AP Human Geography Unit 1 Vocab

Questions and Answers

What is globalization?

The expansion of processes to a global scale (correct)

A type of map projection

The study of human adaptations

An increase in cultural traits

Give an example of globalization.

McDonald's expansion into a global company.

What is a perceptual region?

A region that only exists as a conceptualization.

Provide an example of a perceptual region.

The South. Signup and view all the answers

What is a Geographic Information System (GIS)?

A collection of hardware and software for spatial data. Signup and view all the answers

How is GIS usually formatted for the user's convenience?

In layers. Signup and view all the answers

What does Time Space Compression refer to?

The social and physical effects of living in a densely connected world. Signup and view all the answers

What is a Global Positioning System (GPS)?

A satellite-based system for determining absolute location. Signup and view all the answers

What things typically use GPS?

Modern cars, phones, computers, airplanes, and trains. Signup and view all the answers

What is Distance Decay?

The effects of distance on interaction. Signup and view all the answers

Provide an example of Distance Decay.

France having a closer relationship with Germany than China. Signup and view all the answers

What is Expansion Diffusion?

The spread of an innovation or idea that grows larger. Signup and view all the answers

What three types of diffusion fit under the 'Expansion' category?

Contagious, Hierarchical, Stimulus. Signup and view all the answers

What is Contagious Diffusion?

The distance-controlled spreading of ideas through contact. Signup and view all the answers

Give an example of Contagious Diffusion.

Any illness or outbreak, except for HIV/AIDS. Signup and view all the answers

What is a Thematic Map?

Maps that tell stories about geographic phenomena. Signup and view all the answers

Is this an example of a Thematic Map: A map showing rainfall distribution?

True Signup and view all the answers

What is Movement in geography?

The mobility of people, goods, and ideas. Signup and view all the answers

Provide an example in history of Movement.

People migrating across the Bering Land Bridge. Signup and view all the answers

What is a Cultural Landscape?

A geographic area associated with cultural values. Signup and view all the answers

Give an example of a Cultural Landscape.

The Gettysburg battlefield. Signup and view all the answers

What is a Sequence Occupant?

The notion that successive societies leave cultural imprints. Signup and view all the answers

Provide an example of Sequence Occupant.

Alexandria, Egypt. Signup and view all the answers

What is the Fraction of Distance?

The increase in time and cost with distance. Signup and view all the answers

Give an example of Fraction of Distance.

It costs more to fly from Atlanta to Paris than from Atlanta to Boston. Signup and view all the answers

What is Latitude?

An imaginary line parallel to the equator. Signup and view all the answers

What is the name of the parallel at 0 degrees?

The Equator. Signup and view all the answers

What is Relocation Diffusion?

A process where diffusion occurs through migration. Signup and view all the answers

Provide an example of Relocation Diffusion.

The spread of the Spanish language to Latin America. Signup and view all the answers

What is Possibilism?

A viewpoint emphasizing human decision-making in cultural development. Signup and view all the answers

Provide a prime example of Possibilism.

A greenhouse. Signup and view all the answers

What is the 0-degree longitude called?

Prime Meridian. Signup and view all the answers

What city does the Prime Meridian cross through?

Greenwich, England. Signup and view all the answers

What is a Cartogram Map?

A map where thematic variables replace land area. Signup and view all the answers

Which map appears distorted due to size alterations?

A Cartogram Map. Signup and view all the answers

What is Relative Location?

The regional position of a place relative to others. Signup and view all the answers

Provide an example of Relative Location.

France is on the Northwest border of Spain. Signup and view all the answers

What is the International Date Line?

A line separating today from tomorrow. Signup and view all the answers

What is Cultural Ecology?

The study of human adaptations to environments. Signup and view all the answers

Give an example of adaptation in Cultural Ecology.

The Inuit using the entire seal. Signup and view all the answers

What is a Choropleth Map?

A map using shading to indicate average values. Signup and view all the answers

When may a Choropleth Map be used?

To describe and compare GDP of different regions. Signup and view all the answers

What is Time Space Convergence?

Accelerated movement of goods and information in the 20th century. Signup and view all the answers

What is a Hearth?

The area where an idea originates. Signup and view all the answers

Where is the hearth of Christianity?

Jerusalem. Signup and view all the answers

What is Independent Invention?

A trait with multiple cultural hearths developed independently. Signup and view all the answers

Give an example of Independent Invention.

