1 / 47

Western Europe

Western Europe. Climate, physical features, culture & history. Overview – Ch. 14. History Migration  cultural diffusion Ancient civilizations Greece – advances in art & science, colonies along Mediterranean – Rome (conquered vast empire)

whitby
Download Presentation

Western Europe

An Image/Link below is provided (as is) to download presentation Download Policy: Content on the Website is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use and may not be sold / licensed / shared on other websites without getting consent from its author. Content is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use only. Download presentation by click this link. While downloading, if for some reason you are not able to download a presentation, the publisher may have deleted the file from their server. During download, if you can't get a presentation, the file might be deleted by the publisher.

E N D

Presentation Transcript

  1. Western Europe Climate, physical features, culture & history

  2. Overview – Ch. 14 • History • Migration  cultural diffusion • Ancient civilizations • Greece – advances in art & science, colonies along Mediterranean – Rome (conquered vast empire) • Germanic tribes – conquered much of western Roman empire (c. 500 A.D.) • Centuries of poverty, warfare & political change • Renaissance - rediscovery of arts, sciences & technology (“rebirth”); states started traveling the seas & colonizing the world (c. 1400)

  3. Religious change – Europe was unified under Roman Catholic Church; but people began to question & formed new churches (Protestant) • Industrial Revolution – use of machine power (water, steam, fuel); began in England (1700s) • Conflict & cooperation • WWI & WWII, Cold War – conflicts as nations developed, sought more power, & disagreed on major issues • European Union – organization formed to promote trade & political cooperation

  4. Overview • People & Culture • Cultural diffusion – culture spreading as people inhabit new places • Ancient civilizations: Ancient Greece (Roman empire) & Germanic tribes • Physical Geography • Mountains – Alps, Pyrenees • Rivers – Rhine, Rhone, Seine, Loire, Danube, Elbe, Ebro, Po • Coasts – jagged (cliffs), eroded drastically by the ocean • Form peninsulas: Iberian, Scandinavian, Greek, Italian

  5. Overview • Climates • Humid continental, subarctic, mediterranean, marine west coast • North Atlantic Drift = ocean current (W to E); prevailing westerlies= constant pattern of temperate winds (W to E) • Ecosystems • Grasslands, forests, wetlands, tundra, highlands • Reforestation – replanting of protected forests • Elevation – affects what plants & animals can thrive

  6. European cooperation • The Euro • Introduced Jan. 1, 2002 • 0.72 euro = 1 dollar (US) • Replaced: the Belgian Franc, the German Mark, the Greek Drachma, the Spanish Peseta, the French Franc, the Irish Punt, the Italian Lira, the Luxembourgish Franc, the Dutch Guilder, the Austrian Schilling, the Portuguese Escudo, and the Finnish Markka • These other currencies were collected

  7. Countries using the euro: http://geography.about.com/od/lists/a/euro.htm • These countries joined the “Euro Area” (branch of the European Union) & agreed to use this common currency • Countries that have joined the EU since then have been required to adopt the euro, once they meet certain criteria (price stability, long-term interest rates, public finances) • Changes: • No exchange rates between countries • More price stability • Easier for travelers • Strength as a unified market/economy

  8. Who doesn’t use the euro? • Any country not in the EU or “Euro Area” • Any country that hasn’t yet met the criteria • Great Britain, Denmark, Sweden have chosen not to use it • Don’t like the communal nature of it • Value of their currency is high & culturally significant

  9. The United Nations • “The United Nations is an international organization founded in 1945 after the Second World War by 51 countries committed to maintaining international peace and security, developing friendly relations among nations and promoting social progress, better living standards and human rights.” – www.un.org • Now has 192 member countries • 4 goals of the UN: • To keep peace throughout the world • To develop friendly relations among nations • To help nations work together to improve the lives of poor people, to conquer hunger, disease and illiteracy, and to encourage respect for each other’s rights and freedoms • To be a centre for harmonizing the actions of nations to achieve these goals

  10. Many different endeavors around the world • Environmental • Sustainability • Urban development • Conflict resolution • Disaster relief • Antiterrorism • International policing • Human rights

