*Chapter 12: Cultural Geography of Europe

*Unit 1: Population

Patterns

Terms to KnowEthnic groupEthnic cleansingRefugeeUrbanization

*Diversity in Europe

*More than 40 countries*Peoples belong to many different cultural

groups*Speak variety of languages*Due to centuries of :*Migration*cultural diffusion*Conflict*changing borders

*Ethnic Diversity

*Long history of migration*Most descended from various Indo-European

and Mediterranean peoples*Settled continent centuries ago

*Population today includes recent immigrants from Asia, Africa and Caribbean*Arrived within past 100 years*Many immigrants come from areas formally

ruled by European countries

*Ethnic Groups

*160 separate ethnic groups*Groups of people with a shared ancestry,

language, customs and often, religion*Some have one major ethnic group*Sweden – 89% population Swedes –

descendants of Germanic/other groups settled Scandinavia*Share common traits:*Swedish language*Lutheran religious heritage

*Ethnic Groups

*Other countries – two or more major ethnic groups* i.e. Belgium – 2 leading ethnic groups: Flemings & Walloons

*Flemings:*56% of population*Related to Dutch*Descended from Germanic groups* Invaded area of present-day Belgium in 400s AD

*Walloons:*32% of population*Ancestors were Celts; lived in area during Germanic invasions

*Misc:*Both Roman Catholic*Language differences – led to bad relations between them*But differences put aside to keep Belgium united

*Ethnic Tensions

*Tension among ethnic groups*Led to armed conflict

*Balkan Peninsula: shatterbelt*Region caught between external and internal rivalries

*1990s – Balkans battleground among Sebs, Croats, Bosnian Muslims and Kosovar Albanians*After WW II – these groups and others in region called

Yugoslavia*Communist fell in 1990s – ethnic tensions erupted*result? Yugoslavia broke up in separate independent

republics

*Ethnic Tensions

*Ethnic hatreds sparked worst fighting in Europe since WW II*Bosnia-Herzegovina & Kosovo (Serb-ruled) – centers

of most brutal warfare*Ethnic Cleansing policy – Serbs expelled or killed

rival ethnic groups in area*Result? Many became refugees*People who flee to a foreign country for safety

*Refugees able to return after international peacemaking efforts

*Population Characteristics

*Europe - continent is smaller then all others (except Australia)*3rd most populous continent (Asia & Africa)*2001 – population 583 million (not including Russia)*Germany – largest European country in population (82.2

million)*Vatican City – smallest European in population (1,000)

*Population Density

*Europe – lots of people, not enough space*Population density highest – except Asia*If population distributed evenly – 256/square mile*However – population not distributed evenly

*Most densely populated areas are urban centers

*Population Distribution

*Population distribution – related to physical geography*Areas less populated: mountainous area and cold

northern areas*Plains area – more densely populated*Share 1 or more features:*Favorable climates*Plains*Fertile soil*Mineral resources*Inland waterways

*Urbanization

*Industrial Revolution – transformed Europe*Rural, agricultural society urban, industrial society*Rural villagers moved to urban areas, became factory

workers*Urbanization – concentration of population in town and

cities*Growth of industries & cities – began in western

Europe (1700s)*After WW II – spread to eastern Europe*75% of Europeans live in cities today*Paris and London – world’s largest urban areas

*Urban Features

*Population movements – occur all the time*1800s – Europeans migrated to Americas, parts of

Africa and South Pacific*Mid-1900s – fewer leaving but more migrating into

Europe*1950s and 1960s – economy boom in western Europe*Labor shortages – invited guest workers to fill available

jobs*1970s – economy slowed*However, many immigrants had brought family and

established home in host country*Tensions rose – immigrants felt unwanted*Governments began to limit further immigration

*Section 2:History & Government

*Early Peoples*Evidence suggests that early humans lived in Europe

more than 1 million years ago*Moved from place to place in search of food

*6000 BC – farming spread from SW Asia to SE Europe*With intro of farming – settled agricultural villages

*Later developed into Europe’s first cities

Terms to KnowCity-state Middle AgesFeudalism CrusadesRenaissance ReformationEnlightenment Industrial CapitalismCommunism ReparationsHolocaust Cold WarEuropean Union

*Ancient Greece & Rome

* Foundations of Europe – 2 civilizations in Mediterranean Sea:* Ancient Greece & Rome

*Ancient Greece – peak 400 and 300 BC*Due to mountainous landscape & proximity to sea*Formed communities known as city-states* Each independent – linked to others by language & culture

*Coast soon colonized by merchants & sailors* Seeking relief from overcrowding and new wealth

