United States History Student Edition

The Five Themes of Geography are: 1. LOCATION—“Where is it?” Every place has an absolute location and a relative location. Absolute location refers to the exact spot on Earth’s surface. Relative location tells where a place is, compared with one or more other places. Knowing a place’s relative location may help a historian understand how it was settled and how its culture developed. 2. PLACE—“What is it like?” Place describes all the characteristics that give an area its own special quality. These can be physical characteristics, such as mountains, waterways, climate, and plant or animal life. Places can also be described by human characteristics, such as language, religion, and architecture. 3. HUMAN/ENVIRONMENT INTERACTION— “What is the relationship between people and their surroundings?” Landforms, waterways, climate, and natural resources all have helped or hindered human activities. People have responded to their environment, or natural surroundings, in different ways. Sometimes they have adjusted to it or changed it to meet their needs. 4. MOVEMENT—“How do people in one area affect people in other areas?” Historians answer this question with the theme of movement. Throughout history, people, ideas, absolute location the exact location on Earth’s surface relative location the location of a place compared with one or more other places

goods, and information have moved from place to place. This has increased the exchange of ideas and cultures. 5. REGION—“What common features does a certain area share?” Historians often view areas as regions. A region is defined by common features. Regions can be defined by physical features, such as mountains and rivers, or by human features, such as religion, language, or livelihood. The Six Essential Elements The Five Themes are one way of thinking about geography. Geographers have also developed a slightly different way of studying geography. The Six Essential Elements help them organize their studies. The Environment and People The relationship between people and their surroundings is an important one. Landforms, waterways, climate, plants, animals and natural resources are part of a region's ecosystem . How people decide to use their surroundings and renewable and non-renewable resources can effect life in the ecosystem for decades or more. People settle in places, and once there change their environment and use resources to suit them. For example, people create cities with region a broad geographic area with a common feature ecosystem a geographic area where plants, animals, and landforms work together

THE SIX ESSENTIAL ELEMENTS Element

Definition

The World in Spatial Terms Geography is the study of the location and spatial relationships among people, places, and environments. Maps reveal the complex spatial interactions.

The identities of individuals and peoples are rooted in places and regions. Distinctive combinations of human and physical characteristics define places and regions. Physical processes, such as wind and ocean currents, plate tectonics, and the water cycle, shape the Earth’s surface and change ecosystems. Human systems are things such as language, religion, and ways of life. They also include how groups of people govern themselves and how they make and trade products and ideas.

Places and Regions

Physical Systems

Human Systems

Environment and Society Geography studies how the environment of a place helps shape people’s lives. Geography also looks at how people affect the environment in positive and negative ways. The Uses of Geography Understanding geography and knowing how to use its tools and technologies helps people make good decisions about the world and prepares people for rewarding careers. HT28