  11. To address Kony & the LRA, the UN has: • Help children who have escaped the LRA • Rehabilitation, food, healthcare, reuniting with family • Keep thorough record of injustices as evidence to support continued aid effort • Communication campaign • Try to get LRA combatants to defect & disarm • Has gotten hundreds to agree so far • RISKY campaign

  12. The British Isles: England • Terms to know: The United Kingdom of Great Britain & Northern Ireland ore fertile Industrial Revolution tertiary economic activities

  13. Physical • Highlands (west coast) – hard rock, 3000 ft. elevation; not good for farming • Midlands – coal deposits that fueled the Industrial Revolution; high population density • Lowlands (SE region) – fertile area of rolling hills, marine west coast climate; great for farming • Population • England = most populated part of UK • Most of England’s people live in or around London or in fertile lowland regions

  14. Political • Traditionally a monarchy; later developed democratic parliament system (parliament + Prime Minister) • Part of UK; member of UN & EU • History • Celts Roman empire  Angles & Saxons  Normans (11th century) • Addition of Wales (1284), Scotland (1707) & Ireland (1801) • In 1922, a portion of Ireland broke away to form the independent Republic of Ireland. The portion that remained in the UK is now called “Northern Ireland” • England became important trading center (1500s) • As sea travel grew & civilizations expanded, they traveled west into the Atlantic, making England a prime port location

  15. Economy • Surplus of goods + ideal location + coal/industry = manufacture & export of LOTS of goods • London = major port; industrial center & great location on the Thames estuary (easy to bring ships in) • Industries: farming (wheat, vegetables, sheep & cattle)  mining (coal & iron ore); recently oil & natural gas, tourism & finance • Culture • Language = English • Religion = mostly Christian (Roman Catholic + Protestant) • Long tradition of art, literature & theater • Major cities = London, Liverpool, Newcastle, Newport, Nottingham

  16. Rural England • “Our England is a garden that is full of stately views, Of borders, beds and shrubberies and lawns and avenues” - Kipling, “The Glory of the Garden” (1827) • Industrial England • “Coketown lay shrouded in a haze of its own, which appeared impervious to the sun’s rays. You only knew the town was there because you knew there could have been no such sulky blotch upon the prospect without a town. A blur of soot and smoke, now confusedly tending this way, now that way, now aspiring to the vault of Heaven, now murkily creeping along the earth, as the wind rose and fell, or changed its quarter: a dense formless jumble…” - Dickens, Hard Times (1854)

  17. The British Isles: Scotland & Wales • Terms to know: Moor Bog Glen Peat

  18. The British Isles: Scotland • Physical • 1/3 UK’s land area • Rough landscape • 3 regions = northern highlands (moors & bogs), central lowlands (plains), southern uplands (plateaus) • Tweed River & Cheviot Hills separate Scotland from England

  19. Economic • Fishing, sheep (wool textiles – tweed), potato & barley farming • Old industries = mining, shipbuilding (Clyde R.) • New industries = oil, tourism, high-tech (“Silicon Glen”) • Historical • Tied to England over 300 years • 11th century (Normans)=English & Scots living together (cultural convergence) • C. 1290=power struggle over Scottish land • 1328=Scottish independence • 1707=Act of Union (became part of the UK) • Retains Celtic culture

  20. Political • Part of UK parliament (since 1707) • Seat of gov’t = Edinburgh • Cultural • Language = English (but many still speak Gaelic – traditional Celtic language) • Religion = mostly Christian (Presbyterian & Catholic) • Major cities = Edinburgh, Glasgow • Strong connection to Celtic heritage • Edinburgh Festival (international music & drama festival) • http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m90xPjh3oXE • Population • Only 10% of UK’s population • Most Scots (75%) live in central lowlands

  21. The British Isles: Wales • Physical • Peninsula of Great Britain • Similar landscape to Scotland: highlands, lowlands, Cambrian Mountains) • Marine west coast climate – LOTS of rain • Economic • Old industries = coal mining & heavy manufacturing • New industries = high-tech, tourism