*Laid foundations of European government and culture* Athens – introduced democracy*Women & enslaved – no vote*Many had voice in government different than other centuries

*Other Greek fixtures left impression on world:Art Literature DramaPhilosophy Math Medicine

*Ancient Greece & Rome

*Rome – vast empire – peak during 27 BC and 180 AD*Armies sent to conquer an empire that spanned:*Much of Europe*Some of SW Asia*North Africa

*Imitated Greek art and literature*Borrowed Greek science and architecture

*Roman developments: government, law and engineering* Influenced other cultures

*Engineers – built large network of roads, bridges and aqueducts*Artificial channels for carrying water

*Christian Europe

*Late 300s AD – Christianity became official religion of Roman Empire*Later – world’s major religions*Empire ruled by 2 emperors – 1 in eastern and other in

western*Developed into eastern & western Europe*Each had own political, cultural and religious traditions

*400s – German groups from north overthrew Roman rule in western half and founded separate kingdoms*Accepted western form of Christianity (aka Roman

Catholicism)*Eastern half – Byzantine Empire – capital Constantinople*Developed own Christian civilization lasted to late 1400s* b/c known as Eastern Orthodoxy

*Middle Ages

*After fall of Rome – western Europe entered Middle Ages (500 to 1500 AD)*Period between ancient and modern ages

*Feudalism – system where monarch/lords gave land to nobles in return for pledges of loyalty*Replaced centralized government

* Roman Catholic Church – brought Roman culture & government principles of law to Germanic peoples*Religious centers (cathedrals, monasteries) – major centers

of learning*Eastern Europe – Byzantine Empire preserved ancient

Greek and Roman cultures*Spread ideals to Slavic peoples

*Middle Ages

*Cities and towns in western Europe – home to Jewish communities*Contributed to European society*Often persecuted b/c Christians saw Jews as outsiders

*Islam – another influence on Christian Europe*Religion based on belief in one God and preaching's of

Muhammad* Prophet who lived in SW Asia in 600s

* Islam spread from SW Asia through North Africa into Spain and then Europe

*Expansion of Europe

*1000s – western Europeans fought in Crusades*Series of brutal religious wars

*Goal: win Palestine (birthplace of Christianity) from Muslim rule*Failed to win permanent control of area*Did extend trade routes to eastern Mediterranean world* Trade brought spice and other exotic products to Europe

*Sparked interest in some educated Europeans – began the Renaissance period (1300s)*300 year period of discovery and learning which brought

great advances to Europe

*The Renaissance

*During this time – educated Europeans developed new interest in cultures of ancient Greece and Rome*Stressed importance of people and place in world

*Writers stressed human feelings*Artists created life-like painting and sculptures*Architects built religious structures, buildings (palaces/villas)

*Led to scientific advances* i.e. invention of movable type in printing

*Spread new ideas quickly and easily

*The Renaissance

*Reformation – new religious movement spurred by production of books and pamphlets*Lessened power of Roman Catholic Church

*Led to beginnings of Protestantism *Mid-1500s – Protestant churches dominated n. Europe*Roman Catholic Church retained hold on southern,

central and northwestern parts of region*Religious wars engulfed Europe*European monarchs able to strengthen power over

nobles and church leaders

*European Explorations

*Europe lagged behind Chinese and Muslim empires in economic development*Late 1400s – western Europe emerged as significant

force in world affairs*Portugal – seafarers developed new trade routes around

Africa and Asia*Spain – rulers founded Columbus’ voyage to America*Other countries sent out explorers – England, France and

Netherlands* Resulted in conquests of foreign lands

* Destroyed cultures already there

*Great wealth brought through trade with colonies in Americas, Asia and Africa

*Changing Europe

*Late 1600s to early 1700s – educated Europeans:*emphasized importance of reason *began to question long-standing traditions and values

*Known as Enlightenment *Followed by political and economic revolutions

*Revolution

*Europeans wanted voice in government*Began political revolution

*Late 1600s – English Parliament passed Bill of Rights*Limited power of the monarch

*French Revolution (begin 1789) – overthrew French monarchy*Spread idea of democracy

*1800s – uprisings in rest of Europe*Challenged power of monarchs and nobles

*1900 – most European countries had constitutions*Limited rulers’ powers & guaranteed some political rights to

citizens

*Revolution

*Industrial Revolution begin in England*Spread to other countries

*Power-driven machines & new production methods*Transformed life in Europe

*New ideas developed:* Industrial cities* Improved transportation*New forms of communication

*Industrial capitalism – economic system where business leaders use profits to expand companies