The start-up of farming in ancient civilizations. Signup and view all the answers

What is the Mercator Projection?

A cylindrical map projection that distorts poles. Signup and view all the answers

What are the 5 Themes of Geography?

Location, human-environment, region, place, movement. Signup and view all the answers

What is Location in geography?

The geographic situation of people and things. Signup and view all the answers

What is Human Environment?

The reciprocal relationship between humans and their environment. Signup and view all the answers

What is Region in geography?

An area marked by formal, functional, or perceptual homogeneity. Signup and view all the answers

Define Place in geography.

The uniqueness of a location. Signup and view all the answers

What is a Reference Map?

Maps showing the absolute location of geographic features. Signup and view all the answers

What is a Graduated Symbol Map?

A map using size to represent differences in magnitude. Signup and view all the answers

What is Diffusion?

The spatial spreading of a culture element. Signup and view all the answers

What is Hierarchical Diffusion?

Diffusion spreading by passing among connected places. Signup and view all the answers

Give an example of Hierarchical Diffusion.

Fashion trends spreading from designers to society. Signup and view all the answers

What is an Isoline Map?

A map that joins similar areas with lines. Signup and view all the answers

What is Political Ecology?

Study of nature-society relations relating to environmental issues. Signup and view all the answers

What is Landscape Analysis?

A method to help make critical decisions. Signup and view all the answers

What is Distribution?

The frequency or occurrence of something. Signup and view all the answers

What is Distortion?

The action of giving a misleading account. Signup and view all the answers

What is Spatial Perspective?

The geographic concept of where things happen. Signup and view all the answers

What is a Functional Region?

A region defined by specific activities or interactions. Signup and view all the answers

Give an example of a Functional Region.

The European Union. Signup and view all the answers

What is Site in geography?

The internal physical attributes of a place. Signup and view all the answers

Provide an example of Site.

My house is on the coordinates (9.45, 7.85). Signup and view all the answers

What is Situation in geography?

The external location attributes of a place. Signup and view all the answers

Give an example of Situation.

Atlanta is in the northern part of Georgia. Signup and view all the answers

What is Longitude?

An imaginary line circling the Earth through the poles. Signup and view all the answers

What is Distance in geography?

Measurement of physical space between two places. Signup and view all the answers

What is Environmental Determinism?

The view that environment influences human life. Signup and view all the answers

What viewpoint states that civilizations thrive based on their environment?

Environmentalism or Environmental Determinism. Signup and view all the answers

What is a Formal Region?

A region marked by homogeneity in phenomena. Signup and view all the answers

What is Remote Sensing?

A method of collecting data from a distance. Signup and view all the answers

What is Scale in geography?

Representation of real-world phenomena at a reduced level. Signup and view all the answers

What does Spatial refer to?

Pertaining to space on the Earth's surface. Signup and view all the answers

What are World Regions?

Regions with common traits, such as Western Europe. Signup and view all the answers

What is the North Pole?

The northernmost point of the world. Signup and view all the answers

What is the South Pole?

The southernmost point of the Earth. Signup and view all the answers

What are Map Projections?

Representations of portions of the Earth's surface. Signup and view all the answers

What is Azimuthal/Polar Projection?

Map projection tangential to Earth's surface at poles or equator. Signup and view all the answers

What is Robinson Projection?

A map showing the entire world at once. Signup and view all the answers

What is Geospatial Data?

Information represented in a geographic coordinate system. Signup and view all the answers

What is Absolute Direction?

A compass direction such as North. Signup and view all the answers

What is Relative Direction?

Directional terms based on perception. Signup and view all the answers

What is a Vernacular Region?

Same as perceptual region. Signup and view all the answers

What is Stimulus Diffusion?

Cultural adaptation due to introduction of a trait. Signup and view all the answers

Give a common example of Stimulus Diffusion.

The Maharaja Mac. Signup and view all the answers

What is Geographic Perspective?

Understanding a topic using spatial features. Signup and view all the answers

What is Absolute Location?

The exact position expressed in latitude and longitude. Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

Globalization

Economic, political, and cultural processes expanding globally, impacting state boundaries.
Example: McDonald's as a global company influencing various cultures.

Perceptual Region

Conceptual regions that exist in thought rather than physical boundaries.
Example: "The South" in the United States.

Geographic Information System (GIS)

Computer hardware and software for collecting and analyzing spatial data.
GIS data is often organized in layers for user convenience.

