d:\pb48366\geo201\chap1-98.not
GEOG 201
STUDY NOTES
CHAPTER 1
Periodically during the quarter I will post study notes to supplement Rubenstien's book. These are not to replace your own note taking, reading or studying but rather as an additional supplement. Realize that these will cover major points on a topic, but certainly not everything.
Note how Rubenstien organizes his chapters with a series of Key Issues. In this chapter there are 4 points which are setting the stage for the remainder of the book. However, hidden before point 1 is a brief introduction that includes Rubenstien's definition of Geography. Take some time, read his definition and then compare it to any other definitions provided in class. You should be able to note that all these definitions are basically saying the same thing but they do use different words.
A second point to note here is that sometimes Rubenstien's most important information is contained outside of his major "key issues" (i.e. if geography is not defined, then any further discussion of it is meaningless), thus be sure to read everything in a chapter.
I. Historical
- Note the relationship between the rise/decline of civilizations and the rise/decline of geography. When we need geography because our "world" has expanded we devote more scholarship to it. Today a favorite buzz word is "globalization" of industry and "multiculturalism". More and more we are entering an age of global interdependency as well as local multi-ethnic interdependency.
- According to Rubenstein two great schools of thought have arisen in geography what are they?
Human-Environment (i.e. man-land)
Regional Studies (note in class we divided this into Spatial and Area studies traditions)
- Development of geography as a science -- what was the false start with Environmental Determinism? What is Environmental Possiblism?
- Regional studies -- its past shortcoming was only answering the "WHERE" portion of geography in great detail, now it includes the "WHY" of spatial interaction and the boundaries of the region might be the entire world.
II. Where
-Be sure you are familiar with Toponym, Site, Situation, Mathematical Location.
-ASIDE: Toponym's tend to follow a historical progression of naming things, this enables us to determine who first arrived and who arrived last and also their relative political ascendancy
Generally naming is based on the following historical progression
1. Natural features (note the remaining Salish names in our region, followed by names left by the Vancouver Expedition, for example Lake Whatcom and Bellingham Bay)
2. Settlements (the lack of large permanent Native American settlements, left this task to primarily European & American settlers)
3. Roads (In Bellingham primarily a late 19th early 20th century task -- note the prominence of State names and even a section of town where streets are named after the Great Lakes (where do you think these people came from))
4. Parks, Schools, Public Facilities,... (primarily a 20th century to recent task -- note the recent name change from Washington National Airport the Ronald Reagan Airport)
5. Anything that's left over or added (in Seattle we now have the "Gov. Rosaylene Bridge at Evergreen Point" rather than the original Evergreen Point Bridge or the Seattle First Arena at the Hec Edmunson Pavilion some day we might have '" your name here" Recycling Bin in the President Morse Coffee Shop at the Viking Addition of the Western Student Union" )
-CLICK HERE FOR DISCUSSION NOTES ON THE U.S LAND ORDINANCE OF 1785
-Read about Maps, scales, projections, and the projection used in the book and why that was chosen
-Know spatial distribution -- density, concentration, pattern (that is be able to recognize the difference)
III. Human - Environment
- Know what spatial association refers to and how Possiblism has replaced Determinism
- There are a number of examples of how the environment effects human settlement patterns, read through these
- A second set of examples are given of how humans can effect the environment. Note that Rubenstien thinks that the Dutch have done a very good job of this and the people of Florida a very bad job.
- Class Notes for: Edward the third; A Taxing Situation click here for further information
IV. Regional Approach
- Know the three methods of defining a region; formal (uniform), functional (nodal), & vernacular
Which of these is Whatcom County?
Which one is the market area for the Bellingham Herald?
Which one is the International District in Seattle?
- Integration -- note this refers to how a series of characteristics are or are not integrated together into a local culture, be it social, economic, political,... Realize that culture encompasses a very complex variety of human characteristics.
Additionally,
(1) distinct landscapes emerge from a culture,
(2) a variety of social forms result as does the impact on the
landscape,
(3) technology & material expression are reflected in the landscape.
- Diffusion (THIS IS A VERY KEY CONCEPT THROUGHOUT THIS BOOK) -- this refers to the spread of characteristics over the landscape. A number of important points include:
(1) Hearth area (origin)
(2) Diffusion type
a. relocation
b. expansion
c. hierarchical
d. contagious
e. stimulus
- Interaction -- spatial interaction, note how this relates back to integration and diffusion. Two key points under this are:
(1) Distance decay
(2) Acculturation
V. ALWAYS READ THE SUMMARY AT THE END
____________________________________________________________________________
SPECIAL NOTE ON LABS, QUIZZES, AND EXAMS
____________________________________________________________________________
1. For all of these activities ALWAYS bring at least one sharp #2 PENCIL to fill-in the scantron.
2. For the labs, quizzes, and exams always bring a calculator (even if you think you won't need it -- better to have it one time extra than one time too few).
3. For class always bring your textbook and notes. You may need to refer to these materials.
4. For the lab always bring extra paper.