*Revolution

*New social groups emerged*Middle class – merchants & factory owners* prospered

*Working class – factory laborers* At first paid poorly & lived in crowded, unhealthy conditions

*Social problems of mid 1800s led to:*Communism – philosophy that called for society based on

economic equality where workers controlled factories & industrial production

*End of 1800s – European governments passed laws to improve conditions for workers in workplace*Also expanded education, housing and health care

*Conflict and Division

*Changes in Europe during 1st half of 1900s*Due to two World Wars*WWI – due to conflict among European powers for colonies &

economic power* Lasted 1914 to 1918

*Result: monarchies collapsed in Germany, Austria-Hungary and Russia

*Central and eastern European countries won independence*Versailles peace treaty (1919) – Germany guilty of

starting war*Germany had to make reparations (payment for damages)

*Conflict and Division

*WW II caused by:*Large number of unresolved political problems from WW I*Worldwide economic depression*Dictators gained control of European countries* Benito Mussolini – Italy* Adolph Hitler – Germany

*Aggressive territorial expansion – WW II begin 1939*Ended in 1945 – most of Europe and rest of world involved

*Holocaust – major horror of WW II in Europe*Mass killing of more than 6 million European Jews and others

by Nazis

*Conflict and Division

*WW II left Europe ruined & divided*Eastern Europe – under communist control of Soviet Union*Western Europe – backed democracy; received economic &

military support from U.S.*Cold War – brought about division of Europe*Power struggle between communist world (Soviet Union) and

non-communist world (United States)*“hot point” of Cold War – divided Germany

*Cold War in Europe

*Allies victorious after WW II*Divided Germany into four zones

*1949: 3 western zones of Germany combined West Germany*Capital – Bonn

*Eastern zone occupied by Soviet Union*Capital – East Berlin

*Many east Germans fled to West to escape communism*1960s – East Germany built Berlin Wall to stop movement

*Cold War – western European democracies more productive and economically secure*Eastern Europe – people had little voice in government

or economy

*New Era for Europe

*1950s to 1980s – revolts against communist rule swept eastern Europe*Poland, Hungary, Czechoslovakia, East Germany, Romania

and Bulgaria citizens demanded freedom and better way of life

*Early 1980s – Polish workers founded Solidarity, free labor union in communist world*1989 – public demonstrations led to fall of eastern

Europe’s communist governments*Changes followed:*Berlin World came down*2 parts of Germany reunited (1990)*Czechoslovakia split into 2 countries (1993)

*New Era for Europe

*Western Europe – changes also occurred*1950s – countries banded together economically and

politically* Belgium, France, Italy, Luxembourg, Netherlands and West

Germany*Movement toward unity – led to European Union (EU)*Organization whose goal was a united Europe*Goods, services, workers move freely among member

countries*Maastricht Treaty – signed in 1992*Set goals for central bank & common currency

*1999 – new currency – Euro – replaced national currencies*15 member countries – expand membership to include

eastern European countries

*Section 3: Cultures and Lifestyles

*Europeans express values through:*Language*Religion*Arts

Terms to KnowDialect Language Family

Good Friday Peace AgreementRomanticism RealismImpressionist Welfare State

*Languages

*Europe has 50 different languages – over 100 dialects*Local forms of languages

*Almost all European languages belong to Indo-European language family*Group of related languages developed from earlier language

*Major branches in Europe:*Eastern Europe:* Slavic languages: Bulgarian, Czech, Polish, Slovak, Ukrainian,

Belorussian and Serbo-Croatian* Baltic languages: Latvian and Lithuanian

*Northern Europe:* Germanic languages: German, Dutch, English, Danish, Swedish

and Norwegian

*Languages

*Romance languages: (come from Latin – language of Roman Empire) spoken in southern Europe* Italian, Spanish, Portuguese, French and Romanian

*Indo-European branches: Greek, Albanian and Celtic languages*Non Indo-European language families: *Uralic (Finnish, Estonian and Hungarian)*Basque

*Countries – one or more official languages recognized by government* i.e. – Romanian – official language of Romania, but

Hungarian and Germany also spoken

*Religion

*Religion deeply shaped European values, societies and cultures*Today – many not practicing members of religious body*Still maintain cultural links to faiths of ancestors* Esp. in celebrating religious holidays

*Mostly largely Christian heritage – some Muslim or diversity of faiths*Majority of Europe – Roman Catholic*Protestants – belong to Anglican, Lutheran, Reformed

churches*Eastern Orthodox – strong in southern part of eastern

Europe*Muslim – Albania, Bosnia-Herzogovina and Bulgaria*Jewish communities – found in all major European cities

