Introduction to AP Human Geography

Overview

• Exploration of the world as a home with diverse urban areas, fluctuating populations, and spreading cultures.
• Impact of climate and globalization on supply lines, economies, governments, and everyday life.
• Introduction to AP Human Geography course content.

Viewing the World

• Globes vs. Maps:
  • Globes: Not practical for daily use, don't show detailed boundaries.
  • Map Projections: Used instead of globes for practical purposes.

Map Projections

• Mercator Map Projection:

  • Used for naval expeditions due to accurate direction display.
  • Significant distortion in landmass size and location (e.g., Africa vs. Greenland).

• Distortion in Maps:

  • All map projections have some distortion - in direction, shape, area, or distance.

• Alternative Projections:

  • Good Homolosine Projection: Equal-area, shows size/shape well, but poor for direction.
  • Fuller Projection: Accurate size/shape, does not use cardinal directions.
  • Robinson Projection: Distortion at poles, maintains size/shape.
  • Winkle Triple Projection: Similar to Robinson, rounder shape.
  • Gall-Peters Projection: Accurate size, distorts shape/direction.

Categories of Maps

• Reference Maps:

  • Used for navigation and understanding geographical features.
  • Examples: Topographic maps for hiking, urban transport maps.

• Thematic Maps:

  • Display specific data patterns and trends.
  • Use quantitative data to tell a story about an area.

Types of Thematic Maps

• Choropleth Maps:

  • Use colors to show data (e.g., life expectancy by country).
  • Generalizations due to scale impact data perception.

• Dot Density Maps:

  • Use dots to represent data, show spatial distribution.
  • Effective for showing clustering.

• Graduated Symbol Maps:

  • Use symbols to show data location and amount.

• Isoline Maps:

  • Connect areas with equal data values (e.g., weather maps).

• Cartogram Maps:

  • Visual representation with size distortion by data value (e.g., organic agriculture).

• Flow Line Maps:

  • Show movement of goods/people (e.g., trade partners).

Understanding Maps

• Absolute vs. Relative:
  • Direction: Exact compass direction vs. situational reference.
  • Distance: Exact measurement vs. approximate time/direction.
  • Location: GPS coordinates vs. surrounding landmarks.

Conclusion

• Encouragement to review and engage with supplemental resources for deeper understanding.
• Reference to additional study resources available online.