EXPLANATION OF MAPS.
A Map is a picture of the whole, or of a part, of the Earth’s surface, on a plane or level. Generally the top of a map represents north; the right hand side, east; the bottom, south; the left hand side, west. West, east, north, and south, are called the Cardinal Points.
Young persons in studying maps, imbibe an idea that the top of a map represents the highest part of a country; but this is a great mistake, as will be at once seen, by looking at the maps, and finding many rivers flow north, and recollecting that water cannot flow up hill. That part of a country is the most elevated, which contains mountains, and where rivers have their source.
Cities and towns are represented on maps by an o; rivers, by black lines running irregularly; mountains, by dark shades; deserts, by clusters of small dots; boundaries, by dotted lines.
The Axis of the earth is an imaginary line passing through its centre from north to south. The extremities of the Axis are called the Poles.
The Equator or Equinox, is an imaginary circle, surrounding the Earth from west to east, at an equal distance from the poles. [See Map of the World, fig. 2].
A Meridian, or Line of Longitude, is a circle crossing the equator at right angles, and passing through the poles. [See fig. 4].
Parallels of Latitude, are lines, drawn across maps, representing circles equally distant in every part from the equator. [See fig. 3].
The Tropics are two circles parallel to the equator, at about 23 degrees and 28 minutes from it. The northern is called, the Tropic of Cancer; and the southern, the Tropic of Capricorn. [See fig. 2].
The Polar Circles are drawn at 23 degrees and 28 minutes from the poles. The northern, is the Arctic, and the southern, the Antarctic Circle. [See fig. 2].
A Degree is the 360th part of a circle, and contains 69½ English miles; each degree is divided into 60 equal parts, called minutes; and each minute into 60 equal parts, called seconds. They are marked (°) degrees, (’) minutes, (”) seconds.
The Longitude of a place, is its distance from any given meridian, as Washington, London, or Greenwich, and is reckoned in degrees, &c. on the equator. Longitude is marked in figures, either on the equator, or at the top and bottom of the map, and can be reckoned only 180 degrees east or west, that distance being half of a circle. Longitude, on most of these maps, is reckoned from the meridian of Greenwich, near London.
The Latitude of a place is its distance in degrees, &c. north or south from the equator, and is expressed in figures on the sides of the map. Latitude can never exceed 90 degrees.
The Zones are portions of the Earth’s surface divided by the tropics and polar circles. There are five zones, viz. one torrid, two temperate, and two frigid zones. [See Map of the World, fig. 1].
The Torrid Zone is included between the tropics, and is distinguished for extreme heat, and luxuriant vegetation; the climate is generally unhealthy.
The Temperate Zones are included between the tropics and the polar circles; they have a healthy climate, and produce the greatest abundance of the most useful commodities.
The Frigid Zones lie between the polar circles and the poles, and are remarkable for extreme coldness of climate and general barrenness of soil.
A Hemisphere is half a globe. The map of the world is divided into the western and eastern Hemispheres; and the equator divides it into northern and southern Hemispheres.
The Diameter of the earth, that is, the distance through its centre, is about eight thousand miles; and its Circumference, that is, the distance round it, is about twenty-five thousand miles.
In tracing the relative situation of places, the pupil must remember to follow the direction of the parallels and meridians, and not be governed merely by the apparent direction of one place from another. Thus, on the map of the world, Iceland appears north from Newfoundland, but it is northeast. Therefore, the direction towards the top and bottom of maps is not always exactly north and south; but to go north you must proceed toward the north pole; and south, toward the south pole;—following the direction of the lines.
The preceding principles should be rendered as perfectly familiar to the pupil as the letters of the alphabet. To secure this object, the learner is required, in the following pages, to define a continent, an ocean, latitude, longitude, &c. in connexion with the subject of questions on the maps. It will also be useful, after the pupil has passed the map of the world, frequently to require similar definitions to be repeated, when naturally suggested by the subject, and thus impress the learner with the necessity of being always prepared to answer them. This method furnishes a general review of Elemental Geography through the whole course of studying the maps, and will give variety and pleasure to the exercise.
QUESTIONS ON THE MAP OF THE WORLD.