*Religion

*Religion unites some Europeans – divides others*Hostility between Catholics and Protestants led to conflict in

Northern Ireland*Catholics wanted to be part of Catholic Republic of

Ireland*Protestants – favored keeping ties with United Kingdom *1998 – Good Friday Peace Agreement*Paved way for Protestant and Roman Catholic communities*Share political power*Situation still unstable

*Balkan Peninsula – 1990s – religions fought over land and political power in Bosnia-Herzegovina*Eastern Orthodox Serbs fought Albanian Muslim majority in

Kosovo, Serbia

*The Arts

*Arts of Europe reflect history and ideas/values of people*Temples and churches show close relationship of religion &

architecture* i.e. Parthenon in Athens and Pantheon in Rome

*Examples of temples built by ancient Greeks and Romans* Cathedral in Cordoba, Spain – now Catholic church – previously

mosque built by North African Muslims* Notre Dame Cathedral – Paris – Gothic architecture that flourished

in western Europe

• 1500s and 1600s – artists and writers work with everyday subjects and religious themes

• Influenced by da Vinci and Michelangelo• Shakespeare wrote plays• Miguel de Cervantes (Spain) wrote Don Quixote

• Classic novel about landowner who imagines himself a knight called to perform heroic deeds

*The Arts

*1600s and 1700s*New music emerged* Opera and symphony

*1800s*Reflected romanticism* Focused on emotions, stirring historical

events and exotic* Eugene Delacroix (French painter)* Sir Walter Scott (British writer)* Ludwig van Beethoven (German composer)

*Mid-1800s – realism*Artistic style that focused on accurately

depicting details of everyday life*Late 1800s – impressionists*French painters who moved studio

outdoors to capture immediate experiences (“impressions”) of the natural world

*1900s – variety of new forms and styles*Abstract painting &

sculpture* Emphasized form

and color over realistic content

*Modern art – Pablo Picasso (Spain)

*Bauhaus school of design (Germany) – clean geometric forms and use of glass and concrete in architecture

*Quality of Life

*Western Europe – higher standard of living* Industrial and urban growth

*Eastern Europe – struggle with problems inherited from communist past*Rebuilding economies damaged by warfare or internal unrest*Gap in quality of life poses obstacle to full European unity

*Education

*World’s best educated*Quality of education linked to economic performance

*High standard of living – afford to improve schools & provide specialized training to students*Literacy rate above 90%** (except war-torn Balkan countries)

*Required schooling – varies from country to country*Portugal – only 6 years*United Kingdom – 12 years

*Schools provide preparation for either college or vocational training

*State Sponsored Human Services

*Complete social welfare programs for citizens*Aka welfare states

*Tax-supported programs for higher education, health care and social security*Sweden and United Kingdom*Sweden – government provides most wide-ranging human

services*Every Swedish family receives allowance for each child

under 16, for secondary or university students*Single parents with low incomes – allowances for family

vacations*How funded?*Expensive for European governments*Large portions of national budgets to provide social services*Governments tighten budgets and limit human services*Those most in need*Cutback – opposed by trade unions and voters

*Homelife

*Pre-Industrial Revolution: extended families shared homes and resources*Post-Industrial Revolution: more moved to cities, less

extended families*Women have entered workforce*Families more mobile

*Family life still important in Europe*Live revolves around extended family*Young leave family home – still maintain close ties

*Sports & Recreation

*Soccer – major sport*Rugby football – team sport*UK, France, Ireland

*Tennis – recreation*Wimbledon tennis tournament

*Sports – response to climate, landscape or culture*Spain – bullfighting*Netherlands – Elfstedentocht (Eleven Cities Tour)* Dutch ice-skating marathon along frozen rivers and canals

*Winter sports popular*Downhill skiing – Alpine regions*Cross-country skiing – Scandinavia* Ice-skating: Ukraine

*Celebrations

*Celebrate many of same religious holidays as others in world*Celebrations marked with distinctive traditions* Easter: Greeks - feast of roast lamb; Ukrainians – share decorated

eggs (pysanky)* Hanukkah: European Jews – potato pancakes (latkes)* Ramadan: family feasting at end* Catholics: local festivals to honor patron saints

*Other Holidays – mark change of seasons or patriotic events* British Isles: Yule logs and mistletoe at winter solstice* France: July 14th – Bastille Day – storming of French prison

in 1789 that started French revolution *Monarch’s Birthdays: Denmark and Netherlands celebrate

birthdays of reigning monarch as national holiday*Celebrations help Europe maintain cultural heritage