Place & Fate, de Blij 5

19/10/2013

This picture is by Hendrick Avercamp called Winter Landscape with Skaters. He was Dutch and lived during the Little Ice Age, and was apparently fascinated by wintertime. You can see it at the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam.

160 Comments

Bingham

19/10/2013 06:01:56

Most of you guys have gotten the message and become actively engaged with the reading. It's a process, and you are showing progress. If your score improved, even if it isn't the score you wanted, that's good. That means you are hacking through that jungle and the resort is close!
So when I see people get engaged, it makes me more willing to get engaged. I'll start this chapter off with a few handy points.
-de Blij uses an unusual idiom early in this chapter, "put paid to." I vaguely remember hearing that some time ago, but like you, I needed some help. Here is the definition from the Farlex Free Dictionary; "to consider something closed or completed; to mark or indicate that something is no longer important or pending. (As if one were stamping a bill "paid".)" So in context, de Blij's telling us that if another Chicxulub type impact comes along, the whole anthropogenic discussion won't matter much, in spite of what Al Gore has to say.
-be sure you are actively reading. You know that you are if you are spending more time writing (a lot more) than staring at the book.
-get your definitions listed, defined and written down now! We are going to do a de Blij vocabulary "round table" soon, followed by a quiz. So have all YOUR vocab words together for all of the chapters, including this one, by then.
-stop at each section and write out a summary and a gist for each one before moving on.

Okay, your turn....go!

Lorenz the Vocabulary-Wary

20/10/2013 06:39:27

Alright guys, let's get fired up for Chapter 5 with some vocabulary!! Add if you have more.

This is what I have so far:

- Morainal
- Physiographic
- Loess
- De-Glaciation
- Re-Glaciation
- Vector
- Alleviate
- Vicissitudes
- Fodder

I also found the word "Cyberelectrosphere", and I looked but couldn't find a definition. Anybody got anything? Thanks.

Bingham

20/10/2013 07:06:05

Good start. There is probably more for many people though.

Spencer

23/10/2013 02:51:11

Cyberelectrosphere is the global totality of all space-vulnerable, electrically enabled technology

Cee & Rayy

23/10/2013 16:19:06

Thanks so much!

Lorenz the Loess Contemplating

20/10/2013 07:19:29

Mr. Bingham,
In the introduction, de Blij talks about loess in the air and rivers. I don't really see how this impacted the environment at that time. Does that really matter, or am I losing the dust cloud in the particles of glacier-pulverized rock?

Thanks.

Bingham

20/10/2013 08:38:09

Loess is the basis for the most fertility top soil in the world. Since we humans eat food grown from that soil, it's kinda important .

Lorenz

20/10/2013 09:07:17

Thanks Mr. Bingham! That makes a lot of sense.

Lorenz. Just . . . Lorenz.

20/10/2013 08:10:30

Alright guys, here's what I have for the thesis of the introduction:

The Earth experienced major changes in climate and placement of water when the final surge of the Wisconsian Glacier ended.

Now, is it just me, or is there any real "So What" for this?

Bingham

20/10/2013 08:40:12

Earlier, I explained that you need to gist each section. Thesis is bigger and you'll need to determine that after fully understanding the entire chapter.

Lorenz

20/10/2013 09:07:42

Got it. Thanks!

Bridget

20/10/2013 10:05:54

So for the de Blij round table, this will be covering vocab for chapters 1-5? Should we have read chapter 5 by Friday the 25th?

Bingham

20/10/2013 10:48:33

Well, you should have surveyed the chapter and identified words you don't know. And yes, all five chapters.

Bingham

20/10/2013 22:39:39

I'm going to move the Round Table/quiz back. I may flip the calendar from red/gray to gray/red for geography. That means gray day classes will do stuff first, then the red day classes. The morally of the story is; watch the calendar.

Clinton , Ma'at& Raven

20/10/2013 10:46:15

Ok so Raven,Ma'at and I have decided we are killing this chapter and are coming to collect blood.So far a decision we are making is going back to the SQ3R METHOD...I was told this actually works and any other strategies recommended?!?!

Bingham

20/10/2013 10:51:12

I love that attitude! Make sure you summarize and then gist, section by section. Remember, the more you write, the higher your comprehension. Studying is just rearranging information.

Bingham

20/10/2013 22:34:31

Are you guys still planning to do a Wednesday lunch study group.?

Clinton

21/10/2013 10:30:41

I guess. I thought you had the re-test on those days.

clinton

21/10/2013 10:35:43

i mean i thought you had retest on this wednesday

Bingham

21/10/2013 22:15:21

Well, we do. Maybe I can find another place. Stay tuned.

Clinton

21/10/2013 13:03:12

The gist for the first section(what I got)was...De Blij talked about the aftermath of the Wisconsinan glaciers and it's results and how the climate change affected the Americas and how now that the climate is more suitable to live in it opened opportunities for more secure livelihoods and larger communities.Is that correct?

Bingham

21/10/2013 22:18:01

You started with summary and ended with gist. Try to keep them separate in your notes.

Clinton & Raven

21/10/2013 13:05:37

For vocab we got:
upheaval
morainal
glacial lobes
topographic(even though it was stated in Chapter 2 we looked it up anyway for a better understanding.)
remnants
respite
turbulent
physiographic
loess
periglacial(definied in the section)
ventured

Raven

21/10/2013 14:26:43

This SQ3R might actually work out for me! I'll have more vocabulary posted later.