N. B. The Questions in Italics are to be answered by referring to the preceding elementary principles.
1. Of what two elements is the surface of the earth composed? 2. Of which is there the greater part?
3. How is land divided? 4. What is a Continent, and how many are there? 5. Which contains the more land? 6. By what is the surface of the land diversified? 7. Asia, Europe, Africa, and America, are called the Grand Divisions of the earth;—which of them is largest? 8. Which is smallest? 9. How is North America bounded? 10. South America? 11. Europe? 12. Asia? 13. Africa? 14. Which way is South America from Africa? 15. Europe from North America?
16. What is an Island? 17. What large island lies south from Asia? 18. Where is New Zealand? 19. Which are the principal of the East India Islands? 20. Of the West India Islands? 21. Of Australasia? 22. Of Polynesia? 23. Australasia, Polynesia, and the East India Islands, are sometimes embraced under the general name Oceanica;—which of these groups contains the largest islands? 24. Where is Owhyhee, where Capt. Cook was slain? 25. St. Helena, where Bonaparte ended his life?
26. What is a Peninsula? 27. Which of the divisions of the Eastern continent is a peninsula? 28. Is South America properly a peninsula or an island?
29. What is an Isthmus? 30. What isthmus connects Asia with Africa? 31. North with South America?
32. What is a Cape? 33. Which are the principal capes of New Zealand? 34. Where is the Cape of Good Hope? 35. Cape Horn? 36. Which is further south?
37. What is a Plain? 38. A Prairie? 39. A Desert? 40. A Mountain? 41. A Hill? 42. A Volcano? 43. A Crater? 44. In which Grand Division is the Great Desert?
45. What is a Valley? 46. A Shore or coast? 47. What part of the coast of North America approaches nearest to Asia? 48. What ocean washes the eastern coast of America? 49. The western? 50. What sea forms the northern boundary of Africa?
51. What does Water comprise? 52. What is an Ocean? 53. Name the oceans. 54. Which is the largest? 55. What is a Sea? 56. Where is the Caspian sea? 57. Yellow sea? 58. Chinese sea? 59. The Sea of Ochotsk? 60. The Mediterranean sea? 61. The Black sea? 62. The Red Sea? 63. The Caribbean sea? 64. The Aral sea? 65. The Arctic sea, or ocean? 66. The Antarctic?
67. What is a Lake? 68. Which contains the largest lakes, the western or eastern hemisphere? 69. Which is the largest lake in the world? 70. Where is it situated? 71. Which is the largest lake on the eastern hemisphere? 72. In which of the Grand Divisions is it?
73. What is a Gulf or bay? 74. Where is Hudson’s bay? 75. Baffin’s bay? 76. Gulf of Mexico?
77. What is a Haven or harbour? 78. A Strait? 79. Where are Hudson’s straits? 80. Davis’ straits? 81. Straits of Gibraltar?
82. What is a River? 83. Where is Mackenzie’s river? 84. The Amazon river? 85. The Senegal river? 86. What is meant by the rise, course, and mouth of a river? 87. If the mouth of a river be wide, and is affected by tides, what is it called?
88. What is a Cataract? 89. A Morass or Swamp?
90. What is the Equator? 91. What countries does it intersect? 92. Which of the East India Islands does it intersect? 93. Into what does the equator divide the earth?
94. What countries does the tropic of Cancer cross? 95. The tropic of Capricorn?
96. What is a Hemisphere? 97. What islands in the western hemisphere are under the equator? 98. What is a Degree, and into how many is the equator divided? 99. How many degrees is the equator from the poles?
100. What is a Meridian? 101. What is Longitude? 102. What is the longitude of Madagascar? 103. Of the Azores? 104. Of Ireland?
105. What is Latitude? 106. What are Parallels of latitude? 107. What is the latitude of New York? 108. Of London? 109. Of Canton? 110. Of Spitzbergen? 111. How many degrees further north is Pekin than Canton? 112. Boston than Morocco? 113. What are the Tropics? 114. What are the Polar circles?
115. What are Zones? 116. What countries are in the Torrid Zone? 117. What in the Northern Temperate? 118. What in the Southern Temperate? 119. Has much land been discovered in the Frigid Zones?
120. What oceans, seas, &c. must a ship navigate in sailing from Boston to Canton? 121. From New York to Rome? 122. From the Island Jamaica to Otaheite? 123. In which of these voyages would the ship pass the Cape of Good Hope? 124. In which, Cape Horn?
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