When I was doing the reading for class today about gridlines, and those perfectly square or rectangular plots of land, all I thought of was Davis and the farmland both in and surrounding it. Everywhere you go on I-80, or 505, 113, or the 5, you don't necessarily know it, but when you're looking out the window, you're looking at those same kinds of gridlines, so systematically placed to divide off land, it's just harder to see when you're next to them opposed to when you're in a plane or coming down an incline. I took the long route home the other day, the scenic route. To my right I saw endless geometric farmland, with clear "lines" (often roads) where one farm ended and the other began. To my left, I drove by communities of perfectly square lots. The grids are all around us even if we don't see them all the time, and it's interesting that this system is so deeply rooted in our country's history and still so prevalent today.
I really thought it was cool to find out that practically all of the US is systematically divided by a grid system. What really stood out to me though was the fact that this kind of system isn't utilized universally; when looking at an aerial view of US farm land, the image of rectangle and square plots of land just seems so normal. In my head I'm subconsciously thinking "That's how all farms look like," which I guess just isn't the case.
I have noticed this grid system from a birds eye view, flying in a plane, and its crazy how perfectly all the land is divided so perfectly. Although it is very popular in the western portion of the country, it isn't as prevalent on the eastern side. I personally think the grid system around Davis/Sacramento is very practical and it makes getting around very easy compared to other parts of the United States.
When reading your blogpost, I couldn't help but think of remembering being a little kid traveling in a plane. I used to look out the window and see the tiny squares beneath, and always wondered what exactly they were. It makes sense that America would be laid out in a grid system, as this is the most efficient way of dividing up land and creating borders.
When I was young, I remember watching some cartoons where the characters would fly up in the plane, and they would see colored grids on the ground. Now I know why that is.
In the reading about Native American maps, one statement that stood out to me was on page nine, about how Native American maps "chart the demise and the survival of Native American groups and serve as a record of human history." This reminds me of one of the previous readings about how one scene can be seen in ten different ways. The author of this passage clearly sees the maps as something with historical importance, which coincdes with the idea or view of "landscapes as history." This view makes sense, as maps are images/pictures of landscapes, and because they are images/pictures, they are "detached from the passage of time" as stated in the reading about ways of seeing. So of course the maps would have historical significance, since they are images of a point in history. But these maps are obviously not the full truth, as nothing can truly capture sight as it is. We also can't forget that there is bias in any image created by someone, as ones perceptions do have an impact on the creation of the image, or in this case, the maps.
I agree with your interest in that reading and that part as well. It's so intriguing to think about how maps, sometimes so simple, and thought of so lightly, depict so much of history, and the triumphs and losses of many people. It is disappointing that most of the native american maps have vanished or been lost, but that also supports our understanding of the history and context behind them. I think it's very important to study maps from all different kinds of cultures, countries, and people, and to analyze what they depict. Studying maps is part of studying history, and studying history is so essential to our progressive development as a culture and as a world.
After listening to two weeks of lecture, I realized how often maps are used in our everyday lives, but not only as tools for finding our way around, but also as a system to organization land, and communities. I have made a personal connection to the way maps are used to organize land. I live in Virginia, so every time I fly here to Davis, I fly straight across the country. I have noticed the differences between the birds eye and 'gods' eye view of land near the east coast, the mid west and west coast. When flying over the eastern part of the country, towns and cities are much closer together and from my view, more complex. But as the plane heads west, the American Grid System is extremely clear. From above you can see the miles and miles of the divided square grid system and vast grass land areas. This is much different than the north east and other parts of the world, and is very cool to look at from above.
Woah, you came here from the other side? (Adele) That honestly sounds really cool. It's amazing to hear that you get to see a real life example from flying here! I've never been on a plane and reading your comment makes me feel like I have already seen it. Well, I can imagine it.
I have taken the plane quite a couple times, and it is just amazing to see from above. You can look through the window and see cars moving on the ground driving at 70m/h seem so slow, and buildings that are supposedly huge just look like a spot. It's funny how some distance makes everything so small.(Let it go :P) Though it is true that you can find the images on google map, it's very different from actually seeing the view yourself.
I watch a korean variety show called Running Man. In one of it's latest episodes they played a game where they divided up a house into a grid system into which each member playing had a specific amount of land and this amount was determined by the amount of times they won a game. They would be able to absorb more land from other people when they won a game as well. When they would absorb land from other members, if they found the deed to the land they would take everything they own and have that member who's land was stolen as their slave. Other members couldn't touch their land unless they pay a toll. This episode reminded me of the grid system we have today; I didn't realize we had the grid system all over the US, honestly I thought it was just in the farmlands for good use. This also reminds me of the Indigenous people who had their land stolen from them and couldn't use it afterwards. They were forced to move to other grounds or be absorbed into colonization to be "saved" by Europeans. (converts)
I've heard of that reality show! That's a great connection I never would have made. Although I don't watch the show, it sounds like a glorified version of Monopoly where one tries to own as many markets/lands as he or she can. This too might arguably be seen as reminiscent to the indigenous people losing their land (although in a roundabout way).