Cee & Rayy

21/10/2013 16:00:47

Ok so we both have different ways of stating the gist and summarizing it but the same idea but the overall thesis we both agreed on was THE IMPACT OF THE WISCONSINAN GLACIERS CLIMATICALLY.

Raven

21/10/2013 16:00:58

The Gist of the first section I came up with was:
~The impact of the Wisconsinan glaciers caused lots of struggles and our climate nowadays is suitable to live in and has opened up opportunities, secure livelihoods, and larger communities.

Bingham

21/10/2013 22:19:55

I like it Raven!

Spencer

23/10/2013 02:34:04

Notice her use of the Oxford comma

Eva

22/10/2013 12:08:37

Ok so I have question for anyone in fifth period pap world geo. Since the chapter five test is Thursday November fifth, does that mean we will now how if Friday November sixth? Thanks y'all! :)

Mystical fairy princess

22/10/2013 12:46:51

Mystical fairy princess

22/10/2013 12:47:30

I meant to say.. Yes it is on Friday

Bingham

23/10/2013 02:46:08

No aliases please.

Eva

22/10/2013 12:09:20

Have it*****

Clinton

22/10/2013 12:30:48

Gist for the section "the final surge" the negative effects of the warming trend

Cee & Rayy

22/10/2013 12:35:41

Vocab from "final surge" :
Lubricated(stay in context!)
Postulate

Raven

22/10/2013 12:42:25

Gist for section-One Final Surge
~De Blij switches from positive climate change topics to negative topics. He gives examples of how long-temperature trends can be quickly reversed by an environmental incident.

Spencer

22/10/2013 13:13:57

I don't thing that One Final Surge was really so much about negative effects but more towards how climate can be unpredictable. De Blij mentions how the warming of the earth caused the ice to move. When it got to the ocean, it started to cool the Earth. He refers to it as a "hiccup" showing that it was just brief and goes on to explain how scientist think that catastrophic events are a big factor of climate. Is this right?

Clinton

22/10/2013 13:57:02

Spencer that really is helpful I think it was negative causing of the ice sheets melting and causing disastrous stirs and return to glaciation-time temperature but I think you're more general so I'm trying to combine yours with mine

Raven

22/10/2013 14:04:17

Yeah that's probably right. He also talks about the ice sheets started to slide downslope into the ocean. He mentioned The Younger Dryas as well. But I would think if the climate is unpredictable that could fall into a negative category kind of. Right?

Zii

6/11/2013 10:03:57

I think this is great and super helpful, except for one thing: a lot of the things they (de Blij and the video) were talking about was that the climate moves in a cycle. I think that is really why they were calling it a "hiccup", not just because it was brief. Maybe a more all-encompassing idea of the "One Final Surge" was that it was short, random, and disruptive...? Am I right, Mr. Bingham?

Sarah

22/10/2013 14:03:16

I noticed a lot of adjectives that were pretty big vocabulary words such as salubrious and contemporaneous. Would those be likely quiz questions, or should I focus more on nouns and verbs?

Raven

22/10/2013 14:07:56

Sarah, I would mainly just focus on words that will help you get a better understanding of the context, not really whether it's a noun or a verb. Words that you know you're not familiar with at all because vocabulary is quite unpredictable so just focus on words that help you get a better understanding of the context. Hope that helped!

Cee & Rayy

22/10/2013 16:00:44

For the section Holocene Humanity we found it nearly impossible to get through more than half the section without being unaware of the meaning and understanding of the word "geology".

Raven

22/10/2013 16:12:28

At first it was like, ehh not that important, but the. We realized it was used multiple times throughout this section. So we decided to look it up.

Cee & Rayy

22/10/2013 16:06:33

The David Deusch reference we feel was included because De Bli wants us to get into a geographic mindset and stay away from geologic thinking.

aidan

23/10/2013 13:03:18

but isnt david deusch a physicist

Clinton

23/10/2013 13:20:02

Okkkk but Mr.Bingham make sure we know why DeBlij utilitizes different references and examples so the fact that he's physicist has nothing to do with what de Blij is trying t convey

Spencer

23/10/2013 10:23:54

So basically in Holocene Humanity de Blij just talks about how humans have interacted with the changing climate, not only by affecting it, but also how we have had to adapt to these higher temperatures.

Raven

23/10/2013 13:35:06

Great! You Got It!

Danielle

23/10/2013 13:02:16

Hey guys. I don't know if you realized this, but deBlij mentions the word 'pulverize' at least twice in the intro... I know Mr. Bingham told us to look out for words that he repeats, so I hope this is useful..

Eva

23/10/2013 14:50:30

Hi guys! I have a quick question. While reviewing early sections in chapter 5, I was retreading the information about the Younger Dryas, and i am a little confused. I understand that the glaciers slid into the ocean causing huge waves, but I don't understand how this in turn caused over 1,000 years of cooling temps. Thanks for your help guys!!! :)

Bingham

23/10/2013 22:56:14

I'm no climatologist, but we are talking about a chunk of ice about the size of Canada and several hundred feet thick. This would lower sea temperatures and the salinity of the oceans disrupting the currents that redistribute heat worldwide. It's difficult for us to imagine the scale of these things.
This is an interesting side question, but allow me to suggest for now that you focus on understanding what de Blij is saying. I think that's enough for us to digest in the next couple of weeks.

