Human Geography Lecture 1: Preclassical Geography

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Questions and Answers

Which civilization is noted for producing the earliest geographic maps around 4000 BCE?

  • Indus Valley Civilization
  • Chinese Civilization
  • Mesopotamian Civilization (correct)
  • Egyptian Civilization

Who is often referred to as the father of geography for coining the term and contributing significant works?

  • Hipparchus
  • Strabo
  • Herodotus
  • Eratosthenes (correct)

Which Greek scholar explored the relationships between latitude, climate, and population density?

  • Eratosthenes
  • Ptolemy
  • Herodotus
  • Aristotle (correct)

What significant contribution did Eratosthenes make in the second century BCE?

<p>Calculated the Earth's circumference (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is Strabo's major work that summarized Greek geographic tradition?

<p>Geographia (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Which area did Ptolemy's world map mainly improve upon compared to earlier maps?

<p>Map accuracy and the use of grid lines (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What was the primary focus of geography in ancient Rome in comparison to earlier Greek contributions?

<p>Limited expansion of geographic knowledge (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Which civilization made significant geographic advances between the Greek era and the fifteenth century?

<p>Islamic World (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What role did civil servants play in ancient Chinese geography?

<p>They were the first Chinese map-makers. (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

How did the early Chinese understanding of geography differ from that in Europe?

<p>It considered individuals as part of nature. (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Which Islamic geographer corrected many of Ptolemy’s errors?

<p>Al-Idrisi (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What was a key contribution of ibn-Khaldun to geography?

<p>He wrote about the relationship between humans and their environment. (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What significant geographic advancement did Islamic geographers achieve by the ninth century?

<p>Recalculating the circumference of the Earth. (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What can be inferred about maps in ancient China based on their creation by civil servants?

<p>They served as tools for political representation. (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

In what century was the religion of Islam founded?

<p>Seventh century CE (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Which notable atlas was discovered in an unknown private collection in 2002?

<p>An Arabic atlas (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What was the original military purpose of the agency referenced in the content?

<p>To map Scotland after the Jacobite rising (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Which scholar is associated with the concept of environmental determinism?

<p>Friedrich Ratzel (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What does géographie Vidalienne emphasize?

<p>The relationship between humans and their land (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What was the main focus of Otto Schlüter's work?

<p>Relationships between people and environment (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

How did the scholars Vidal, Schlüter, and Sauer view environmental determinism?

<p>As a discredited theory (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

When was environmental determinism popularized?

<p>In the first half of the twentieth century (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is the focus of landscape geography as introduced by Carl Sauer?

<p>The transformation of physical landscape by cultural groups (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Which geographical society was founded in London?

<p>Geographical Society of London (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What was a significant impact of the 15th-century European exploratory activity?

<p>Expansion of trade routes and spread of Christianity (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

How did the use of printing technology influence map production in Europe?

<p>It allowed for rapid dissemination of geographical information (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following describes the shift in map-making during the early phase of European overseas exploration?

<p>A focus on meaningful geographical representation emerged (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What was the significance of Gerardus Mercator's 1569 projection?

<p>It provided a method for accurately representing the sphere on a flat surface (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What was the purpose of the centers of geographic analysis initiated by Prince Henry of Portugal?

<p>To teach navigation techniques and analyze geographic questions (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What marked the importance of map-making in governmental responsibility during the late 18th century?

<p>Governments began to take on map-making tasks (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Which map was described as the first modern atlas and who produced it?

<p>The Theatrum Orbis Terrarum, created by Abraham Ortelius (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What distinguishes maps from the fifteenth century onward from medieval maps?

<p>Factual representation with latitude and longitude (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What perspective asserts that human activity is influenced by both physical environments and human choices?

<p>Possibilism (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What concept has landscape studies integrated since the 1970s alongside human geography?

<p>Postmodernism (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Which German geographer contributed to the development of regional geography during the nineteenth century?

<p>Richthofen (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What term did Richard Hartshorne use to describe geography focusing on the study of regions?

<p>Areal differentiation (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What feature differentiates contemporary landscape geography from earlier studies?

<p>Inclusion of symbolic features (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What did regional geography, or chorology, primarily seek to define during the nineteenth century?

<p>Natural regions (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Which geographer proposed an outline of the world's natural regions in 1905?

<p>A.J. Herbertson (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What has contemporary landscape geography recognized about landscapes?

