January 7, 2014

Agenda• Physical Geography – Europe

• Mesopotamia is Greek for “land between two rivers.”• Sumerians (3500 to 2300 B.C.), the developers of writing• Babylon (1792-1595 B.C.), led by Hammurabi, who

developed the eye-for-an-eye legal code• Assyria (883-612 B.C.), the masters of warfare and the first

people to effectively use chariots.• The culture of Mesopotamia spread to Palestine, Greece

and Rome and became components of our culture today.

Sumerians (3500 to 2300 B.C.), go from hunter-gatherer society to agricultural (farming)

Mesopotamia and the Fertile Crescent • Widely regarded as the “cradle of

civilization,”

Warm-Up

• What type of landforms might isolate cultures from each other?

Europe Physical Geography Map

Current Europe Political Map

Current Physical and Political Map of Europe -Layers of Information

Mountains• Alps• Apennine• Balkan• Pyrenees

• Serve as a barrier

• Isolate cultures

Peninsulas • Peninsula – a piece of land nearly surrounded on all

sides by water• Northern– Scandinavian– Jutland

• Southern– Iberian– Italian– Balkan

• How would being surrounded/near water affect way of life?

Oceans and Seas• North Sea

• Bay of Biscay

• Mediterranean Sea

• Adriatic Sea

• Baltic Sea

• Norwegian Sea

• Black Sea

• Aegean Sea

• English Channel

RiversBenefits• transport goods between interior and coastal

cities• Aided movement of ideas

Danube– Touches 9

countries– Connects to

central Europe to Russia and Middle East

Rhine River

• Connects Central Europe to England

Northern European Plain• One of

World’s most Fertile Regions

• Flatness, provided an easy entrance for invaders throughout History.

Unique Features

• Fjords– Steep valley’s carved by Glaciers and then filled

with seawater• Polders– Land in the Netherlands that is drained and dried

• Canals– City of Venice made up of Islands– Boat is primary source of travel

FJORDS

How do you create a Polder?

Zuider Zee

• The Dutch built a dike across its entrance.

• It gradually became a freshwater lake.

• Allowed Dutch to reclaim once flooded land.

Zuiderzee - Video (7 min.)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6v4yjEmrqRg

Resources• Coal and Iron– Large supply– Peat – partially decayed plant matter used in

Ireland burned as an energy source• Oil – Found in the North Sea

• Land– 33% Suitable for Agriculture– World average is 11%

Major Factors that influence climate in Europe• Ocean Currents

• North Atlantic Drift– Warm water current that

moderates the temperature

• Winds• Mistral – cold wind from

North• Sirocco – Warm wind from

Africa

• Mountains • Block winds and moisture

Prevailing westerlies (wind) blow West to East

Key Terms + Main Ideas Review

• Physical Geography is responsible for:– Isolating cultures– Varied Climates

• Humans have had to adapt by:– Becoming excellent sailors– Living in unique areas• Venice - Canals• Netherlands – Polders