Eva

23/10/2013 23:41:04

Thanks so much mr. Bingham, that actually makes sense. Ok, will do!! :)

Cee & Rayy

23/10/2013 16:28:13

In the Holocene Humanity section, what does de Blij mean by "the Earth's magnetic cocoon" ?

Bingham

23/10/2013 23:04:21

The earth is surrounded by an invisible magnetic field a few hundred miles out in to space. This tends to protect us from much of the radiation bouncing around in space, especially the radiation from the sun. http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Earth's_magnetic_field

Bingham

23/10/2013 23:08:11

I think you guys should focus on the vocabulary in 5, since that's the next thing we'll do. And it isn't helpful to simply post words, include definitions as they are used by de Blij in the book.

Alexis

26/10/2013 08:39:43

Hi guys. I noticed when people post vocabulary, definitions are mentioned, but not the page number that the words are being used in. Is it possible to start doing this? I think it'll be helpful.

just a suggestion :)

oliver

26/10/2013 09:57:10

so i just want to make sure . when deblij says the population "mushrooms" is he referencing to the shape of the population chart???

Bingham

26/10/2013 10:28:42

He means, that like a mushroom, it gets wide/bigger fast.

oliver

26/10/2013 13:00:33

okay thank you that makes more sense :)

Sofia B.

26/10/2013 13:59:05

I thought this chapter was pretty straight-forward, but will we need to memorize the six major types of climate? Also, will we need to know the exact dates and years of major events?

Bingham

27/10/2013 07:45:33

I agree, this chapter is straight forward. Vocab is the main issue I think. As for climate types, no, not the specifics, just generally where they are, like mid, low and high latitudes.

And as usual no specific dates, but like k/t impact last chapter, there are important time frames...the little ice age comes to mind!

Bingham

27/10/2013 08:55:58

...and Tambora.

Bingham

27/10/2013 03:53:04

Yeah, I figured there would be lots of vocab up here by now!

Isabella Jarosz

27/10/2013 06:00:02

Hey guys! I used Quizlet to make a Chapter 5 Vocab notecard set. I just included the words that I personally found challenging, not necessarily words that I think will be on the test. Feel free to let me know if you want to add a word or something. http://quizlet.com/29170103/de-blij-chapter-5-vocab-flash-cards/

Bingham

27/10/2013 06:43:32

Very nice Isabella! I hope everyone appreciates you.

aidan

27/10/2013 06:49:01

thank you for vthe quizzlet page

Bingham

27/10/2013 08:58:28

I just noticed you have the wrong definition for vector. In this case, de Blij is referring to an organism, usually a biting insect or tick, that transmits a disease or parasite from one animal to another. He's talking about the fleas on rats that carried the Bubonic Plague.

Isabella Jarosz

27/10/2013 10:41:33

Ah, sorry. Thanks for the clarification!

Eva

28/10/2013 10:24:19

THANK YOU ISABELLAU

Bingham

27/10/2013 06:45:51

So I've noticed more and more people are having study success with "mindmapping" software. There is a lot out there. This weekend, I've been playing with FreeMind and iThoughts. Very cool, check out what I did. Maybe this is for you as well?
http://www.binghamsplace.com/mind-maps.html

Isabella J.

27/10/2013 12:46:20

Hey Mr. Bingham,
So I was going over the word "periglacial", which means edge of the glacials. By 'edge', does it mean an actual physical place, or a metaphorical edge, like edge of a time period?

MacKenzie

6/11/2013 11:21:37

Isabella,

In context, de Blij puts what would likely be in real life "air quotes " around "edge of the glaciers". That, I think, implies a more figurative usage. :)

Kristine Mazziotti

27/10/2013 13:47:06

Hey guys! this vocab is so helpful! maybe you could involve the page numbers??

Kristine and Alexis

27/10/2013 15:24:41

Hey! So, Alexis and I created a giant list so far on Chapter 5 vocab!! oh and just in case people cant find the page numbers, we will include them for you!! I've learned that when you put a word in context, its easier to understand. Also, we didn't get a couple page numbers or definitions for some words. if any of you guys could help with that, that would be awesome! :)

Heres what we got.. :

(p.127) Cyberelectrosphere- the global totality of all space-vulnerable, electrical enables technology.
(p.123) Morainal- a deposit of sediment left on the ground by a glacier.
(p.124) Physiographic- the science of physical geography
(p.124) Loess- pulverized, powdered rock. (basis for most fertility topsoil -Bingham)
(p.128) De-Glaciation- the recession of ice and the opening of land to atmospheric conditions.
(p.131) Alleviate- to lessen ( or mitigate :D )
(p.131) Vicissitudes- a change or variation
(p.130) Re-Glaciation- ?? EHH
( ? ) Fodder- raw-material, feed. (thanks ms. elmore :D )
(p.130) Vector- an organism, such as a tick or flea, that transmits a disease from one animal to another.
(p.124) Periglacial- the edge of the glacials.
(p.130) Mushroomed- to get bigger/wider fast.
(p.128) Salubrious- healthful, favorable to
(p.123) Upheaval- violent change or disturbance
(p.123) Glacial "Lobes"- ?? EHH
(p.123) Coniferous- full of green trees that normally produce cones and needles. ex: evergreen
( Somewhere in chapter 2...) Topographic- a detailed mapping of features in a relatively small area.
(p.124) Offing- a position at a distance from shore.
(p.124) Turbulent- a state of agitation
(p.132) Ineptitude- lack of skill or ability.
(p.130) Dendrochronology- the process of counting tree rings in order to determine the age of a tree.
(p.131) Onslaught- an onset or attack
(p.131) Plight- a struggle or period of distress.

ill type some more tomorrow.... its... finally... donee.. *sigh.

