue is critical
DIA – Only major U.S. airport built since 1980
At the national scale, why did the location of this airport make sense?
At the local scale, why was it necessary to locate the airport where it is?
Which of the following
maps of Chicago is small-
scale and which one is
large-scale?
Map Aggregation The level of
detail for
dividing a
thematic map
into
geographic
units
Ranges from
coarse divisions
(e.g., by
countries) to fine
divisions (e.g., by
Percent of 1990 pop age 25+ with bachelor's degree zip codes)
Data aggregated by State
Percent of pop age 25+ Aggregated
with bachelor's degree by State
(1990) (northeast
close-up)
Note what information
is lost at higher levels
of aggregation
Aggregated by County (WV, MA)
2004 Presidential Election Red = Bush; Blue = Kerry
State results, County results,
by land area by land area
State results, County results,
by population by population
Source: M. Gastner, C. Shalizi, and M. Newman, University of Michigan
http://www-personal.umich.edu/~mejn/election/
2004 Presidential Election
Red = Solidly Bush (70% +)
Purples = divided … redder = Bush majority; bluer = Kerry majority
Blue = Solidly Kerry (70%+)
By land area By population
Source: M. Gastner, C. Shalizi, and M. Newman, University of Michigan
http://www-personal.umich.edu/~mejn/election/
THEMATIC MAPS – depict characteristics of places
Categorical type
- Depict areas that are different in kind
- Use several distinct colors to show different categories
desert forest tundra
Examples: climates, religions
Choropleth type
- Depict areas that are different in amount
- Use shades of similar colors to show different values
high value medium low value
Examples: population density, literacy rates
Example of “categorical map”
Example of “choropleth map”
Human Development Index (HDI) Rankings
Includes GNI/PPP, Literacy, and Life Expectancy
Which regions have high HDI?
Which regions have low HDI?
Which places are exceptions?
Isoline type
(Average Daily Solar Radiation)
Lines connect points of
equal value Dot Density type
(Wisconsin Acreage in Potatoes)
Each dot represents a
frequency of mapped variable
Proportional Symbol Map
(Graduated Circle type)
Size of symbol varies in relation to
frequency or intensity of the
mapped variable
Proportional Symbol Map
(Flow Vector type)
Middle & South America
Agricultural Regions (left) and
Population Density (below)
Spot any spatial
correlations?
QUESTIONS?
WHERE CAN YOU FIND
THIS POWER POINT?
Spatial Thinking
(Phil Gersmehl, Research in Geographic Education, 2006)
Quick mapping activity – Coors Field
example of identifying changes
in a spatial pattern, reasons
for the changes, and
consequences of these changes
With a partner, map the
following (on the same map):
1. Use a diamond symbol for
the cities in which there was a
Major League Baseball team in
1952 (16 teams).
2. Use a different symbol for
the locations of MLB teams in
2007 (30 teams).
Connections
What kinds
of things are
symbolized
by lines on
this map?
Combination of climate, agriculture, and
industry explains population density patterns
Where are some patterns that illustrate this?
Denver metro area
How does this map
illustrate the aura or
zone of influence for
Denver?
How are hierarchies
symbolized on this
map?
For which kinds of
services does
Denver’s aura extend
beyond this map?
Where could
you define a
region of
“Elvis-lovers”?
Where are the
exceptions?
Where are the
outliers?
Compare the
Pacific coasts
of North and
South America
Which places
have analogous
climates?
An example of the importance of spatial thinking
Christian
TURKIC (Altaic Language
Diversity, Family)
exceptions,
and edges
can make
for
interesting
IRANIAN (Indo-European
case studies Language Family)
or
SEMITIC (Afro-Asiatic
examples
Language Family)
Turkey
Knowledge of cultural
regions, boundaries, and
transitions is necessary for
understanding conflicts
Syria
Iran
Jordan
Iraq Ethnic
Groups
Saudi
Arabia Kuwait
Iraq’s population is 29 million: sixty percent are Shi’a Arab, mostly in the south.
Sunni Arabs are concentrated in the center (western Iraq is sparsely populated).
Over 4 million Iraqis in northern Iraq are Kurdish. Baghdad is a transition zone.
Pattern Analysis: Density vs. Dispersion
Which square mile has the higher density, (a) or (b)?
Various Pattern Arrangements
What phenomena could explain the
patterns shown in A, B, and C?
Map Making Technology
• GIS (Geographic Information System)
• Uses a computer system to store
information about various locations
• Produces maps with greater accuracy
• Information can be stored in layers to
analyze different features
Map Making Technology
• Remote Sensing
• Remote sensing uses satellites to gather
and display information about the earth
Map Making Technology
• GPS (Global Positioning System)
• Determines the precise position of
something on Earth
• Information is received from satellites