Chapter 1: A Geographic Perspective on History "Where is it?"

Introduction You learned in this chapter that the geography theme of location describes a specific place on the earth's surface. Early explorers relied on the stars and crude instruments to guide them on their voyages. Lewis and Clark used a Native American guide to help them navigate through the western frontier of the United States. Until recently, maps were the most convenient way to locate where you wanted to go. Today's travelers, though, have a terrific mapping resource—the Internet! Web sites can provide a point's latitude and longitude, calculate distances, generate maps and driving directions, and even tell you the sites to see along the way! Use this Web site to find your way to any spot on Earth. Destination Title: How Far is it? Note: Clicking on the link above will launch a new browser window. Need help using your browser for this activity? Click here for tips. Directions Start at the How Far Is It? Web site. Type your city and state in the "From" box. Type a destination city and state in the "To" box. Be sure to select two cities within the continental United States. Click the "Look it up!" button to get the results of your query. After you have read through the information, answer the following questions. 1. What are the absolute locations of your city and the destination city? 2. What is the distance between the two places, as the crow flies? 3. Based on the initial heading from one city to the next, what can you say about the relative location of each? 4. What is the difference in degrees between the absolute locations of the two cities you chose? 5. On a separate sheet of paper, create a map that illustrates your research. Label your cities' absolute and relative locations and indicate the distance between them.