Sara

28/10/2013 11:54:46

Thank you so much for posting this! it was really helpful.

Hank Jares (the best of the Hanks)

28/10/2013 13:09:54

glacial lobe- a tongue/finger-like projection from a glacier's main mass

Eva

29/10/2013 14:26:44

I could be wrong, but I think in the context of de blij, offing is referring to something that is likely to happen or appear soon. It is a special usage, and it makes a little more sense. :)

Zii

6/11/2013 10:29:04

Context for what, glacial lobe? Or something in the list of vocab?

Bingham

27/10/2013 22:51:26

Um, wow!

Kristine M.

28/10/2013 14:27:15

no problem Sara!
and thanks hank!

Hank Jares the AWESOME

6/11/2013 12:41:31

your very welcome

Spencer

29/10/2013 03:57:48

Thesis:
"Environment may not determine the capacities of humans, but environmental events can decisively influence the course of history."

Zara H. :^D

29/10/2013 11:49:48

Hey guys, sorry for dropping in a bit late!
I just wanted to have a quick shout out to people who missed the tutorials yesterday...

Make sure that you know the thesis that Spencer (thanks!) posted online backwards and forwards.

Also, the chart on page 136 will not be tested (data-wise). Understand the message, but don't worry about the numbers! Same for the chart on page 138...

I also looked at the mind-map that Mr. Bingham created (thanks!) and it is SERIOUSLY helpful if the Little Ice Age is confusing for you. I would recommend stretching out the diagram to help keep track of your thoughts, and I will probably post a modified version of that chart later on.

Oh, and you NEED to know the Optimums! I'm going to memorize them like I did the epochs, but the key point is to understand what is going on in those time periods (ex: effects of optimum).

I am also working on a master vocabulary list that I will post soon. ..

Until then, good luck!

Lorenz

30/10/2013 14:15:46

Hey guys, in Chapter 5, Section 8 (Warming the World), De Blijj talks about Inter-glacials and glaciations. He talks about the Eemian and the Holocene, but not about the two that came before them. Is this important, or am I losing the climate change in the glaciations?

Clinton

31/10/2013 15:51:50

What's so significant about the Toba "reprise" on the island of Thira. I'm confused I don't know really what to get from it

Clinton

1/11/2013 06:38:53

On pg 129 that whole paragraph about the dynasties and stuff I feel like that's relevant but NOT related is that right?!?!?

Bingham

1/11/2013 12:50:02

The phrase you're looking for is; related, not relevant. But it's both!

Spencer

1/11/2013 15:17:47

Clinton, when de Blij talks about the dynasties, he is providing an example of how the Medieval Optimum (something we should know about for the test) affected the earth and its inhabitants. In the video we watched we learned how the Medieval Optimum brought farming back. de Blij mentions how the Romans planted abundant grapevines, and how more trees grew. He mentions the cities "mushroomed" meaning their population had a little bit of a explosion. the dynasties were mentioned because they too began to do better, in agriculture as well as in society and art. then when the temperatures changed again, things went back to being bad, and that's how he ended the section. So this part was related AND relevant. I hope this helps :)

Clinton

1/11/2013 15:48:13

Thanks Spencer! Btw it helped a lot. #pianistsunite

Sarah

6/11/2013 10:29:54

The explosion of Thira aka Santorini delivered a fatal blow on the Minoan civilization(Crete) which made way for Ancient Greece to become the dominant power.

Clint

1/11/2013 16:20:25

Gist of the Holocene Humanity:How the humans have advanced,influenced & adapted to the extremes and eventful climatic changes of the Holocene Epoch.

Clint(influenced by Raven's gist)

1/11/2013 17:19:49

and human impact on the increasing planetary temperature.

Spencer

1/11/2013 16:57:10

Mr. Bingham, I noticed a problem in your mindma. You noted the Little Ice Age lasted from about 1300 to the mid 1900s.
As I was reading I caught de Blij say mid nineteenth century (1800s), so I looked it up to make sure. Just wanted to say so nobody would get that wrong

Bingham

2/11/2013 08:00:09

Good catch Spencer, thanks!

Raven

1/11/2013 17:14:16

Gist of section- Holocene Humanity
~The human environmental actions is the sole cause of increase in planetary temperature.

Bingham

2/11/2013 08:02:47

Okay, be careful Raven. That is de Blij presentation of that argument, but it isn't de Blij's point. This is one of those cases when he's explaining a position, but not taking that position. It's the "sole" part of that he counters later in the chapter.

Lorenz

2/11/2013 04:49:00

Hey everyone!! Question for Mr. Bingham or anyone who soundly knows the answer: Is the 1783 eruption in Iceland Laki, or are they two different things? Thanks.

Lorenz

2/11/2013 05:01:21

Never mind, I looked it up. Thanks.

Hank Jares the MOST bestest

6/11/2013 12:51:23

well what did you find

Lorenz

2/11/2013 06:26:21

Okay, so this is just out of curiosity . . . but on page 127, the middle paragraph, De Blijj refrences Ryan and Pitman: "By the time it was over, Ryan and Pitman wrote, the surface of the Black Sea had risen 145 meters (500 feet) . . ." My question is, what was the duration? Was the flooding of the Black Sea in terms of weeks, months, or years? Thanks.

