Five Themes of Geography

Five Themes of Geography- 9RL

Geography is the study of people, their environments, and their resources. Geographers ask how the natural environment affects the way we live and how we, in turn, affect the environment. Geography is closely linked to history. Both historians and geographers want to understand how the natural environment affects people and events. To help show these connections, geographers have developed five themes: location, place, interaction between people and their environment, movement, and regions.

Location:  

Often, the most basic question we ask about an event is, “Where did it happen?” The answer to this question involves the geographic theme of location. There are two types of location: exact and relative. To describe the exact location of a place, geographers use a grid of numbered lines on a map or globe. Lines of latitude measure distance north and south from the Equator. The Equator is an imaginary line that lies at 0° (degrees) latitude. It divides the Earth into two halves, called hemispheres. Lines of longitude measure distance east and west from the Prime Meridian, which runs through Greenwich, England. For example, the city of San Antonio, Texas, is located at 29 degrees (°) north latitude and 99 degrees (°) west longitude. This location is written as 29°N/99°W. In the same way, New York City is located at 41°N/74°W. Sometimes, you will find it more useful to know relative location, or the location of a place in relation to some other place. For example, San Antonio is about 125 miles from the Mexican border. New York City is located where the Hudson River empties into the Atlantic Ocean. Relative location can help explain why people settled in certain areas or why battles took place at certain places.

Place:  

Geographers use the theme of place to describe an area's physical and human features. Physical features include climate, soil, vegetation, animal life, and bodies of water. One of the most important aspects of a place is its natural resources, materials that humans can take from the environment to survive and satisfy their needs. For example, a mountain range may contain reserves of coal or iron, while a nearby river or ocean may supply fish. People help shape the character of a place through their ideas and actions. The human features of a place include the kinds of houses people build, their means of transportation, their ways of earning a living, their languages, and their religions.

Human/Environment Interaction:  

Interaction between people and their environment is a third theme of geography. Throughout history, people have adapted to and changed their natural surroundings. Ancient American hunters learned to plant seeds and grow food crops. This adaptation meant they no longer had to move from place to place in search of food. Later, Native Americans in the Southwest developed methods of irrigation, or bringing water to dry lands. By digging ditches that channeled water from the Salt and Gila rivers, they turned arid, unproductive desert into farmland. Today, advanced technology allows people to change their environment in even more dramatic ways. People have wiped out pests that destroyed crops and found ways to take oil from the ocean floor.

Movement:  

A fourth geographic theme involves the movement of people, goods, and ideas. Movement occurs because people and resources are scattered unevenly around the globe. To get what they need or want, people travel from place to place. As they meet other people, they exchange ideas and technology as well as goods. History provides many examples of movement. Early hunters populated the Americas as they followed herds of large animals. Much later, people from all over the world moved to the United States in search of opportunity or liberty. They brought customs and beliefs that have helped shape American life.

Regions:  

A region has certain unifying characteristics. It may be defined by its physical characteristics, such as its climates or landforms. For example, the Great Plains is a region with fairly level land, hot summers, cold winters, and little rainfall. In the 1930s, when parts of the plains were hit by drought, the region was called the “Dust Bowl.” The Pacific Coast region is known for rugged mountains, dense forests, and scenic ocean shores. A region's characteristics may also be human and cultural. San Francisco's Chinatown is a region where Chinese Americans have preserved their language and culture. Bourbon Street in the city of New Orleans is associated with jazz.