  22. Historical • Once ruled by Celts • Conquered by England in 1294 • Members in British parliament since 1500s • Political • Now part of UK’s parliament • Capital city = Cardiff

  23. Cultural • Language = English (but many still speak Welsh, the traditional Celtic language) • Religion = Christian (Protestant) • Major cities = Cardiff, Swansea • Population • Most Welsh live on the southern coast (near Cardiff)

  24. The British Isles: Ireland & Northern Ireland

  25. Physical geography • Hills ring coastline; central lowlands • Marine west coast climate = rich green vegetation most of the year  “The Emerald Isle” • 1/6 of land covered in peat; Irish farmers cut & dried blocks of peat to burn as fuel; recently, used in power plants to create ¼ nation’s electricity • Economy • 1990s – Irish gov’t invested in education & telecommunications and encouraged foreign investment  HUGE economic growth  low unemployment

  26. Republic of Ireland Northern Ireland • Independent nation (not part of UK) • Catholic majority • Supports reunification (of Ireland) • Descendents of Celts • Part of the United Kingdom • Protestant majority • Opposes reunification • Descendents of English & Scottish immigrants • Protestants controlled wealth

  27. Celtic tribes  Viking raids (c. 800 – 1000)  Normans invade England (c. 1066) & claim parts of Ireland  English kings saw Ireland as theirs  Reformation (c. 1500), Protestants broke from Catholic church  potato famine (c. 1840)  Irish rebellions (1916 & 1921)  Republic of Ireland = free nation in 1949  continued fighting over Northern Ireland  steps toward peace (c. 1990s) • Both sides have used violence to win control of Northern Ireland

  28. The Nordic Nations • Norway, Sweden, Finland, Denmark, & Iceland • Terms to know Fjords – steep-walled, flooded glacial valleys Geothermal energy – energy produced by the earth’s interior heat Mixed economies – economic systems that combine different amounts of government regulation

  29. Culture • Viking/Nordic ancestry • Were once all united under Denmark (1397), then gradually broke apart • Common religion = Lutheran & other Protestant • Languages are similar (have the same root); many learn English to bridge international gaps • Gov’t & Economy • All are democracies & remain politically neutral in international disputes • Mixed economies – some institutions & industries are gov’t-run, some are private. • Industries: • Agriculture in southern areas of Denmark & Sweden • Forestry, oil & gas • The sea = major source of income (fishing, shipping) • Nicknamed “the Blue Meadow”

  30. Physical • Collection of peninsulas & islands separated by seas, gulfs, & oceans) • Varied terrain (flat plains, steep mountains, rocky soil, lakes carved by glaciers – fjords) • Iceland = “land of fire & ice” • Volcanoes exist alongside glaciers • Geothermal energy is used for much of the country’s power & heat • Climate • Long winters, short summers • Southern areas are fairly mild b/c of the North Atlantic Drift (ocean current) • Northern areas are bitter subarctic & tundra • Aurora borealis can be seen in the winter

  31. What are Northern Lights? • The bright dancing lights of the aurora are actually collisions between electrically charged particles from the sun that enter the earth's atmosphere. The lights are seen above the magnetic poles of the northern and southern hemispheres. They are known as 'Aurora borealis' in the north and 'Aurora australis' in the south.. Auroral displays appear in many colours although pale green and pink are the most common. What causes the Northern Lights? • The Northern Lights are actually the result of collisions between gaseous particles in the Earth's atmosphere with charged particles released from the sun's atmosphere. Variations in colour are due to the type of gas particles that are colliding. The most common auroral color, a pale yellowish-green, is produced by oxygen molecules located about 60 miles above the earth. Rare, all-red auroras are produced by high-altitude oxygen, at heights of up to 200 miles. Nitrogen produces blue or purplish-red aurora. • http://www.northernlightscentre.ca/northernlights.html • http://video.nationalgeographic.com/video/news/norway-aurora-borealis-vin

  32. Central Western Europe • France, Germany, Belgium, Austria, Switzerland, Luxembourg, the Netherlands • Terms to know: Dialects nationalized Recession confederation Reparations inflation Lignite polders Decentralize cantons Neutral strip mining