When I looked at the google map, I can see roads going in different directions. Some would go straight up and down or left to right, while some goes diagonally or even curve around. From the lecture, I learned that some of the reasons for the unevenness would be the curvature of the earth or for economic reason.
When I was a junior in high school, I traveled to Europe on a plane. As Dr. Kaplan discussed in class and as many students above have mentioned, America divides itself in a unique, square grid system so as to organize itself to optimize political, economic, agricultural, and other purposes. The layout thereby has a unique appearance, and from my seat on the plane above, I was able to see the square patches of green land. It was simply amazing, and I wish I could have stayed awake long enough to see how Britain's land looked in comparison to see if Dr. Kaplan's explanation of America having a unique land orientation was true. (Sadly, the plane ride was too long, and I fell asleep for the last half of it.)
Every year in the spring I travel to Ohio via airplane. In lecture, learning about both gridlines and topography reminded me of this trip. In the air, it always fascinates me to see the ground from a bird's-eye view. Both in California and Ohio (and states in between) I can see the grid of the land and how each square is slightly different in color. Even though they are exactly the same in size and shape, I can tell that each patch of land is for different uses. I also find it intriguing how different California and Ohio look both from a bird's eye view and profile view. California is full of hills and varying terrain, and I have grown accustom to that living here my entire life. Meanwhile, Ohio is flat topographically, at least in the area I visit. While California and Ohio have been grid-lined in similar fashions, they have very different geographic make-ups.
Every year in the spring I travel to Ohio via airplane. In lecture, learning about both gridlines and topography reminded me of this trip. In the air, it always fascinates me to see the ground from a bird's-eye view. Both in California and Ohio (and states in between) I can see the grid of the land and how each square is slightly different in color. Even though they are exactly the same in size and shape, I can tell that each patch of land is for different uses. I also find it intriguing how different California and Ohio look both from a bird's eye view and profile view. California is full of hills and varying terrain, and I have grown accustom to that living here my entire life. Meanwhile, Ohio is flat topographically, at least in the area I visit. While California and Ohio have been grid-lined in similar fashions, they have very different geographic make-ups.
I love flying over the U.S. because of that reason. Seeing the radical changes in topography and layout of the land is a captivating experience. In the West the landscape changes radically quickly, but when you get to the Midwest it is an actual grid; flat ground with perpendicular lines that seem to carry on forever. It is truly an interesting thing to study.
In one of the readings, An Overview of Native Americans Maps, there's a figure of events every year were recorded on a skin. The interesting part is that the order of events are drawn starting at the middle and rotates counter-clockwise outwards. Normally people would write across and switch to the next line, instead of drawing in a circle. This makes me wonder what other traditions or cultures that are different from ours which we may not agree, but is normal to other people. For example, the way the events are recorded in the figure won't make a difference to us so we won't be bothered by it. But other cultures, such as using kissing to greet in France, could seem normal to people living there, but we might consider them weird and even consider them to be wrong.
It's interesting to note, that in many Asian cultures placing your chopsticks perpendicular to the table is considered rude. But despite this well-known (I think) cultural act, I've noticed that many people at restaurants rarely take the time to place their chopsticks parallel.
I live in SoCal and so during breaks I fly home.I've always loved plane rides because I remember listening to a poem that said something like: there is a moment right as the plane is taking off wjere it requires all of its energy and power just to get off the ground, and you are literally at the mercy of the engine. Once up in the air, I notice a lot of passengers looking at the clouds and the sky, but I always get disoriented so I tend to look at the ground. The obvious thing to note is the grid lines, but what always intrigued me was this really small slightly greener square inside these grids. It wasn't until recently that I figured out these were houses surrounded by trees. But by noting the changes in general color of the grids as well as how they were arranged around different features such as hills and mountains helps me guesstimate where in California where we are and about how much time is left until landing.
Over Winter break I went to my home in Fort Bragg which is on the Northern California Coast, so there are many unbelievable views. One specifically is a place called Russian Gulch. As I was standing on the edge of the cliff I could look out around me and see a beautiful landscape. The distinctions in geography were memorizing and almost like a piece of art. Also where I was standing was my unique point of view, so no one else was seeing the geography quite like I was. The transition of landscape from ocean to sheer cliff to redwood forest and then mountains is view found that must be experienced.
