2024 Geography 1st Semester Exam Review

Study Notes

2024 1st Semester Exam Review

The U.S. and Canada are considered one region due to shared history, culture, and landmass.
Transform boundaries: Tectonic plates slide past each other.
Convergent boundaries: One plate moves under another.
Divergent boundaries: Plates move apart, creating new crust.
Glacial erosion is the primary shaping force of the Arctic and sub-Arctic landscapes.
Volcanoes are a result of tectonic forces globally.
Subtropical zones feature warm, dry summers and mild, moderately rainy winters.
Temperate zones have four distinct seasons with year-round rainfall and deciduous trees.
Tropical zones are characterized by warm temperatures, high humidity, abundant rainfall and a diverse range of plant and animal life.
The Northern Hemisphere has more land than water, containing Europe and North America, and the Tropic of Cancer.
The Southern Hemisphere has more water than land, including Australia and Antarctica, and the Tropic of Capricorn.
The Panama Canal, built in the early 1900s, is a major industrial center in Panama City, Panama.
Hurricane flooding leads to unsanitary drinking water and loss of wetlands.
El Niño can cause disease outbreaks and malnutrition due to climate changes.
Floods and tsunamis result in significant property destruction and loss of life.
Volcanic eruptions cause significant air pollution, making breathing difficult.
Population density is the number of people per unit area.
Leeward sides of islands typically experience dry conditions due to rain shadows.
Windward sides receive more precipitation, water vapor, and vegetation.
Latitude influences temperature, with lower latitudes being warmer and higher latitudes being colder.

Cultural and Geographical Influences

French is the official language in several African countries and Portuguese is the official language of Brazil, reflecting European colonization.
Colorado is near the Rocky Mountains.
Washington is in the Cascade Mountains.
Tennessee is in the Great Smoky Mountains.
Wyoming has the Grand Teton Mountains.
The Columbian Exchange involved the transfer of diseases, ideas, food, crops, and populations between the Old and New Worlds after 1492.
Spanish-speaking cultures and Catholic religions are remnants of Spanish colonization in Latin America.
Democracy: Leaders rule with citizen consent.
Autocracy: One person holds absolute power.
Theocracy: Rulers are divinely inspired.
Monarchy: Hereditary king or queen holds supreme power.
Diffusion is the movement of goods and ideas between cultures.
Texas is divided into state, district, county, and precinct.
Goods and services are distributed through economic systems such as capitalism (individual control) and socialism/communism (society/government control).
Common characteristics of ethnic groups are language and religion.
Push factors (political unrest, religious persecution) and pull factors (freedom to speak/worship) cause migration.