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?

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Europe Physical Geography Europe Physical Geography MapMap

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Current Europe Political MapCurrent Europe Political Map

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Current Physical and Political Map of Europe -Current Physical and Political Map of Europe -Layers of InformationLayers 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.

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