Spencer

2/11/2013 07:29:17

Lorenz, if the water rose 15cm each day, and in the end it had risen 145m (14,500 cm) then the time it took to fill it was about 967 days (almost 3 years) because 14,500/15=196.666...

Bingham

2/11/2013 08:04:10

Spencer, I'm impressed with the quality of your posts. Well done. You should hold a study session Wednesday at lunch for people who aren't doing the Choices debate...unless you are too!

Kristine

3/11/2013 06:37:29

Hey guys! In chapter 5, Why did glaciers start to melt in the first place? What was the "increasing melt"? on p.124???

Lorenz the Helpfull

3/11/2013 11:06:56

Okay, so this is what I think . . . The Ice Ages, Glaciations, and Inter-glacials are all part of a big overall climate change equation which is:

Sweep of Sun's energy + Rotation of the Earth + Circulation Systems of the Ocean + The Movement of Pressure Systems + The Rush of Air in Jet Streams

Hope that helped ( You might want to try saying the equation three times and very fast while holding your tongue. Very entertaining).

Spencer

3/11/2013 11:13:34

Kristine, I could find a reason for the "increasing warmth" that de Blij is talking about, other than the fact that it was 18,000 years ago was about the time the Wisconinan Glaciation came to an end. I did, though, find a bit of information on the Great Melt, also mentioned on page 124. Basically, the Great Melt was an event that happened about 20,000 years ago when the Antarctic ice started to melt. Scientists believe it to have been related to the warming of the northern hemisphere, which is the "increasing warmth" you asked about. http://news.yahoo.com/west-antarctica-warmed-quickly-20-000-years-ago-170506713.html

Spencer

3/11/2013 11:14:30

Couldn't**

Kristine M.

7/11/2013 10:06:48

thank you!!!! :D

Libby (influenced by Clinton and Raven)

3/11/2013 12:51:38

Holocene Humanity Summary: The ways humans have advanced in the world and the areas they have inhabited throughout history was directly influenced by environmental changes, causing populations to flourish or struggle in different areas.

Libby

3/11/2013 13:09:12

Crisis in Europe Gist/Summary: The "real" Little Ice Age coincided with the Maunder and Dalton minimums, and those in addition to a significant volcanic eruption caused violent floods, storms, and food shortages in Europe.

Guys what's the difference between a summary and a gist? I'm making bullet point lists of things that happen in each section, then doing quick summery things, and I plan to put it all into some webs eventually.

Spencer

3/11/2013 13:46:13

A summary is like long story short.
Gist is the point the author is trying to make.

Allie

3/11/2013 13:56:15

What exactly is an Optimum? I have a rough idea, but I'm not exactly sure still what it is. de BLij keeps using this term and I can't find a real answer on the Internet. Thanks.

Bingham

3/11/2013 23:06:55

An optimum is a climatology term meaning any warming, or warmer period. Optimum as in better for growing, better for life in general.

Eva

4/11/2013 09:41:45

So a post-glacial optimum is like when the glaciers have started to melt and it is beginning to get warmer, i.e. The beginning of the Eemian interglacial after the Illinoian glaciation? Just wondering if I interpreted this right, mr. Bingham.

Eva

4/11/2013 09:53:55

Or would it be more like when the wisconsinan glaciation ended and it got very warm very fast, so there were warmer summers and milder winters. Then, because of these changes there were more secure livelihoods and larger communities???

Allie

5/11/2013 13:09:21

Thank you Mr. Bingham!

James O.

4/11/2013 09:40:35

I think I found the thesis!!
Although we as a society are very advanced, we rely on nature to sustain us. De Blij points out that many times over nature and its accompanying climate have shifted unexpectedly and have caused the societies of the time to adapt. Although we CANNOT reverse climate change, we can mitigate what is already happening by cutting out our portion of greenhouse gas emissions. Overall, nature reigns supreme and has a lot of influence on our societies as a whole. We are only worsening the current situation and will have to face the consequences in the future if we don't pull ourselves together :) I hope I got it...

Eva

4/11/2013 09:47:06

I think another integral part of it is that, though environment may not directly determine the limits of humanity, environmental events most definitely can influence the course of history. I think spencer said something similar to this several posts up. Hope this makes sense James!! :)

Spencer

4/11/2013 10:37:42

James, I posted the thesis a while ago. It basically what you said, but it's a direct quote of what de Blij said on pg 131. Plus Mr. Bingham said it was the thesis..

Bingham

4/11/2013 11:17:08

Yeah James, you have good feedback here. You have the idea, it can be said more concisely though.

Augi

5/11/2013 12:32:26

So when de Blij talks about the Black Sea I feel like it's information that is supporting his idea that humans are subject to the power of nature over them, but I was never quite sure how deeply we need to know these examples that he uses to prove his points.

Bingham

5/11/2013 23:04:06

Yes, that is why he used that example. Think about it, if that theory's true, imagine how powerful the forces of nature are in dictation the course of human history. The flood myth appears in practically every society, not to mention the catastrophic impact of the event itself.

Augi

5/11/2013 12:45:51

I think that one thing that is very good at driving de Blij's point of minor changes in environment changing human life drastically is one page 126. Take a look at the Medieval Optimum and then the Little Ice Age. Just look at how small this change in temperature is yet it still had dramatic affects on people. It might help if you're a little confused.

