GEOGRAPHY AND SOCIAL STUDIES SKILLS

QuestionsHow do historians (YOU) research the

past?What are primary and secondary sources?

Why We Study HistoryHistory and the other social sciences

provide a framework and way to study human cultures

History is the branch of knowledge dealing with the past

A historian in an expert in history

Why is it important to study the past and cultures from the past?

The Other Social SciencesAnthropology

the science that deals with the origins, physical and cultural development, biological characteristics, and social customs and beliefs of humankind.

Economicsthe science that deals with the production,

distribution, and consumption of goods and services, or the material welfare of humankind.

Geographythe study of the natural features of the earth's

surface, including topography, climate, soil, vegetation, etc, and man's response to them

Social Sciences Cont.Political Science

a social science dealing with political institutions and with the principles and conduct of government.

Psychologythe science of the mind or of mental states

and processes.Sociology

the science or study of the origin, development, organization, and functioning of human society

The Scientific MethodSince history is a

part of the social SCIENCES, we can study it using the scientific method

The scientific method isIdentify the problemForm a hypothesisDesign an experimentOrganize the resultsConclusion

How would we apply this to history?

Follow the steps of the scientific method to analyze the causes of the Civil War

The Five Themes of Geography

LocationPlaceHuman Environment Interaction

MovementRegion

LocationWhere a place is

ExactLatitude and

Longitude 43°18’N

73°34’WAddress

131 Notre Dame Street, Hudson Falls, NY 12839

RelativeWhere a place is

in relation to another Hudson Falls is

an hour north of Albany

PlaceWhat is it like

there?You identify a

place usingLandformsClimatePlantsAnimalsOr people

As of the census of 2000, there were 6,927 people, 2,876 households, and 1,760 families residing in the village. The population density was 3,763.5 people per square mile (1,453.5/km²). There were 3,120 housing units at an average density of 1,695.1 per square mile (654.7/km²). The racial makeup of the village was 97.91% White, 0.45% African American, 0.22% Native American, 0.25% Asian, 0.00% Pacific Islander, 0.16% from other races, and 1.02% from two or more races. 0.68% of the population is Hispanic or Latino of any race.[1]

The village is on the east bank of the Hudson River at the west border of Washington County, New York. A village green lies in the center of the commercial district.

Human Environment Interaction2 parts

How an environment affects peopleEskimos use the ice

around them to build igloos

Way people affect the environmentThe feeder canal was

built to bring water from the Hudson River to the Champlain Canal

MovementDeals with the

movement of people, goods, and ideas from place to placeCarsTrainsPlainsPhonesInternetImmigrationmigration

RegionAreas that share

common featuresCan be defined by 2

thingsGeography

The United States is in the Western Hemisphere

CultureThe U.S. is part of

the “English Speaking” world

The World

The 7 Continents

The 5 Oceans

The World’s Hemispheres

North America

The United States

New York State

Counties

Washington County

Hudson Falls

Size and Location

Almost as large entire continent of Europe› Only Russia, China, and Canada are larger

The 48 contiguous states stretch about 3,000 miles east to west and 1,200 north to south

Entire northern border is with Canada Southern border extends from the Gulf of

Mexico to the Pacific Ocean and shares 1,900 miles with Mexico

US RegionsThe United

States can be broken into 8 geographic regionsNew EnglandMiddle AtlanticMidwestSouthernSouthwestRocky MountainPacific CoastAlaska and

Hawaii

US ClimateAll 48 states on

the mainland are in the temperate or middle latitudesNorth of the

Tropic of Cancer 23° 30’

South of the Arctic Circle 66° 33’

The climate varies greatly within the country

Natural Resources

The US was able to become a leading industrial nation because it has a lot of natural resources

Gold and silver was found in western states and Alaska

However the presence of other natural resources like petroleum, natural gas, iron ore, and coal was more important to its long term economic success

LocationRemember, that location is both absolute and relativeAbsolute location is where a place is actually located.

Most precise way of finding absolute location is using latitude and longitude

Relative location is where a place is located in relation to other placesFor example the United States is located south of Canada

and north of MexicoRelative location can change over time

For much of its history the US felt relatively isolated from Europe and Asia

Changes in technology made relative locations much closer over time

LatitudeThe latitude of a location

is the distance of that place south or north of the equator

Latitude is usually measured in degrees

The equator has a latitude of 0°, the North pole is 90° north, and the South pole is 90° south.

Each line of latitude is actually a circle and run parallel to the equator

LongitudeLongitude is a measurement that

specifies the east or west position of a location on the earth’s surface

It is also measured in degreesLongitude runs in lines running

from the North Pole to the South Pole

Lines of longitude can also be called Meridians

The Prime Meridian is 0° longitude and passes through the Royal Observatory in Greenwich, England

Using Latitude and LongitudeTo find a specific location using latitude and

longitude, all you need to do is see what degrees of each a place is and then see where the two lines meet