Geography Terms Quiz

Study Notes

Geography and Time Concepts

Longitude: Vertical lines on the globe; measures distance east or west of the Prime Meridian.
Latitude: Horizontal lines on the globe; measures distance north or south of the equator.
Hemispheres: Earth is divided into northern and southern halves by the equator.
Equator: Imaginary line where temperatures are generally warmer due to proximity to the sun.
Prime Meridian: Divides the earth into eastern and western hemispheres as a reference for longitude.

5 Themes of Geography

Location: Describes a place using coordinates or relative position (e.g., US is south of Canada).
Place: Involves characteristics of the environment such as landforms, population, and culture.
Human-environment interaction: Refers to actions like land reclamation or environmental incidents.
Region: A collection of areas sharing at least one characteristic (e.g., French-speaking regions).
Movement: Focus on the transfer and migration of people, goods, and ideas.

Timekeeping Terminology

Era/Age: Defined as several hundred million years in a historical context.
BC/BCE: BC indicates years before Christ; BCE is a non-religious equivalent.
AD/CE: AD means Anno Domini ("in the year of our Lord"); CE is non-religious for Common Era.
Century: A span of 100 years.
Decade: A span of 10 years.

Human Interaction with History

Archaeology: Examines physical remains and artifacts to study human history.
Anthropology: Investigates human cultures, behaviors, and societies across time.
Paleontology: Studies fossils to understand the history of life on Earth.
Carbon Dating: Technique to determine the age of organic materials using Carbon-14.
Artifacts: Objects created or used by past human societies.

Human Evolution Overview

Paleolithic Era: Spanning from 2.5 million years ago to 10,000 BC, characterized by hunter-gatherer societies using basic stone and wood tools.
Neolithic Era: From 10,000 BC to 2,000 BC; marked by the domestication of plants and animals and more complex community structures.

Key Hominid Species

Australopithecus: Lived 3.9 to 2.9 million years ago; known for upright walking and small brain size.
Homo Habilis: Lived 2.1 to 1.5 million years ago; recognized as the "handyman" due to stone tools usage.
Homo Erectus: Existed from 1.9 million to 110,000 years ago; displayed advanced tool use and was the first hominid to migrate out of Africa.
Neanderthals: Existed 400,000 to 40,000 years ago; adapted to cold, had a large brain, and displayed cultural practices like burial rites and cave art.
Homo Sapiens: Emerged around 300,000 years ago; characterized by complex language, advanced tools, and art.

Neolithic Revolution

Domestication: Process of taming plants and animals for human use.
Slash and Burn: Land clearing technique that fertilizes soil for agriculture.
Surplus: Excess production leading to economic specialization.
Specialization of Labor: Division of tasks allows individuals to excel in specific roles.
Agricultural Revolution: Transition from hunter-gatherer societies to farming, starting around 10,000 BCE, resulting in permanent settlements.

Early Settlements

Jericho (Israel) and Aleppo (Syria): Among the oldest continuously inhabited cities.
Jarmo: Early neolithic village located in Southeast Asia.
Catalhuyuk (Turkey): Considered the world's first city with food surplus, prompting labor specialization and religious shrines.
Stonehenge: Ancient structure highlighting early agricultural society’s achievements.

Study Focus

Understand the sequence of early hominids and their unique contributions to human evolution and culture, emphasizing their similarities and differences, especially their first achievements.

Description

Test your knowledge on essential geography terms related to globes. This quiz covers concepts such as longitude, latitude, hemispheres, and the equator. Challenge yourself and see how well you understand the basic geographical principles!