When I was doing the reading for class today about gridlines, and those perfectly square or rectangular plots of land, all I thought of was Davis and the farmland both in and surrounding it. Everywhere you go on I-80, or 505, 113, or the 5, you don't necessarily know it, but when you're looking out the window, you're looking at those same kinds of gridlines, so systematically placed to divide off land, it's just harder to see when you're next to them opposed to when you're in a plane or coming down an incline. I took the long route home the other day, the scenic route. To my right I saw endless geometric farmland, with clear "lines" (often roads) where one farm ended and the other began. To my left, I drove by communities of perfectly square lots. The grids are all around us even if we don't see them all the time, and it's interesting that this system is so deeply rooted in our country's history and still so prevalent today.
ReplyDeleteI really thought it was cool to find out that practically all of the US is systematically divided by a grid system. What really stood out to me though was the fact that this kind of system isn't utilized universally; when looking at an aerial view of US farm land, the image of rectangle and square plots of land just seems so normal. In my head I'm subconsciously thinking "That's how all farms look like," which I guess just isn't the case.
DeleteI have noticed this grid system from a birds eye view, flying in a plane, and its crazy how perfectly all the land is divided so perfectly. Although it is very popular in the western portion of the country, it isn't as prevalent on the eastern side. I personally think the grid system around Davis/Sacramento is very practical and it makes getting around very easy compared to other parts of the United States.
DeleteWhen reading your blogpost, I couldn't help but think of remembering being a little kid traveling in a plane. I used to look out the window and see the tiny squares beneath, and always wondered what exactly they were. It makes sense that America would be laid out in a grid system, as this is the most efficient way of dividing up land and creating borders.
DeleteWhen I was young, I remember watching some cartoons where the characters would fly up in the plane, and they would see colored grids on the ground. Now I know why that is.
DeleteIn the reading about Native American maps, one statement that stood out to me was on page nine, about how Native American maps "chart the demise and the survival of Native American groups and serve as a record of human history." This reminds me of one of the previous readings about how one scene can be seen in ten different ways. The author of this passage clearly sees the maps as something with historical importance, which coincdes with the idea or view of "landscapes as history." This view makes sense, as maps are images/pictures of landscapes, and because they are images/pictures, they are "detached from the passage of time" as stated in the reading about ways of seeing. So of course the maps would have historical significance, since they are images of a point in history. But these maps are obviously not the full truth, as nothing can truly capture sight as it is. We also can't forget that there is bias in any image created by someone, as ones perceptions do have an impact on the creation of the image, or in this case, the maps.
ReplyDeleteI agree with your interest in that reading and that part as well. It's so intriguing to think about how maps, sometimes so simple, and thought of so lightly, depict so much of history, and the triumphs and losses of many people. It is disappointing that most of the native american maps have vanished or been lost, but that also supports our understanding of the history and context behind them. I think it's very important to study maps from all different kinds of cultures, countries, and people, and to analyze what they depict. Studying maps is part of studying history, and studying history is so essential to our progressive development as a culture and as a world.
ReplyDeleteAfter listening to two weeks of lecture, I realized how often maps are used in our everyday lives, but not only as tools for finding our way around, but also as a system to organization land, and communities. I have made a personal connection to the way maps are used to organize land. I live in Virginia, so every time I fly here to Davis, I fly straight across the country. I have noticed the differences between the birds eye and 'gods' eye view of land near the east coast, the mid west and west coast. When flying over the eastern part of the country, towns and cities are much closer together and from my view, more complex. But as the plane heads west, the American Grid System is extremely clear. From above you can see the miles and miles of the divided square grid system and vast grass land areas. This is much different than the north east and other parts of the world, and is very cool to look at from above.
ReplyDeleteWoah, you came here from the other side? (Adele) That honestly sounds really cool. It's amazing to hear that you get to see a real life example from flying here! I've never been on a plane and reading your comment makes me feel like I have already seen it. Well, I can imagine it.
DeleteI have taken the plane quite a couple times, and it is just amazing to see from above. You can look through the window and see cars moving on the ground driving at 70m/h seem so slow, and buildings that are supposedly huge just look like a spot. It's funny how some distance makes everything so small.(Let it go :P) Though it is true that you can find the images on google map, it's very different from actually seeing the view yourself.
DeleteI watch a korean variety show called Running Man. In one of it's latest episodes they played a game where they divided up a house into a grid system into which each member playing had a specific amount of land and this amount was determined by the amount of times they won a game. They would be able to absorb more land from other people when they won a game as well. When they would absorb land from other members, if they found the deed to the land they would take everything they own and have that member who's land was stolen as their slave. Other members couldn't touch their land unless they pay a toll. This episode reminded me of the grid system we have today; I didn't realize we had the grid system all over the US, honestly I thought it was just in the farmlands for good use. This also reminds me of the Indigenous people who had their land stolen from them and couldn't use it afterwards. They were forced to move to other grounds or be absorbed into colonization to be "saved" by Europeans. (converts)
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
DeleteI've heard of that reality show! That's a great connection I never would have made. Although I don't watch the show, it sounds like a glorified version of Monopoly where one tries to own as many markets/lands as he or she can. This too might arguably be seen as reminiscent to the indigenous people losing their land (although in a roundabout way).
