Unit 1 Study Guide – Geography and Early Human
Geography
a. Be able to correctly label each of the following on a world map:
1. each of the seven continents
2. each of the four oceans
3. Equator
4. Prime Meridian
5. lines of latitude
6. lines of longitude
b. Line of latitude are used to measure distance north and south of the Equator.
c. Lines of longitude are used to measure distance east and west of the Prime Meridian.
d. Know how to locate a place on a map using longitude and latitude coordinates.
e. What are the five themes of geography?
1) location, 2) movement, 3) human/environment interaction, 4) place and 5) region
f. What is the difference between absolute and relative location?
The absolute location of something is its exact location on the earth’s surface (often
indicated through latitude and longitude coordinates).
The relative location of something is its location in relation to other places. For example: I live
between the school and the library.
g. Be able to provide and identify examples of absolute location, relative location and
human/environment interaction.
h. BCE stands for Before Common Era.
i. BC stands for Before Christ.
j. AD stands for Anno Domini.
k. CE stands for Common Era.
l. BCE is interchangeable with BC.
m. AD is interchangeable with CE.
n. Which are we currently living in – BCE or CE? CE
o. Know how to plot dates on a timeline.
Archaeology
a. What is an archaeologist?
a person who studies past cultures by locating and analyzing human remains,
settlements,fossils and artifacts (man-made objects)
b. What is an artifact?
a man-made object, things that are left behind by past peoples
c. What is carbon dating AND why do archeologists use it?
Carbon dating is a technique that uses the decay of carbon to estimate how old an
object is. It can be used to date objects that contain organic material (included in the
bodies of plants and animals) up to about 60,000 years in age.
d. What are four examples of ancient sites studied by archaeologists that we learned about in
class AND where is each located? Be able to locate each site on a map AND know the names of
the present-day countries/areas where each is located.
1. Lascaux Cave Paintings – located in France
2. Stonehenge – located in present-day England
3. CatalHöyük – located in Anatolia (present-day Turkey)
4. Ur - located in the Fertile Crescent (present day Iraqi)
Paleolithic Era and Neolithic Era
a. Where and when did homo sapiens originate?
East Africa, between 100,000 and 400,000 years ago
b. What migration route out of Africa did homo sapiens follow?
from Africa, into Eurasia (Europe and Asia), to Australia and then to the Americas
c. What term is used to describe the time prior to the invention of writing?
prehistoric
d. Where and during which historical time period was the cave art in the following images created?
Lascaux, France
Paleolithic Era
e. Identify whether each of the following is true of Neolithic Era (N) and societies during that era or
thePaleolithic Era (P) and societies during that era.
1. were nomadicP
2. lived in small clans P
3. lasted from about 8000 B.C.E. to about 4500-2000 B.C.E. N
4. invented simple toolsP
5. used advanced tools N
6. made and learned how to use fire P
7. developed agriculture N
8. domesticated animalsN
9.more likely to settle in one locationN
10. developed weaving skillsN
11. developed pottery skillsN
12. invented simple weapons P
13. developed oral language P
14. lasted from about 2.5 million B.C.E. to 8000 B.C.E.P
15. created cave art P
16. agricultural revolution occurred N
17. developed irrigation techniques N
18. were hunter/gatherers P
19. migrated in search of food, water and shelter P
20. also known as the Old Stone Age P
21. also known as the New Stone Age N
Civilization
- Name and Explain each of the 5 Characteristics of Civilization.
- Advanced Cities – places that are the center of trade in a larger area with large populations
- Specialized Workers – as societies began to farm and get an increased food source, it allowed people to choose jobs in many different fields – artisans, government workers, business men.
- Complex Institutions – as societies got larger they needed new forms of management to lead them – government & religion are the big two
- Record Keeping – as trade increased, business developed, governments made laws & taxes, and religions developed – writing was needed to keep track of everything
- Advanced Technology – things like metal tools and weapons as well as advanced irrigation systems helped these early societies develop