  33. Central Western Europe: France • Regions/Economies • Northern/Paris Basin = manufacturing, commerce • Southwest = winemaking • Southern mountains = farming, tourism • Mediterranean coast = tourism, oil refineries, shipping • East/Rhine Valley = mining (iron ore), shipping

  34. History/Government • Roman/ “Holy Roman” empire • Constitutional monarchy • Napoleonic empire • Democracy (republic of the people) • Culture • National language = French • Strong sense of national identity • Pride in intellectual & artistic achievements (philosophy, government, arts, fashion) • Paris is the political & cultural center

  35. Central Western Europe: France

  36. Central Western Europe: Germany • History • Separate states for most of its history (loose confederation in 1700s) • Losses in WWI & WWII (reparations) • Divided into East & West Germany (1949) • Reunification (1990) • Regions/Economy • Northern German Plain = farming, manufacturing, trade • Central Germany (Ruhr Valley) = manufacturing (textiles, auto), coal • Southern Germany/Alps = tourism, cultural center

  37. Germany Today • Europe’s leading industrial center • Technologically strong economy (after U.S. & China) • Leading member of UN; strong economic ties to other countries (many markets worldwide) • Problems • Aging population (costing $) • Lots of $ spent to improve eastern Germany’s economy • Unemployment • Violence against foreign workers • pollution

  38. Central Western Europe: The Benelux Countries • Belgium, the Netherlands, Luxembourg • “The low countries” – made up of low, flat land • Densely populated • Strongly influenced by water & the sea • Pg. 337-339

  39. Central Western Europe: Switzerland & Austria • Physical • Alps Mountains • Minerals (iron ore, coal) • Strip mining • Pop. concentrated in lowland regions • Political • Politically neutral • Do not take sides in international conflict • Neither is a member of NATO • Switzerland is divided into cantons with strong sovereignty • Austria got new borders at the end of WWI (when Austria-Hungary was broken up)

  40. Cultural • Switzerland is very diverse • 3 official languages: French, German, Italian • Many different cultures exist; facilitated by independent cantons • Vienna is Austria’s cultural center • Economic • Switzerland has one of the highest standards of living in the world • Dairy farming (milk, cheese, chocolate) • Manufacturing of specialized goods: jewelry, scientific tools • Banking • Austria has recovered economically • Manufacturing, chemicals, textiles, mining

  41. Mediterranean Europe: Spain & Portugal • Mediterranean climate = warm, dry summers & cool winters • Terms to know: • Navigable – can be traveled • Dry farming – leaving fields unplanted for 1 or 2 years to replace moisture • Siroccos – hot dry winds from Northern Africa • Hub – center of activity & influence

  42. Iberian Peninsula separated from Europe (difficult to access) • By land: Pyrenees Mountains (between France & Spain) • By sea: steep cliffs along coastline • Portugal has had great influence overseas • 15th century explorers colonized Africa & S. America (Brazil) • Now a major trading nation (ideal location) • Economies moving from agriculture to industry • Spain: steel, textiles, plastics • Portugal: automobiles, textiles, CORK

  43. Mediterranean Europe: Greece • Physical characteristics • Mediterranean climate • 2,000 islands • Northern mountains (Alps & Pindus) • Grabens= land that has sunk between fault lines • Economic activities • Shipping • Fishing • Agriculture (wheat, olive, citrus, livestock) • tourism

  44. Culture • Mix of East & West cultures • History of empires: Roman, Byzantine, Norman, Turkish • Mysterious disappearance of Mionian culture on Crete

  45. Vocab Review • Nationalize • Cantons • Fjord • Bog • Peat • Confederation • Recession • Geothermal • Renaissance • Compulsory • Balkanize • Privatize • Wet, spongy material • Flooded glacial valley • Period of enlightenment (arts & science) • Swampy area found on a moor • Energy form used in Iceland (underground heat) • Political units in Switzerland (like states) • Required; mandatory • To bring under government control • To bring under control of people/companies • To split up into mutually hostile groups • A loose alliance of states • A period of economic decline

More Related