<p>They reflect and influence socio-economic processes. (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

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Study Notes

Preclassical Geography

  • Earliest maps served to convey spatial information on resources, wildlife, and threats.
  • First civilization in Mesopotamia (Iraq), around 4000 BCE, used clay tablet maps for local area depiction.
  • Similar map-making existed in the Nile Valley, Indus Valley, China, Greece, and Olmec regions.

Classical Geography

  • Greek colonization around 1000 BCE marked a shift in geographic understanding and map-making.
  • Greek literary tradition involved detailed world descriptions by scholars like Herodotus and Aristotle.
  • Eratosthenes coined the term 'geography' and estimated the Earth's circumference, seen as the father of geography.

Contributions of Classical Scholars

  • Strabo summarized Greek geographic thought in "Geographia," detailing Europe, Asia, and Africa.
  • Hipparchus introduced a grid system of longitude and latitude for improved map accuracy.
  • Ptolemy's world map in the second century CE, despite errors, marked a significant step in mapping processes.

Geography in China

  • Significant geographic advancements occurred from the Greek era into the 15th century in China.
  • Chinese writings on geography date back to the fifth century BCE, with explorations predating Marco Polo.
  • Chinese geography integrated human and natural elements, contrasting with European perspectives.

Chinese Map-Making

  • Maps became vital during the Han dynasty, created by civil servants for state territorial assertion.
  • Symbolic maps reflected political power and control during ancient China.

Geography in the Islamic World

  • Islam emerged in the seventh century CE, promoting the unity of previously disparate tribes.
  • Islamic civilization flourished during Europe’s Dark Ages, expanding geographic knowledge across regions.
  • By the ninth century, Islamic geographers recalculated the Earth's circumference.

Notable Islamic Geographers

  • Al-Idrisi produced works that corrected Ptolemy’s errors, while Ibn-Battuta explored extensively in the 14th century.
  • Ibn-Khaldun's writings analyzed human-environment relationships, marking a shift in geographic thought.

Rediscovery of Islamic Maps

  • An 11th-century Arabic atlas was discovered in 2002, revealing significant insights into historical cartography.
  • Maps included practical travel routes, differing from previous representations aimed at actual landscapes.

Age of European Overseas Movement

  • In the 15th century, European exploration surged due to religious, trade, and technological motivations.
  • Printing technology revolutionized map dissemination starting in 1472.
  • Prince Henry of Portugal established geographic analysis centers, propelling navigation and exploration.

European Mapping Advances

  • The transition from church-dominated science to empirical geographic knowledge supported exploratory needs.
  • Maps from the 15th century onward prioritized factual accuracy and included longitude and latitude grids.
  • Gerardus Mercator’s projection (1569) became essential for maritime navigation.

Advances in Map-Making

  • Governments began overseeing map-making, exemplified by England's Ordnance Survey founded in 1791.
  • 18th-century developments allowed for detailed topographic maps through precise survey techniques.
  • Geographic societies proliferated in major cities, fostering exploration and map production.

Physical Geography and Environmental Determinism

  • Friedrich Ratzel's environmental determinism highlighted the impact of physical geography on human landscapes.
  • This view gained popularity in the early 20th century but has been largely discredited for oversimplifying complex relationships.

Humans and Land

  • Key figures: Paul Vidal de la Blache, Otto Schlüter, and Carl Sauer, advanced the understanding of human-land dynamics.
  • Vidal's géographie Vidalienne emphasized human relationships with land; Schlüter founded landscape science.
  • Sauer's work on landscape geography illustrated human cultural impacts on physical environments.

Shift from Environmental Determinism

  • These scholars collectively advocated for possibilism, suggesting that choices influence human activities beyond physical limits.
  • Focus on human-land relations gained traction, emphasizing varied human landscapes in similar environments.

Evolving Landscape Studies

  • Since 1970, studies have integrated diverse theoretical perspectives, including humanism, Marxism, and postmodernism.
  • Contemporary landscape geography examines both visible and symbolic features reflecting cultural and social processes.

Regional Studies and Chorology

  • Regional geography, or chorology, was central in the 19th century, defining geographical regions.
  • German geographers influenced American geography, highlighting the task of delineating regions.
  • Richard Hartshorne's 1939 work strengthened the concept of geography as the study of areal differentiation.

Legacy of Regional Focus

  • Hartshorne's arguments for studying regions dominated geographical thought until around the mid-1950s.

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