Understanding Place

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Understanding Place

• The Unique Location of a Feature

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Toponyms (Place Names)

• Places named for people, religion, foreign
  countries, physical environment, or its
  settlers hopes and dreams
• Toponyms can change
• Cincinnati originally Losantiville Truth or
  Consequences, New Mexico originally Hot Springs
• Longest U.S. Toponym Chargoggagoggmanchaugagogg-
  chaubunagungamaugg, MA

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Site

• Physical characteristics
• Vegetation, soil, climate, water sources,
  topography, latitude, elevation
• Site chosen for various reasons
• Cultural, economic, social
• Site can be altered by human intervention
• Example New York City

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Situation

• Location relative to other places
• Useful for finding an unfamiliar place
• Example Marmottan Museum, Paris
• Useful for understanding a places importance
• Example Singapore

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Singapore
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Mathematical Location

• Latitude
• Runs East and West
• Measured by length of daylight
• 0º latitude equator
• Longitude
• Runs North and South
• 0º Prime Meridian (Greenwich, England)
• 180º International Date Line

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Latitude and Longitude