IHG - Introduction to Human Geography Module Overview

Introduction to Human Geography

Introduction

In the first unit we discussed physical geography and the factors that should be considered when selecting a location for settlement. Once humans are placed in an area, the location has the potential to change greatly.

Think back to your choice of a location and consider how the location could be very different depending on the people with whom you share the space. Do the people want to drastically change the area or do they want to preserve it and leave it more natural? Do they want to remove parts of it? What may seem like progress or a necessity to one person or group of people, may not seem ideal to another. 

Look at the lyrics below.

As you can see, perception is shaped by our culture and what we value.

Do you have a great deal in common with teens from your part of the world or region? Even if it does not seem like you do, you may have more in common with them than you would someone in another part of the world and there is an excellent reason for this. When you live in the same region of the world, it is more likely that you have similar experiences and that those experiences have shaped you.

Consider the following: Do you share a language, enjoy the same types of food, celebrate many of the same holidays, attend some of the same events as other teens in your region? Even if you have different religious or political beliefs, are you familiar with the prevailing religious and political beliefs of your region? Cultural similarities and knowledge develop through living in the same region. The similarities may even extend to having matching economic or environmental challenges.

When you leave your region, you may encounter people who are very different culturally, religiously, economically, environmentally, and politically. Take a look at the image of the space crew. Do the crew members look out of place? Do they look comfortable? If we all live on the same planet and require the same necessities to survive, why are we culturally different? This course will help you understand the reasons that others have developed the traditions, opinions, systems, and world views that they have. If you were to stay in a different culture for an extended period of time, you may start to assimilate and take on many of the traits or habits that are common in the region.

In this module, we will focus our attention on the distribution of human populations, cultures, religions, languages, political systems, and economies. Since the concepts learned in this unit will be revisited many times throughout the course, students should read the information and review the examples provided multiple times.

 

Essential Questions

• What physical factors encouraged the development of ancient civilizations?
• What is culture and how does it develop?
• What causes cultural diffusion?

 

Key Terms

• Agriculture - is the method of growing crops or trees or raising livestock that provides food and some raw materials.
• Climate - a region's weather conditions over an extended period of time.
• Civilizations - the development of advanced societies where people live together.
• Demography -  is the study of how human populations change over time and space.
• Domesticate - to tame an animal or cultivate a plant. Animals are often domesticated through breeding, to live in close association with human beings as a pet or work animal. This usually creates a dependency so that the animal loses its ability to live in the wild.
• Irrigation - a way to bring water to crops.
• Forage - to travel around gathering food. This could be in the form of plants or animals.
• Geography - the study of the Earth and the humans that inhabit it.
• Hearth - (pronounced harth) a hearth is a place in front of a fire. It is a symbol for someone's home or location of origin.
• Natural resources - elements of the Earth that are of use to people.
• Neolithic Revolution - is the term given to the development of agricultural societies.
• Sedentary - staying or living in one place instead of moving to different places.
• Settlement - a place where people establish a community or village.
• Technology - a useful process or thing that solves problems or improves processes.

 

 

 

 

 

 

About this Image: If it is cold and there is a fire in a nearby hearth, people will gather around the heat to stay warm. The hearth becomes a place for warmth, prepared food, and eventually, the development of culture. Since cultures developed around hearths or specific gathering points, the term "cultural hearth" is often used to describe the area from which a culture originated.

 

RESOURCES IN THIS MODULE ARE OPEN EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES (OER) OR CREATED BY GAVS UNLESS OTHERWISE NOTED. SOME IMAGES USED UNDER SUBSCRIPTION.