Libby

5/11/2013 13:00:40

Just a comment I think the last paragraph on page 140 sums up a lot of what De Blij's trying to accomplish through this chapter, about how humans have had virtually no experience with crazy environmental disasters and how we cannot control climate change but we might be able to affect it by limiting our greenhouse gas emanations and how we're going to be challenged by the rapid climate change in the future.

Bridget

5/11/2013 13:08:05

Okay, so I keep seeing "climatic reversals" popping up throughout the chapter; is that referring to glaciations after a warming period or something? I'm a bit confused; I forgot to bring it up in class.

Libby

5/11/2013 13:23:37

Yeah, I think he means the climate going from glaciation to interglacial to glaciation, and eventually maybe into a new climatic epoch. Kind of like the Little Ice Age was majorly different from the climate humans had seen for all of their existence so far (it was a reversal)

Bridget

5/11/2013 13:37:08

Okay, cool, that's sort of the direction I was thinking. Also, I made a study guide that's pretty thorough (it involves a lot of what was said on here) so if you guys want it, I'll bring some copies to school tomorrow, so just come find me if you want one.

Allie

5/11/2013 13:54:56

I just reread the chapter and found some more things I wanted to bring to the forum.

On page 142, de Blij uses the word steppe. It means a vast semi-arid glass plain. I missed this word originally since it is in the caption of the diagram.

I found that de Blij enjoyed using metaphors and similes in this chapter and other types of comparisons. One I didn't really understand was on page 146 he says "the rise and fall of societies in terms of the 'sweep' of climate change." What exactly is he saying here?

I didn't feel like the Industrial Optimum section was too important. Was I missing something out of that section?

Thanks!

Bridget

5/11/2013 14:08:54

The Industrial Optimum wasn't incredibly important, I agree, but it was expanding on the fact that humans aren't responsible for climate change, we only add to it by emanating greenhouse gasses and such, especially since it came about around the industrial revolution, so we (humans) were actually adding to the process nature had previously been the sole producer of (climate change).
I didn't think that steppe was too important, though it wouldn't hurt to know the word.
I think that with the metaphor you added, he was talking about how with climate changing constantly, we are "swept" along in the wake of it...like the Little Ice Age; even though the change in climate was only 4 degrees, it made a huge impact on Eurasia.
Also, I saw that de Blij repeated the word prowess, meaning "Exceptional or superior ability" (p. 139 and 140)

Bingham

5/11/2013 23:09:40

Yeah, you guys are thinking clearly here.
One note on Bridget's study guide though. I'm sure it's very good, but it's the making the study guide that prepares you for the test, not reading someone else's . Just throwing that out there.

Eva

5/11/2013 13:56:01

That sounds like a great tool! Thanks Bridget!

Augi

6/11/2013 08:57:14

Can someone point out to me where they think the shift from de Blij talking about other people's argument is to where his own is? I have an idea I just want to confirm it.

Spencer

6/11/2013 12:34:13

On pg 138, de Blij mentions an "inconvenient truth"; that humans are causing global warming. Note that he states it to be a hypothesis, not a fact. Then, on pg 140, he says that "we will never be able to control climate change, but we may be able to mitigate it somewhat by limiting our greenhouse-gas emanations." This implies that we are not the only factor, since limiting would only lessen the problem instead of doing away with it all together. What he does is not changing his argument. He presents an argument, but does not agree with it completely. Then he presents his argument.

Kimani

6/11/2013 10:05:11

Ok so I've been reading the comments and the book of course and it seems that the charts and diagrams aren't really a big focus. So I was wondering are they any help at all or are they just there? (To put it shortly; will the charts help with the test like it did last time?)

Sarah T

6/11/2013 10:35:49

The charts don't need to be memorized, but you do need to understand the message they convey.

Frustrated Zii

6/11/2013 12:30:30

UGH. I can't find a good definition of re-glaciation online, can someone PLEASE help? Thanks...

Augi

6/11/2013 12:52:12

just use context clues if it makes sense re means again and glaciation you know so its a glaciation after a de glaciation

Hank Jares the one and only

6/11/2013 13:15:23

I am not 100% sure but the best I could find is
~ the gradual formation of glaciers on the surface of a landmass.

MacKenzie

6/11/2013 13:11:13

(guess who's back)
(back again)
(mackenzie's back)
(tell a friend)
Here is my masterlist for the chapter! Apologies for my being so late.

INTRODUCTION
1. Massive sheets of glacial ice pushed downward into the lower latitudes during the Wisconsinan, so either you got out of the way or got pulverized.
2. Although the warming of the climate during the Stone Ages was a breath of relief from the frost, the unbelievable amounts of dust in the air was blown everywhere. The Dust Bowl looked like nothing.
3. Direct quote, "Warmer summers and milder winters opened opportunities for more secure livelihoods and larger communities" (de Blij, pg 125).
4. With this introduction, de Blij gives background information on the time of before the ice age, so that we understand the context of the climate. The more you read the chapter, the more you start to realize how volatile climate can be in such comparatively brief amounts of time. Think about it: We've been here for an eyeblink, like he said in the last chapter. If it's just an eyeblink, you would see the Toba Explosion, the Chixulub Impact, the Little Ice Age, the "Toba Reprise" that wiped out Crete, and the development of modern society in less than a second. What would that look like? A blur. A huge, fiery, blindingly quick blur. That puts in perspective the fact that the climate is so violent, even if we don't all necessarily see it within our obviously short lifetimes. Whoa.