DeleteWhen I looked at the google map, I can see roads going in different directions. Some would go straight up and down or left to right, while some goes diagonally or even curve around. From the lecture, I learned that some of the reasons for the unevenness would be the curvature of the earth or for economic reason.
ReplyDeleteWhen I was a junior in high school, I traveled to Europe on a plane. As Dr. Kaplan discussed in class and as many students above have mentioned, America divides itself in a unique, square grid system so as to organize itself to optimize political, economic, agricultural, and other purposes. The layout thereby has a unique appearance, and from my seat on the plane above, I was able to see the square patches of green land. It was simply amazing, and I wish I could have stayed awake long enough to see how Britain's land looked in comparison to see if Dr. Kaplan's explanation of America having a unique land orientation was true. (Sadly, the plane ride was too long, and I fell asleep for the last half of it.)
ReplyDeleteEvery year in the spring I travel to Ohio via airplane. In lecture, learning about both gridlines and topography reminded me of this trip. In the air, it always fascinates me to see the ground from a bird's-eye view. Both in California and Ohio (and states in between) I can see the grid of the land and how each square is slightly different in color. Even though they are exactly the same in size and shape, I can tell that each patch of land is for different uses. I also find it intriguing how different California and Ohio look both from a bird's eye view and profile view. California is full of hills and varying terrain, and I have grown accustom to that living here my entire life. Meanwhile, Ohio is flat topographically, at least in the area I visit. While California and Ohio have been grid-lined in similar fashions, they have very different geographic make-ups.
ReplyDeleteEvery year in the spring I travel to Ohio via airplane. In lecture, learning about both gridlines and topography reminded me of this trip. In the air, it always fascinates me to see the ground from a bird's-eye view. Both in California and Ohio (and states in between) I can see the grid of the land and how each square is slightly different in color. Even though they are exactly the same in size and shape, I can tell that each patch of land is for different uses. I also find it intriguing how different California and Ohio look both from a bird's eye view and profile view. California is full of hills and varying terrain, and I have grown accustom to that living here my entire life. Meanwhile, Ohio is flat topographically, at least in the area I visit. While California and Ohio have been grid-lined in similar fashions, they have very different geographic make-ups.
ReplyDeleteI love flying over the U.S. because of that reason. Seeing the radical changes in topography and layout of the land is a captivating experience. In the West the landscape changes radically quickly, but when you get to the Midwest it is an actual grid; flat ground with perpendicular lines that seem to carry on forever. It is truly an interesting thing to study.
DeleteIn one of the readings, An Overview of Native Americans Maps, there's a figure of events every year were recorded on a skin. The interesting part is that the order of events are drawn starting at the middle and rotates counter-clockwise outwards. Normally people would write across and switch to the next line, instead of drawing in a circle. This makes me wonder what other traditions or cultures that are different from ours which we may not agree, but is normal to other people. For example, the way the events are recorded in the figure won't make a difference to us so we won't be bothered by it. But other cultures, such as using kissing to greet in France, could seem normal to people living there, but we might consider them weird and even consider them to be wrong.
ReplyDeleteIt's interesting to note, that in many Asian cultures placing your chopsticks perpendicular to the table is considered rude. But despite this well-known (I think) cultural act, I've noticed that many people at restaurants rarely take the time to place their chopsticks parallel.
DeleteI live in SoCal and so during breaks I fly home.I've always loved plane rides because I remember listening to a poem that said something like: there is a moment right as the plane is taking off wjere it requires all of its energy and power just to get off the ground, and you are literally at the mercy of the engine. Once up in the air, I notice a lot of passengers looking at the clouds and the sky, but I always get disoriented so I tend to look at the ground. The obvious thing to note is the grid lines, but what always intrigued me was this really small slightly greener square inside these grids. It wasn't until recently that I figured out these were houses surrounded by trees. But by noting the changes in general color of the grids as well as how they were arranged around different features such as hills and mountains helps me guesstimate where in California where we are and about how much time is left until landing.
ReplyDeleteOver Winter break I went to my home in Fort Bragg which is on the Northern California Coast, so there are many unbelievable views. One specifically is a place called Russian Gulch. As I was standing on the edge of the cliff I could look out around me and see a beautiful landscape. The distinctions in geography were memorizing and almost like a piece of art. Also where I was standing was my unique point of view, so no one else was seeing the geography quite like I was. The transition of landscape from ocean to sheer cliff to redwood forest and then mountains is view found that must be experienced.
ReplyDelete