HUNTER COLLEGE of the CITY UNIVERSITY of NEW YORK
DEPARTMENT of GEOGRAPHY

Geography of New York State course

Readings Sites - Fall 2012

NOTE: In addition to the pages listed below, there will be handouts and links to Internet web pages to supplement the material and to add detail to certain topics.

I. REQUIRED:

A. Geology of New York – a Simplified Account, 2nd edition.  NOTE:  There is a glossary at the end of the book.

For the midterm:
Chapter 1 Introduction, pp. 3-4
Chapter 2 Geologic Time, pp. 5 and 8     
Chapter 3 Plate Tectonic History, p. 11 Summary
Chapter 4 Adirondacks, pp. 23-25, 28-29 (mid), 37-38, 42
Chapter 5 Hudson Highlands and Manhattan Prong, pp. 45-51
Chapter 6 Hudson Lowlands and Taconics, p. 53-54 top Summary & Description
Chapter 7 Northern Lowlands and the Tug Hill Plateau, p. 67-68 Summary
Chapter 8 Allegheny Plateau, pp. 101-104 top; plants and animals, 126-129
Chapter 9 Newark Lowlands, pp.139-44
Chapter 10, Coastal area, pp. 149-50.
Chapter 11 Tertiary Period, p. 157 -159
Chapter 12 Glaciation, pp. 161-81.
Chapter 13 Glacial Features, pp. 185-193
Chapter 14 Holocene Epoch - the present, p. 195-198
Chapter 15 Mineral Resources, p. 201-222
Chapter 16 Hydrogeology, pp. 225-30
Chapter 17 Earthquakes, p. 231 Summary, 235-38

For the final exam:
Chapter 18 Engineering Geology, pp. 239-42

B. Moon Handbooks New York State, 5th or 4th edition: Read the following sections plus the special topic boxes. Note the state and regional maps throughout the book. NOTE: See index for the pages dealing with your assigned counties and their regions.

For the midterm:
Introduction and Overview
Background Section (at the end of the book)
Introductory paragraphs to the various geographic regions.

For the final exam:

  1. Review the Background Section for the pages dealing with the state’s history.
  2. Review the introduction to the following cities:
Binghamton            Rochester        Albany             Yonkers
Elmira                    Syracuse          Schenectady     New York City
Buffalo                   Rome               Troy
Niagara Falls         Utica                 Saratoga

C. The Nature of New York: An Environmental History of the Empire State.

For the midterm:
Introduction, pp. 1-13

For the final exam:
Read Chapters 1 through 7 (pp. 14-234).

II. RESERVE ROOM BOOKS:

  1. SUGGESTED:

Thompson, Geography of New York State: The following pages are suggested. Thompson provides an historic perspective for siting and growth and development through the 1960s. Use the call number F125.T5 when requesting this book.

For the midterm:
Introduction, pp. 1-15
Landforms, pp. 19-52
Climate, pp. 54-61, 63, 70, 72-78
Water, pp. 79-81
Vegetation, pp. 90-93
Soils, pp. 104-106

For the final exam:
Historical geography, pp. 113-139
Settlement, pp. 155-71,172-95
Economic development, pp. 202-10, 232-36, 243, 246-50, 255-56 top, 309 summary -310
Urban landscape, pp. 333-339 top
Rural landscape, pp. 358-69
Albany-Schenectady-Troy, pp. 385-91
Binghamton, pp. 396-403
Buffalo, pp. 407-15
Rochester, pp. 458-63
Syracuse, pp. 469-77
Utica-Rome, pp. 480-84
New York City, pp. 423-40

  1. REFERENCES:
    1. NYS Dept. of Transportation Atlas (with individual county maps)
    2. NYS Dept. of Transportation Urban Areas Atlas
    3. Roadside Geology of New York
    4. DeLorme Atlas and Gazetteer of New York (2011)

AFG/ 0812