ONE FINAL SURGE
1. As Zii mentioned earlier, climate does seem to have a cyclic pattern, but there are blips in the circle.
2. The Younger Dryas was like when you're listening to a huge orchestral piece, and then right after what you think is the big finish, there's another little "TA-DAAA" interlude. The interlude is the Younger Dryas.
3. What that was was an ice sheet the size of a Canadian province sliding into the North Atlantic and causing HUGE WAVES. It made the ocean freezing cold, though in the end, it was just a little hiccup in the cycle.
4. De Blij mentions this question: What if the Greenland Ice sheet slid into the ocean? This example of the Dryas isn't just an interesting piece of trivia. Even for a tiny messup in the continual pattern, it was remarkably catastrophic. Think about if a bigger sheet slid into the ocean. That would drown millions and millions and millions of people.

HOLOCENE HUMANITY
1. The "Anthropocene" is an apprpriate geographic name for this epoch, because the rapid development of human beings still is absolutely unprecedented.
2. Though we do influence the environment, it is quite arrogant to assume that we have any sort of control over it.
3. The Postglacial Optimum occurred about 7000 yeats ago, and the conditions there began to resemble the conditions we have today.
4. That transitioned into another great era called the Medieval Optimum.
a) The Roman Empire synthesized Europe into this wonderful balance of harmony that the continent has never been a part of since.
b) The Han Dynasty was the start of a massive power, and its prominence reflected that of Rome's
c) The Wine Industry was thriving in the currently least likely of places: Britain.
d) Unbelievable Gothic architecture was created during this period of cultural and environmental stability.
5. Not all was fantastic back then. The island of Thira, north of Crete in the Greek archipelago, went BOOM, similar to Toba.
a) This obliterated the Minoan civilization that had inhabited Crete, but it did pave way for the Ancient Greeks.
b) The west started to get the worst of it. It became colder, and Britain's wine industry was wiped out.

THE LITTLE ICE AGE
1. Traits included:
a) Increasing cold
b) Less rain
c) Shorter growing seasons
d) Failing crops
e) Famine
2. The Little Ice Age started in the 1300s and continued until the mid-19th.
3. The Mongols pushed Westward, but as did rats and fleas and other carriers of awful bacteria. Because the conditions were getting rougher, even other organisms wanted to get away, so they followed the humans west. That caused the Black Death, killing 1/3 of the world's population.
4. IMPORTANT: "Environment may not determine the capacities of humans, but environmental events can decisively influence the course of history."
a) Think about it: Had the LIA never occurred, The Black Death would have never spread. Everything is so interconnected throughout history and geography. Without this being here, then that wouldn't have happened at this time. The temporal and spatial are always related.

CRISIS IN EUROPE
1. The Little Ice Age did do a little good.
a) It brought on the Second Industrial Revolution.
i) Field methods, marketing, and the transportation and storage of produce improved.
2. The Maunder Minimum!
a) Coincided with the coldest period of the millenium, when sunspot activity was particularly low.
3. the Jamestown Colony collapse is explained in part by the climactic conditi

MacKenzie (cont)

6/11/2013 13:12:08

ons in the LIA. Besides the "ineptitude, lack of preparation", and racism, environment had a huge part in the fall of that colony.
4. The Laki Eruption in Iceland brought down temperatures by 7 degrees.
5. The French Revolution's particularly low food supply was likely tied to the environmental conditions.

DISTANT THREAT
1. The Tambora Volcano went BOOOOM.
a) Unfortunately, this killed all but 26 of 12000.
2. In the U.S. corn wouldn't ripen, grain price went up, and the entire livestock market just went plop.

THE HUMAN FACTOR
1. The Industrial Revolution was occurring when the Little Ice Age started to come to its end.
a) Societies and industries were transforming.
b) Population growth was accelerating at an incredible pace.
2. De Blij makes this point: In 2015, the world will have seven times as many people as it did at the time of Tambora. How would we, a multi-billion person population, be able to cope with that caliber explosion?

WARMING THE WORLD
1. When most of the remaining Wisconsinan ice melted (aside from the Antarctic and Greenland), continental shelved flooded, driving people out of their homes, similar to the way in which those who had been affected by the Black Sea fill had been driven out.
2. Currently, the idea that the globe could further be warmed is influenced by the amount of human pollution in our atmosphere.
a) As mentioned earlier, we are not the whole problem itself. Nature is going to do what it wants when it wants, and we don't have any control over it.
3. We have witnessed four glaciations:
a) Nebraskan
b) Kansan
c) Illinoian
d) Wisconsonian
And five interglacials, markedly shorter than the glaciations.
4. The Eemian interglacial can imply much about what could happen in our own interglacial.
a) There is an obvious pattern in the temperature changes in the past five glaciations/interglacials.
b) Though none may reach the exact same level of temperature every time, the timing of the rises and falls correspond.
5. We could be experiencing the highest temperatures yet because of the combination of greenhouse gas emanations and natural causes.
a) There's no doubt that we are making contrbutions to warming the planet, though we aren't the dominant cause. We can't overpower nature.

INDUSTRIAL OPTIMUM
1. The end of the LIA could be called the "Industrial Optimum" because of the influence we've had on the atmosphere and Earth since the start of the Industrial Revolution.
2. The 1940s change in technology caused a huge amount of sulfurous gas emissions, reflecting the Sun's radiation into space and causing cooling.
3. Though there are positive qualities to the climate change (ex. shorter winters, brighter summers), there are always consequences (aridity).

