Introduction

Dual Purpose
Reading Maps
Two Categories of maps
Representative
depicts a particular feature or combination of features on the surface of
the Earth as close to reality as scale will allow
US Interstate Highway System
Thematic
focuses on some physical, cultural, or other criterion that may not show
up on satellite images
no way to write without generalizing
often lead to debates
always carefully examine legend and symbols
deprecating
to disprove, urge reasons against, protest
Not enough geographic literacy
one in seven Americans can identify Iraq
Three of four cannot locate the Persian Gulf
Use and Misuse of Maps
maps convey risk, hazard, or threat
can be used to deceive and confuse
From Clay to Computers
Ancient Mesopotamians
5000 years ago
scratched grooves in moist clay sun dried into tablets
Age of Discovery
1500s
sailed from Europe to Americas
huge cartographic expansion
Magellan
frst to circumnavigate the world
built on knowledge of Brazilian coast
Battista Agnese
map of the world renowned for its beauty
Gerardus Mercator
Mercator projection
atlas
Non-Europoean maps
China
3000 years ago
making maps
Pacifc Islanders
1700s
making primitive versions of maps
Maya and Inca
Europeans
frst representative map of the entire world
eventually achieved remarkable accuracy and detail
1800s
science, not art
1900s
photography
satellites
computer age
map
a graphic representation of the milieu
any geographical image of environment
parts of map
scale
orientation
symbols
projections
distorts the size and shape of land masses and oceans almost comically
Always assess the purpose and limitations of a map before using it
Scale: How Far Is It?
any map must represent a rounded surface on a fat surface
larger the segment of the globe, greater the problem
Scale
larger the area, smaller the scale
less detail
smaller the area, larger the scale
more detail
refers to a ratio
distance or area on a map to the actual distance or area
so scale tells a lot about intended use
display as a faction or as a bar graph
Only one map on which can measure distances with complete confdence
globe
In addition to the legend and ti symbols, we should examine the scale of any map we
read
Direction- Which Way?
Orientation
Why is it that the world is always represented in such a way that Europe and Asia
and north America are at the top, and Australia and Antarctica are at the bottom?
convention that north lies at the top
most of what was to be discovered turned out to lie to the east, west, and south
exception only the Australia and New Zealand
So in addition to checking the legends symbols, a map reader needs to check the
maps general orientation
Legends and Symbols
large-scale maps do require some study of legend and symbol
major challenge for cartographers is topography
depiction of hills and valleys, slopes and fatlands collectively
done various ways
wrinkles of topography are alternately lit and shaded, creating a visual
representation of the terrain
Another, technically more accurate ways to draw contour lines that connect all
points that lie at the same elevation
when bunched closely together, the hills slope is steep
lie father apart, the slope is gentler
Why has the United state been slow in this global conversion?
Ordinance of 1765
Divided land north of the Ohio River an west of Pennsylvania divided into six-
mile townships
all titles concerning this area have been in conventional system
converting would be impractical
In thematic maps, symbols are the key to interpretation and utility
Because no physical picture we can associate with
It is worth scrutinizing the legend. It is possible to miss all kinds of interesting detail
without doing so.
Map Projections
Always distortion
can be used for propaganda purposes
Making projections
would make imaginary grid around the planet
using poles of rotation and the globe-bisecting equator as their starting points
prime meridian
zero-degree meridian
runs through the Greenwich Observatory
British Empire at zenith
fortunate choice
falls in the middle of pacifc ocean
divided east and west hemispheres
equidistant
equally distant
cylindrical
neon tube inside, pole to pole inside cylinder made of world
close to Mercator projection
conical
conical hat of the paper and put it on the Northern Hemisphere
accurate, but only for one hemisphere
interruption of certain areas (cut)
shape of the continents is remarkably preserved
equal area projections
projections designed to keep continents and countries as close to their
shape and size as possible
Absolute location
we must state the degrees, minutes, and seconds north or south latitude and
east or west longitude
Mercator Projection
in, latitude and longitude cross at right angles
caused far north and south to become enlarged
navigators chart
Used by National Geographic used until 1980s
Robinson Projection
Curved longitude lines
created by Aurthur Robinson
more accurate shape and size, but cannot be used for navigation
straight lines are curved
Manipulating Maps
Cartographic deception, intended or accidental, is more common than you might
think
Cartography is a special skill accompanied by special skills and regulations
Mapping an Ever-Changing World
Challenges of cartography
shifting boundaries
names would change
countries would appear and disappear
History of Change
frst age of exploration
new information about remote locales
relative stability after and before collapse of soviet union
decolonization
European colonies became independent
1990 to 1999
Huge modern change and revolution
GIS
cartography tool that makes easier
Many cartographic predicaments
Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus
only recognized by itself
Republic of Somaliland
arm of Somalia not ofcial
How to map controversy
Kosovo former province of Serbia
Serbia and Russia refuse to recognize the new state and was in position to
block UN membership
decisions can produce major controversy
Macedonia one state of former Yugoslavia
Greeks argued; their history cant be taken
name of Sea of Japan
unacceptable of Krea
Persian gulf
Called Arabian Gulf in some parts of middle east
Nat Geo put in brackets
Iran outrage
serious fnancial consequences
technology
traditional methods still used
map reading skills still needed
Maps in the Media
maps used a lot
readers scan carefully
famous page 2 corrections
Getting the Picture
cause of tech
Sputnik
launched by soviet union in 1957
then space race
competition
primacy
state of being frst
Soviets frst to it Moon with space probe 1959
Americans frst to walk on moon 1969
