Geography Basics
What is geography?
The study of Earth’s physical features, climate, people, and how they interact.
What were the three countries that the explorers came from?
Spain, England, Portugal, France
What was the purpose of the Line of Demarcation?
To prevent conflict by dividing land between Spain and Portugal
What was the trend the French were late to?
Exploration because they were very much involved in European politics
What are the two non-contiguous U.S. states? What is the reason for their name?
Alaska and Hawaii; they are not connected to the other 48 states
What was the name of the continents when they were all connected?
Pangea
What were two technologies that helped explorers travel at sea?
Compass and astrolabe
What was the Treaty of Tordesillas?
Portugal rejected where the original line was placed, so they came to an agreement with Spain to move the line further west.
Who was Sir Francis Drake, and what was his achievement for England?
He was a pirate and he defeated the Spanish and led England to become the most powerful navy in the world.
What is a peninsula, and which U.S. region includes a peninsula state?
Land surrounded by water on three sides; the Southeast (Florida).
What were two main tools that geographers used to study the Earth?
Maps and Globes
What were three main motives for European exploration?
To gain wealth, power, and find new trade routes.
Who was the Spanish explorer who conquered present-day Puerto Rico, and what did he “discover”?
Juan Ponce de Leon, "discovered" Florida
Who was the first person to record land in Australia?
Willem Janszoon
Why is the Heartland called the “Breadbasket of America”?
Because it produces large amounts of crops and food (corn and wheat)
What is the equator, and what does it divide?
An imaginary line that divides Earth into the Northern and Southern Hemispheres
What was the reason why land trade between Asia and Western Europe became dangerous in the 1300s?
Because of wars, bandits, and fighting over land
Who was the Portuguese explorer who established a direct sea route from Europe to Asia?
Vasco da Gama
What was New York's original name, and who was its governor at that time?
New Amsterdam; Peter Stuyvesant
What are the two major mountain ranges around the Mexican Plateau?
Sierra Madre Occidental and Sierra Madre Oriental
What is the difference between latitude and longitude lines?
Latitude lines run east–west; longitude lines run north–south
What was the Transatlantic Slave Trade?
The forced transportation of enslaved Africans to the Americas
Which country began stealing Spanish gold and settlements? What were the people who were doing this called?
England; Pirates
What was the Northwest Passage?
A potential shortcut through the newly found continent of Northwest America to Asia
What is the difference between Canada's provinces and territories?
Provinces have their own constitutional power, while Territories follow the rules set by the Canadian Parliament.