ABRUPT CLIMATE CHANGE AND DANGEROUS EXTREMES
1. "Short-term reversals are likely to be attended by violent environmental events.
a) Basically, if you add a negative to a positive, it becomes a balanced...thing.
2. Even though it may be a long time coming, we still need to prepare for global natural disaster, because if we're unprepared, the results could be cataclysmic.

CLIMATE AND WEATHER ON THE MAP
1. Weather Making Factors:
a) The Sun's Energy
b) Rotation of the Earth
c) Circulation of Oceans
d) Movement of pressure systems
e) Rush of air in jet streams
2. Vladimir Koppen created a renowned system of estimating worldwide climate systems!
a) Equatorial, Tropical, Moist (Central Africa, Central South America)
b) Desert, Dry (Most of Australia, North Africa)
c) Midlatitude, Mild (Southeastern U.S., Eastern China, SE Australia)
d) Continental, Harsh (Chicago, Moscow, Sapporo)
e) Polar, Frigid (The Poles and Antartica)
f) Highland (Sliver of East Africa, Sliver of NW North America)
3. Geographers and people in general are fascinated by the idea that climate is correlated to the success of certain civilizations.
a) Be careful! This kind of environmental determinism can lead to racist generalizations if handled the wrong way. Naziism stemmed directly from this philosophy, and supremacy in general has and could still be derived from it.
4) The Koppen map shouldn't be taken for granted. To give the chapter a bit of symmetry, de Blij succinctly states: "it represents the way things are today, but not as they were yesterday, not as they will be tomorrow".
5) Jared Diamond stated that the environmental resources and opportunities will put people at an advantage over others.
6) We've got no idea what the future will be like!
7) If we're careful, we can be better to the environment and perhaps slow the rapid warming, but we're not stopping it.

And that was chapter five! Please let me know if I've missed anything!

HANK JARES happy

6/11/2013 13:16:53

thank you this is very helpful

Spencer

6/11/2013 13:49:42

This is amazing!! Thanks :D

Raven

6/11/2013 14:06:32

This was SUPER helpful. Thanks so much! :)

augi

6/11/2013 13:35:02

mackenzie for the tambora bingham said to know the exact date

Hailey

6/11/2013 15:28:29

Hey guys, just as another helpful study guide, I made a quizlet on the chapter earlier today( I know the test is tomorrow/Friday but if you want to review , it's there) To find it just search my username on quizlet : prismasprinkles

Clint

7/11/2013 16:12:30

Thanks Hailey your such an amazing bestfriend!!!!

Taysia

6/11/2013 16:43:32

Okay wow time just kind of slapped me in the face and I'm tripping because this is all happening during all the things we've ever learned in (particularly U.S.) history guys... Like freaking Jamestown, the native Americans, European colonists, industrial revolution, even the graph dates to 2010! Not to mention the French Revolution. This probably won't help with the test tomorrow but I just thought I'd share because why not

Seokhyun

6/11/2013 17:54:34

One (rather late) note on the "Distant Threat" subchapter: de Blij uses the term "globe-girdling-membrane" to describe the cloak of ash that Tambora created when it exploded. Just sayin.

Kristine M.

7/11/2013 09:52:19

Hey guys!
its the day before the De Blij test for some, and some have already taken it! i hope you guys studied! :) I noticed that some people were confused on the Holocene Humanity. I sort of came up with a gist for the first part of this section...

Even though humans have done so much to our planet ( deforestation, destruction of marine fauna,extraction of resources, etc. ), that natures power still remains awesome.

any comments on this??

Kristine... again.

7/11/2013 10:26:59

yea so i just wanted a clarification on the gist or summary because so many people have done it already...

Bethany V.

7/11/2013 12:32:52

Does anyone understand what De blig means when he says we are living in the autumn of an interglacial? It's on p.140 last paragraph

Sofia

7/11/2013 13:46:28

Kristine, I think that the gist for that section is correct. Don't forget the overall thesis though.

Answering Zii

7/11/2013 12:49:53

@BethanyV hey-o! I think I know what he's saying. If you take the seasons literally - in a place that actually has seasons - (unlike Houston which just has "summer" and "that stuff that isn't summer") that we aren't in the "winter" of the interglacial, which would be the worst or coldest point, and we aren't in the "summer" of the interglacial, which would be the best or warmest point, we're in a neutral-feeding-into-cooling point. If he (de Blij) had said we were in the "spring" of the interglacial, we'd be in a neutral-feeding-into-warming point. Basically, we're in a not-quite hot, not-quite cold point. (Hope that made sense)

Bethany V.

7/11/2013 12:59:16

Thanks, that definitely makes sense!

Zii

7/11/2013 13:25:27

No problem!

Kristine M.

7/11/2013 13:27:49

^^ ??? :)

Sofia

7/11/2013 13:43:30

Bethany, although I don't necessarily think Zii is incorrect, I thought that de Blij meant that we may be nearing the end of this interglacial, or we are about three quarters in to it. I'm not sure though, so you might want to ask Mr. Bingham tomorrow morning....

Bethany V.

7/11/2013 14:44:37

Thanks, Sofia!

Elle

10/11/2013 14:13:54

Are we starting on Chapter 6 now or another? I just want to make sure that we are.

Bingham

10/11/2013 22:56:00

No, not six. I'll let you know soon.

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Place & Fate, de Blij 5

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