created remote sensing
frst time not aerial imagery
satellite technology
images of earth never seen before
one of best satellites GOES
Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite
possible to place a satellite in geosynchronous orbit
fxed orbit
weather forecasters depend heavily
form of animated cartography unheard of a while ago
LANDSAT satellites
launched between 1972 and 1982
can see huge changes over time
shrinking of rainforest
expansion of deserts
growth and contraction of algae
monitoring of environmental-human relationships
spy satellites
capable of gathering huge amounts of intelligence
small powers not cool with that tough
so traditional spying still common
modicum
moderate or small amount of power
Mapping Systemically
growth of computer versatility and graphic performance
can manipulate information on boundaries, resources, ethnic homelands, or any
other spatial feature
culminates in GIS
Geographic Information System
collection of computers and programs that combine to collect, record, store,
retrieve, analyze, manipulate, and display spatial information on a screen
hold almost infnite information
allows for a dialogue between the map and the map user
not static and unchangeable except through laborious alterations
user asks for answers, computer gives answers
called interactive mapping
growth also growth in area
2004 department of labor identifed geotechnology as one of the three most
important emerging and evolving felds
this refects countrys agenda
US focus on homeland security
still need deep understanding of geographic concepts
not technician-only
less and less students that have cultural expertise needed
Naming (Geographic) Names
US plays a crucial role
Geographic referee through publications
United States Board of Geographic Names
interagency committee that decides Geographic matters
composed of 9 people from diferent efected branches
2 committees
foreign and domestic names
routes of changes
formal communication with government
codifed
to arrange or systemize
researchers collected by
Defense Mapping Agency
spreading of changes
disseminate
to spread
publishes the Foreign Names Information Bulletin
ultimate source
Mental Maps
maps in our minds
brains capacity to imagine our activity spatially varies from person to person
not completely developmental
Nigerians
draw nigeria much larger
possibly projection distortion used in Nigeria?
Europe usually put in center of map no matter where drawer from
leftover European dominance
Vietnam story
Ho Chi Minh Trail
brought people and supplies to Vietnamese troops during Vietnam war
went through Laos
part of Indochina
if you have a mistaken mental map of a place, you wont know where youre going
and that if a whole cadre of decision makers had a vague mental map, wed be in
for bigger trouble
cadre
a cell of leaders
guide and inform our actions and decisions
Putting Maps to Use
Dr. John Snow
plotted cases of cholera in London during 1800s
no one knew how cholera worked
found gathered around water pump
link found between water and cholera
asked city ofcials to remove handle
said no
destroyed it for him
deaths plummeted
GIS transformed medical map
decisions made quicker and with more confdence
maps now used to predict problems
especially crime and security
modern tech reveal crime patterns
can prevent
Alfred Wegener
most important map ever drawn in physical geography
Pangea
frst ridiculed by scientists and public
Continental Drift
after death, research accepted
economic impact
mineral and energy resources
can be found at places where previously linked in Pangea
Now maps have a diferent purpose than original need to show the whole world
during Age of Discovery
Maps of Bad Intentions
map of europe with huge swastika in the center with black arrows in Ally areas
used to instill fear
Expanding of Boundaries to test waters
committing cartographic aggression, in part to see whether anyone is paying
attention
Japan
during WW2 expanded borders over Pacifc Asia
proclaim their intentions
Iraq
1990s
showed Kuwait as province
later retaliations deteriorated
China
Physical Geography of China (book)
put Arunachal Pradesh and Assam (India) as a part of China
also claimed part of northwestern corner
could not be published without ofcial approval
argues that not bound by treaty that decided boundary because own all
part of Buddhist Asia (Tibet)
has note now saying claimed by China
All very powerful countries; make it more troubling
Tracking the Maps of Aggression
Priority of government to track these attempts of aggression
costly, but saves money in the long run
Your Mission, Should You Accept It
argues that a small redirection of military funds to foreign afairs to this would
have huge efect
Previous budget cuts took away researchers who monitored all published maps
provided insights into internal problems and external intentions
who is monitoring now?
Only one dimension of a larger task
lots of info collected from mundane sources
experiencing the culture
used to be required foreign language fuency
experts dwindling rapidly
efect reduced the level of interaction between Americans and foreign
countries
Facing Challenges
Geographic technology antidote to geographic illiteracy?
Probably not
mostly kept to domestic use
role of GIS in Iraq invasion
great during invasion
did not help during occupation and path towards stability
Sunni Triangle
Must have informed public
must realize role in world
cant trust government
we need to know more about geography so government knows more about
geography
Dont be Robert McNamara!
Iraq situation similar to Vietnam situation
incontrovertible
not open to question or dispute
Lots of huge modern problems
probably impossible to fx
defnitely impossible without leadership and cooperation
possible through informed policymaking
amelioration
make better
expanding population
social inequality expanding
climate change
mitigation
lessening force or impact
ofng
within sight
nuclear war
incalculable risk
in interest of both US and China
imponderables
not ponderable; cant think about it
galvanized
electrically stimulated
terrorism shouldnt be the focus
terrible, but not catastrophic
not at level expected after 9/11
wont be terrible unless they get nukes
intimated
implied
intermittently
stopping, ceasing for a time
belligerent
warlike
fractioned europe
halting path toward economic integration and political coordination
petro-ruble
oil money
Russias aggression
new Putin era
Indias expanding role
Brazils halting emergence as a global economic power