2. GEOGRAPHY OF THE AMERICA’S:
*Understanding geography is important to our understanding of the past and present.
-Geography is linked to history.
-To understand history, you must understand geography.
-All of human history has taken place in and is influenced by the environment we live in.
-The environment a person lives in affects the development of their culture.
Question: What do all 3 events have in common?
General George Washington at
Valley Forge in 1777. Erie Canal in New York in the 1800’s.
Columbus landing in
New World in 1492.
Answer: ALL 3 took place in the environment.
3. GEOGRAPHY:
GEOGRAPHY: The study of the
physical, biological, and cultural
features of the Earth’s surface.
●Geography is the environment in
which we live. Rivers and mountains are
physical or geographic features.
ENVIRONMENT: The surroundings in
which we live. Gold,
trees, and
cotton are
●Geography includes: examples
1. Physical/geographic features of natural
2. Human, animal, and plant life resources.
3. Weather
4. Climate
5. Natural resources
Plants and
animals are part
of the geography.
4. PHYSICAL FEATURES: (LANDFORMS, Mountains
GEOGRAPHICAL FEATURES) -Features on
the Earth’s surface such as mountains, rivers,
lakes, and deserts.
Lakes
Desert
Rivers
NATURAL RESOURCES: Materials humans
take from the environment to use to survive. Logs
Ex: Plants, Trees, Oil, Water, Soil
Oil
Soil for
growing
crops.
5. WEATHER: The condition of the Lightening Storm
Earth’s atmosphere at a given time and
place.
-What it is doing right now outside!
-Sunny, rainy, snowy, cloudy, hot,
cold, dry, wet…… Rainy Day
The Earth can be divided into
climate zones. Each zone has a
unique climate or average
weather over a period of time.
Cloudy Day
Hot Sunny Day
Snowy Day
CLIMATE: The average weather of a
place over a period of 20-30 years.
-Made up of temperature and
precipitation (rain, snow, sleet, hail)
6. Quick Check Quiz #1:
Directions: Answer the following questions and write your answers on the correct line in your student packet.
1. In order to understand and comprehend history and historical events, you must:
a. understand economics c. understand geography
b. understand religious beliefs d. understand different cultures
2. Which of the following has the largest influence or affect on the development of a person or groups
culture?
a. environment c. physical features
b. natural resources d. weather
3. Which of the following terms describes the surroundings in which we live?
a. geography c. natural resources
b. environment d. climate
4. Which of the following terms describes features on the Earth’s surface such as mountains and rivers?
a. natural resources c. geography
b. weather d. physical features
7. 5 Themes of Geography:
Typical New England Colonial Village in the
●To understand geography, historians
1600-1700’s.
study the 5 Themes of Geography.
1. Location: Uses Latitude and
Longitude lines on maps.
2. Place:
3. Interaction Between People and
Their Environment:
4. Movement:
5. Region:
1. Location: Tells where a place is.
A. Relative Location: Tells where a
place is in relation to another place.
Example: Gloversville is 1 hour
northwest of Albany, New York.
Example: The school is to the right
of the covered bridge.
Example: The Inn is next to the
Minister’s House.
8. B. Exact (Absolute) Location: Tells where a place is by using Latitude and
Longitude lines on maps.
LATITUDE: Lines on a map that measure distance north and south from the Equator.
LONGITUDE: Lines on a map that measure distance east and west from the Prime
Meridian.
Longitude: Lines that run north and
Latitude: Lines that run east and west
south and are located west (left) and
and are located north (above) and
east (right) of the Prime Meridian.
south (below) of the equator.
They run up and down the map.
Equator
Prime
Meridian
9. When you combine the two sets of lines, you get a grid. This allows you to find exact or
absolute locations on the Earth’s surface.
10. UNDERSTANDING GEOGRAPHY: AMERICA’S LOCATION:
●The United States is part of the continent of North America.
●North America is one of the seven continents on the Earth.
3
1 5
4
6 2
7
12. Quick Check Quiz #2:
Directions: Answer the following questions and write your answers on the correct line in your student packet.
1. If I said that Gloversville is 10 minutes east of Johnstown, I would be using which of the following?
a. region c. exact (absolute) location
b. place d. relative location
2. Using lines of latitude and longitude are part which of the following?
a. exact (absolute) location b. relative location
3. The United States is part of which continent?
a. South America c. Africa
b. Europe d. North America
4. The United States is in which hemisphere or hemispheres?
a. Northern c. Northern and Western
b. Western d. Eastern and Western
13. 2. Place: Describes an area’s physical and human features.
A. Physical Features: (LANDFORMS, GEOGRAPHICAL FEATURES)
Mountains
Rivers and Lakes
Forests
All of these are things found in nature that are natural.
Jobs
B. Human Features: Houses, transportation, jobs,
language, and religion.
Buildings
Cities
Vehicles
All of these are man made things that are not found in
nature without being made by man.
14. 3. Interaction Between People and Their Environment: Vineyard
A. People adapt to their environment by
changing the way they live in order to survive.
B. People change the environment by
physically changing it.
●As humans, we can either change our environment,
or we have to change to fit into it.
This picture shows land that has been
cleared by humans in order to plant and
grow crops. Clearing land and planting
crops is an example of humans changing
the environment to suit our needs.
Sometimes, humans cannot change the environment.
Therefore, humans need to change to fit into and
survive in the environment. For example, we cannot
change mountains or stop snow from falling.
Therefore, we need to change to survive.
4. Movement: Movement of people, goods, and ideas.
5. Regions: An area with certain unifying characteristics.
-Physical or human.
15. POLITICAL/SOCIAL REGIONS OF THE UNITED STATES:
The United States is broken down into 6 general sections. This breakdown is for
political/social purposes.
1. Northeast 3. Midwest 5. Mountain States
2. Southeast 4. Southwest 6. West
Mountain Northeast
States
Midwest
West
Southeast
Southwest
16. MAP: A representation of the features of the Earth or part of the Earth.
1. TYPES OF MAPS: There are 2 main types of maps; physical and political maps.
PHYSICAL MAP: POLITICAL MAP:
A map that shows landforms A map that shows states, national
on the surface of the Earth. boundaries, cities, capitals, roads,
and other human features.
17. 2. PARTS OF A MAP: All maps have 4 basic parts.
A. Title
B. Legend/Key
C. Scale
D. Compass Rose
18. Quick Check Quiz #3:
Directions: Answer the following questions and write your answers on the correct line in your student packet.
1. “Interaction Between People and Their Environment” can be seen in which of the following situations?
a. you turn on the tv to watch sports c. you read a book about a president
b. you put on a sweatshirt because it is cold outside d. you go to bed because you are tired
2. Cutting down trees to build houses, planting crops in a field, and building a dam to create a lake are
examples of which theme of geography?
a. location b. interaction between people and their environment
b. place c. movement
3. Which of the following types of maps shows landforms on the surface of the Earth?
a. political map c. demographic map
b. natural resource map d. physical map
4. Which of the following is a part of a map?
a. compass rose c. legend/key
b. scale d. all of the above
