Instructions:
Copy and paste the table below to your individual homework page. Fill out the corresponding boxes with appropriate answers based upon your research. Make sure to read part one and part two carefully.

Part I Response Toponym Type	California Use city/county/street toponyms
Water Features (Spring Valley, Springfield)
Physical Land Features
Wildlife (Animal or Plant)
Occupations
Religion
European/International Cities
Native American Languages
After People
Historical Incidences
Part II Response

Part One - After locating an area of choice, (you may use a map of the state in which you live or any state that interests you) you will find toponyms that correspond to the following natural and cultural features. Find at least two place names for each category:

• for water features: (examples - Sand Springs or Taylor River)
• for land features: (examples - Nichols Hills or Apple Valley)
• for wildlife: (examples - Buffalo or Ant Springs)
• for occupations: (examples - Dairyland or Iron City)
• for religion: (examples - Los Angeles or St. Paul)
• for European cities: (examples - New Berlin, Rome)
• in Native American languages: (examples - Algonquin, Milwaukee)
• after people: (examples - Washington, Madison)
• after incedences: Battle Creek, Bloody Ridge, Cut and Shoot

This exercise will provide experience in making inferences about the cultural geography of a state from toponyms (place names).Assignment: In order to complete this assignment you will need to go to Internet site: http://maps.google.com. Using the zoom slider at left and dragging the map around, zoom into your state and complete the chart above.

Part Two - After familiarizing yourself with your chosen state through part one of this assignment, you will complete a task the cultural geographer faces. Pretend that you are completely ignorant about the state that you have just done research on. Based only on the toponyms, write a well written description of the natural, economic, and cultural influences found on the landscape of this state, based solely on your knowledge that you have gained from the toponyms. What do you think the natural environment is like based on the names that have been assigned? What might the dominant economic or occupational activities be based on the toponyms alone? What cultural influences are found here? Do you presume that these are indigenous or diffusionary influences? Also discuss anything else you have observed through place names alone. You may not include anything you already know about the state; your observations and assumption must be based on toponyms alone. Be sure to give examples of toponyms that led you to make these various assumptions. Answer under your toponym chart in your homework page. 8-10 sentance min.