SECTION 2 Studying Geography What You Will Learn… CTBOBQEBOB Main Ideas RhnkiZk^gmlZk^ablmhkbZglk^l^Zk\abg`Z\bmrmaZm]blZii^Zk^] 1. Geography is the study of ehg`Z`h'Rhn`hpbmama^fmhZeb[kZkrmha^eil^Zk\a_hk\en^lmh places and people. 2. Studying location is important ma^\bmrÍleh\ZmbhgZg]_Zm^'Pabe^manf[bg`makhn`aZ]nlmrhe] to both physical and human [hhd%rhnÖg]ZgZg\b^gmfZilmn\d[^mp^^gmphiZ`^l'FZkd^] geography. 3. Geography and history are hgma^fZiZk^kbo^kl%_hk^lml%fhngmZbgl%Zg]lmkZb`amebg^lmaZm closely connected. ehhdebd^khZ]l'BmblZfZimaZmlahplma^pZrmhma^ehlm\bmr LT@>KQEFPJ>MEBIMVLR]KAQEB@FQV The Big Idea Physical geography and human geography contribute to the study of history. ;NBE=BG@;:<D@KHNG= You have read how historians and Key Terms archaeologists help us learn about the past. Another group of geography, p. 12 scholars—geographers—also contribute to our study of history. landforms, p. 12 climate, p. 12 environment, p. 13 region, p. 15 HijYn^c\EaVXZhVcYEZdeaZ resources, p. 16 When you hear about an event on the news, the fi rst questions DEFINE: you ask may be, “Where did it happen?” and “Who was there?” What is Historians ask the same questions about events that happened in geography? the past. That is why they need to study geography. <Zd\gVe]n Use the graphic organizer online to is the study of the earth’s physical and cultural features. These take notes on physical geography features include mountains, rivers, people, cities, and countries. SUMMARIZE: and human geography. What are E]nh^XVa<Zd\gVe]n some examples of Physical geography is the study of the earth’s land and features. physical People who work in this fi eld are called physical geographers. features? They study aVcY[dgbh, the natural features of the land’s surface. Mountains, valleys, plains, and other such places are landforms. Physical geographers also study Xa^bViZ, the pattern of weather conditions in a certain area over a long period of time. Climate is not the same as weather. Weather is the conditions at a specifi c time and place. If you say that your city has cold winters, you are talking about climate. If you say it is below freezing and snowing today, you are talking about the weather. CONTRAST: What is the difference between climate and weather? 12 6-8_SNLAESE485805_C01S2.indd 12 5/8/10 11:00:44 AM Physical Geography Human Geography Ma^lmn]rh_ma^^ZkmaÍliarlb\Ze_^Zmnk^lZg] Ma^lmn]rh_ma^^ZkmaÍli^hie^%bg\en]bg`ma^bkpZrh_ ikh\^ll^l%ln\aZlfhngmZbgl%kbo^kl%h\^Zgl%kZbg_Zee% eb_^%ahf^lZg]\bmb^l%[^eb^_l%Zg]mkZo^el%ln\aZlma^l^ Zg]\ebfZm^%bg\en]bg`mabll^\mbhgh_<Zeb_hkgbZÍl\hZlm \abe]k^gbgma^:_kb\Zg\hngmkrh_MZgsZgbZ Geography Ma^lmn]rh_ma^^ZkmaÍliarlb\ZeZg]\nemnkZe_^Zmnk^l Climate affects many features of a =jbVc<Zd\gVe]n region. For example, it affects plant life. The other branch of geography is human Tropical rain forests require warm air and geography—the study of people and heavy rain, while a dry climate can create the places where they live. Specialists in deserts. Climate also affects landforms. For human geography study many different example, constant wind can wear down things about people and their cultures. mountains into fl at plains. What kind of work do people do? How do Although climate affects landforms, they get their food? What are their homes landforms can also affect climate. For like? What religions do they practice? example, the Coast Ranges in northern Human geography also deals with California are mountains parallel to the how the environment affects people. For Pacifi c coast. As air presses up against these example, how do people who live near mountains, it rises and cools. Any moisture rivers protect themselves from fl oods? that the air was carrying falls as rain. Mean- How do people who live in deserts survive? while, on the opposite side of the range, the Do different environments affect the size Central Valley stays dry. In this way, a of families? Do people in certain environ- mountain range creates two very different ments live longer? Why do some diseases climates. spread easily in some environments but not Landforms and climate are part of a in others? As you can see, human geogra- place’s environment. The Zck^gdcbZci phers study many interesting questions includes all the living and nonliving things about people and this planet. that affect life in an area. This includes the area’s climate, land, water, plants, soil, Å Summarizing What are the animals, and other features. two main branches of geography? UNCOVERING THE PAST 13 Å HijYn^c\AdXVi^dc AZVgc^c\[gdbBVeh features Both physical and human geographers To study various locations, geographers use characteristics study location. Location is the exact maps. A map is a drawing of an area. Some DEFINE: description of where something is. Every maps show physical