Geography Basics
What two measurements give a place's absolute location on Earth?
Longitude and Latitude
What are the Five Themes of Geography?
Location, Place, Region, Movement, Human–Environment Interaction.
Explanation: These themes organize geographic study of where places are and how people and environments interact.
How many natural regions does Texas have? Name them.
Mountains and Basins; Great Plains; North Central Plains; Coastal Plains.
What is an artifact?
An object made or used by people.
Give one example of how people depend on nature
People depend on nature for water, food, energy, and building materials.
Define "region" and give one example from Texas
A region is an area with shared characteristics; example: coastal plains
Give an example from Pearland that shows the theme "Place."
Pearland's physical features (Gulf Coast climate, forests) and human features (city, roads, farms).
Explanation: Place includes both natural and human characteristics that describe Pearland.
Which region contains the Gulf Coast and wetlands?
Coastal Plains.
Explanation: The Coastal Plains are in eastern and southern Texas and include the Gulf Coast, forests, and marshes.
Define a primary source and give one example.
A primary source comes from the time being studied; example: an artifact, diary, map, or document from that period.
What is one example of people adapting to the environment in Texas
Using air conditioning in hot weather.
Name three physical features listed that geographers study
Rivers, mountains, climate
Explanation: physical features are natural
How does "Movement" affect Pearland according to the text? Name two ways.
Movement happens via roads and ports (also acceptable: railroads, airplanes, internet).
Explanation: Movement describes how people, goods, and ideas travel; Pearland uses roads and nearby ports for trade and travel.
Match the region to its description: Mountains and Basins; Great Plains; North Central Plains choose from: deserts and plateaus; broad open plains and grasslands; rolling prairies and wooded areas.
Mountains and Basins = deserts and plateaus; Great Plains = broad open plains and grasslands; North Central Plains = rolling prairies and wooded areas.
What is bias in a historical source? Give one way bias might affect our understanding of the past.
Bias means a source shows only one point of view or leaves out important people/events; it can make some events seem more or less important.
What is one example of people modifying the environment listed in the passage?
Building farms, roads, dams, houses, seawalls, irrigation canals, or reservoirs.
Explain the difference between latitude and longitude (include direction each measures).
Latitude measures north/south of the Equator; longitude measures east/west of the Prime Meridian.
Explanation: Lines of latitude run east–west but measure north–south; lines of longitude run north–south but measure east–west.
What is the difference between absolute location and relative location? Provide an example of each using Houston or Pearland.
Absolute location is exact coordinates (latitude/longitude). Relative location describes where a place is compared to another (Pearland is south of Houston and near the Gulf Coast).
Explanation: Absolute gives exact position; relative uses nearby places for description.
Which region is the Panhandle in, and what landform characteristics define it?
Great Plains; defined by broad, open plains and grasslands.
Explanation: The Panhandle is in far northwest Texas and has flat plains suited to ranching and farming.
Name three types of evidence historians use to explain the past, as listed in the text.
Artifacts, maps, oral histories (also acceptable: documents, buildings).
Explain one positive and one negative result of modifying the environment
Positive: reservoirs provide water for farming and cities. Negative: dams and reservoirs can harm ecosystems and reduce downstream water flow.
Describe why studying geography is useful for understanding how people live in Texas
Geography shows how landforms, climate, and water influence farming, industries, transportation, and city locations—for example, Coastal Plains support ports and farming while Mountains and Basins are dry and limit farming.
Explanation: Differences in rainfall, terrain, and water supply affect jobs, cities, and how people use the land.
Explain how the theme "Human-Environment Interaction" includes both adaptation and modification. Give one example of each from the passage.
Adaptation example: using air conditioning in hot weather. Modification example: building irrigation canals, reservoirs, dams, or seawalls.
Explanation: Adaptation changes how people live to fit the environment; modification changes the environment to suit human needs.
Compare two regions in terms of climate and how those differences affect jobs or industries
Coastal Plains are wetter and support ports, fishing, and farming; Mountains and Basins are dry deserts where ranching or limited farming is more common.
Explain why a secondary source might be useful and one limitation it could have compared to a primary source.
Useful because it analyzes and summarizes events for context; limitation: it may reflect the author's interpretation or contain bias and is not original to the time studied.
Using Pearland or Houston, describe a real-world plan that shows both adaptation and modification to local environmental conditions
Pearland adapts to hot, humid weather by using widespread air conditioning and building homes designed for warm climates. It modifies the environment by constructing roads, bridges, and drainage systems to manage water and support population growth. These changes help the city function but also alter natural waterways and land use.