Time Space Compression

Reflects the social and physical effects of rapid convergence of time and space, as associated with David Harvey.

Global Positioning System (GPS)

Satellite-based system used to determine exact locations on Earth.
Commonly found in modern cars, phones, computers, and various vehicles.

Distance Decay

Interaction decreases as distance increases.
Example: Closer relationships between France and Germany compared to France and China.

Expansion Diffusion

Spread of innovation or ideas resulting in a growing number of influenced populations.
Types include contagious, hierarchical, and stimulus diffusion.

Contagious Diffusion

Spreading of ideas or innovations through localized populations similarly to disease spread.
Example: General illness outbreaks (excluding HIV/AIDS).

Thematic Map

Maps that illustrate stories and highlight specific attributes or movement of geographical phenomena.

Movement

Theme of geography detailing the mobility of people, goods, and ideas across Earth.
Historical example: Migration of people across the Bering Land Bridge.

Cultural Landscape

Geographic areas associated with historic events or activities.
Example: Gettysburg battlefield.

Sequence Occupant

Concept that successive societies leave cultural imprints, contributing to a cumulative landscape.
Example: Alexandria, Egypt with Egyptian, Greek, and Roman influences.

Fraction of Distance

Increased time and cost associated with greater distances.
Example: Higher cost to fly from Atlanta to Paris versus Atlanta to Boston.

Latitude (Parallels)

Imaginary lines running east-west, measuring distance north or south of the equator.

Relocation Diffusion

Process where innovations spread as carrier agents relocate to new areas, notably seen in colonization.
Example: Spread of Spanish language and culture in Latin America.

Possibilism

Geographic viewpoint emphasizing human decision-making as critical for cultural development.

Prime Meridian

Longitude line at 0 degrees, passing through Greenwich, England.

Cartogram Map

Map type that distorts land area and distance based on thematic variables, creating a unique visual representation.

Relative Location

The situation of a place relative to others.
Example: France's location on the northwest border of Spain.

International Date Line

Divides today and tomorrow, mainly following the 180-degree meridian in the Bering Strait.

Cultural Ecology

Study of how humans adapt to social and physical environments.
Example: Inuit using every part of seals and whales due to scarcity in the Arctic.

Choropleth Map

Map using color or shading to depict values within predefined areas.
Used for comparing regional attributes like GDP.

Time Space Convergence

Accelerated movement of goods and ideas in the 20th century due to advancements in transport and communication.

Hearth

Geographic origin of an idea or cultural trait, notably Jerusalem for Christianity.

Independent Invention

Similar traits arising in multiple cultural hearths independently.
Example: Independent emergence of farming across ancient civilizations.

Mercator Projection

Distorts polar areas but is utilized for navigation due to straight lines representing constant compass directions.

5 Themes of Geography

Location, human-environment interaction, region, place, and movement are central themes identified by GENIP.

Site

Internal physical attributes of a place, such as its exact location and setting.
Example: Specific latitude and longitude coordinates of a house.

Situation

External attributes of a place, regarding its relative location to other places.
Example: Atlanta's positioning relative to Savannah.

Longitude

Lines circling the Earth, measuring angular distances from the Prime Meridian.

Environmental Determinism

Theory that the natural environment influences human development, including cultural aspects.

Formal Region

Areas with a degree of homogeneity in one or more phenomena.

Remote Sensing

Data collection method using instruments distanced from the area of study.

Scale

Representation level of real-world phenomena in reduced forms.

World Regions

Areas characterized by common traits, such as Western Europe.

Map Projections

Techniques for representing Earth's surface on a flat plane.

Geospatial Data

Information represented in numeric values within a geographic coordinate system, crucial for mapping.

Absolute Direction

Universal compass directions (North, South, etc.).

Relative Direction

Direction based on perception, such as left or right.

Vernacular Region

Synonymous with perceptual region, reflecting people's perceptions.

Stimulus Diffusion

Cultural adaptations arising from the introduction of traits from other places.
Example: Indian adaptation of the Maharaja Mac burger.

Geographic Perspective

Understanding topics by examining spatial features and relationships.

Absolute Location

Specific location of an item defined by latitude and longitude.

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Description

Test your knowledge of key terms and examples from Unit 1 of AP Human Geography. This quiz covers important concepts such as globalization and perceptual regions, providing definitions and real-world applications. Perfect for review and preparation for exams.