features. Others show What does location place on Earth has a specifi c location. cities and the boundaries of states or coun- mean? No two places in the world are exact- tries. Most maps have symbols to show ly alike. Even small differences between different things. For example, large dots SUMMARIZE: places can lead to major differences in often stand for cities. Blue lines show where What are how people live. That is why geographers rivers fl ow. Most maps also include a guide some try to understand the effects that different to show direction. activities that locations have on human populations, or People have been making maps for would use maps? groups of people. more than 4,000 years. Maps help with By comparing locations, geographers many activities. Planning battles, look- learn more about the factors that affected ing for new lands, and designing new city each of them. For example, they may study parks all require good maps. On the fi rst why a town grew in one location while a day of class, you may have used a map of town nearby got smaller. your school to fi nd your classrooms. Studying Maps By studying and comparing maps, you can see how a place’s physical and human features are related. California: Physical California: Climates OR OR ELEVATION Highland Feet Meters Marine S a 13,120 4,000 c Mediterranean r 6,560 2,000 R a Semiarid i m 1,640 500 v e e 656 200 Desert C r n t (Sea level) 0 0 (Sea level) o 075150 Miles o S Below Below a i Lake sea level sea level C e 0 75 150 Kilometers s Tahoee e r 075150 Miles t r n a t 0 75 150 Kilometers r a UT N l NV e UTUT V R v NV a a a l l d n e a iv g y R er e San Joaquin o s d River a r o l Mojave o Desert C AZ AZ Salton PACIFIC Sea PACIFIC OCEAN OCEAN MEXICO MEXICO &What are some of California’s main physical features? 'What climates are found in California? How are the Where are the state’s highest mountains? climate regions related to California’s physical features? HRW World History HRW World History wh06as_c01map006aaHRW World History wh06as_c01map006caHRW World History wh06as_c01map006aaCalifornia: Physical wh06as_c01map006caCalifornia: Climates 14 CHAPTER 1 APPROVEDCalifornia: Physical 11/19/04 APPROVEDCalifornia: Climates10/19/04 Legend Legend APPROVED 11/19/04 APPROVED 10/19/04 6-8_SNLAESE485805_C01S2.indd 14 5/8/10 11:04:22 AM AZVgc^c\VWdjiGZ\^dch Primary Source DEFINE: Learning about regions is another key part What is a of studying geography. A gZ\^dc is an area BOOK region? with one or more features that make it What Geography Means different from surrounding areas. These Some people think of geography as the ability to read maps features may be physical, such as forests or or name state capitals. But as geographer Kenneth C. Davis grasslands. There may also be differences explains, geography is much more. It is related to almost every in climate. For example, a desert area is a branch of human knowledge. DESCRIBE: type of region. Physical barriers such as @^h`kZiar]h^lgÍmlbfier[^`bgZg]^g]pbma What are mountains and rivers often form a region’s fZillahpbg`ma^eh\Zmbhgh_Zeema^\hngmkb^lh_ma^Ê some boundaries. phke]'Bg_Z\m%ln\afZil]hgÍmg^\^llZkberm^eenl human fn\a'GhÉ`^h`kZiarihl^l_Zl\bgZmbg`jn^lmbhgl features Human features can also defi ne regions. Z[hnmpahp^Zk^Zg]ahpp^`hmmh[^maZmpZr% that can An area with many cities is one type of Zg]ma^gikhob]^l\en^lmhma^Zglp^kl'Bmblbfihl& define a region. An area with only farms is another region? lb[e^mhng]^klmZg]ablmhkr%bgm^kgZmbhgZeihebmb\l%ma^ type. Some regions are identifi ed by the phke]^\hghfr%k^eb`bhgl%iabehlhiar%hkÌiZmm^kglh_ language that people there speak. Other \nemnk^ÍpbmahnmmZdbg``^h`kZiarbgmhZ\\hngm'Ë regions are identifi ed by the religion their ÈD^gg^ma<'=Zobl%_khf=hgÍmDghpFn\a:[hnm@^h`kZiar people practice. Å Categorizing What are Å Å Å some types of features that can identify a region? Why does the writer think that geography is important? DRAW INFERENCES: What are some regions within the United States? California: Population California: Roads OR OR One dot represents Interstate highways 25,000 people 5 Other highways State capital Eureka State capital 075150 Miles 075150 Miles 0 75 150 Kilometers 0 75 150 Kilometers 5 80 Sacramento NV Oakland NV 80 Sacramento San Francisco San Francisco San Jose 5 15 5 40 Los Angeles Los Angeles AZ 10 AZ PACIFIC 5 Long Beach PACIFIC 15 OCEAN San Diego OCEAN San Diego 8 MEXICO MEXICO (Where are California’s two main population centers? )How are California’s roads related to its physical features? What kind of climate is found in these areas? How are they related to its population centers? EVALUATE: Would all people define a region the same way? Why or why not? UNCOVERING THE PAST 15 One way you can see how geography has shaped history is by studying the locations of cities.