Unit 1: Geography of Europe The focus of this unit is how the physical and cultural geography shapes the environment, nations, and people of Europe.
Suggested Vocabulary
Suggested Vocabulary
- Physical Features
- Acid Rain
- Nuclear Disaster
- Air Pollution
- Climate
- Location
- Natural Resources
- Diversity
- Judaism
- Christianity
- Islam
SS6G8: The student will locate selected features of Europe.
- Rhine River: The Rhine River also has its source in the Alps. It flows north through Germany and the Netherlands to the North Sea.
- English Channel: The English Channel is in between Great Britain and France. It links the North Sea with the Atlantic Ocean.
- Mediterranean Sea: The Mediterranean Sea is surrounded by Europe, Africa, and Asia. Spain, France, Italy, and Greece are several of the European countries that are on the Mediterranean Sea.
- European Plain: The European Plain stretches from the Pyrenees Mountains through northern Europe, stopping at the Ural Mountains.
- Alps: The Alps are a mountain range in central Europe. Mont Blanc is the highest mountain in this range.
- Pyrenees Mountains: The Pyrenees Mountains are a mountain range located on the border of France and Spain.
- Ural Mountains: Located in Russia, the Ural Mountains are considered to be the east-west divide of Europe and Asia
- Iberian Peninsula: Located south of the Pyrenees Mountains, the countries of Spain and Portugal are on the Iberian Peninsula
- Scandinavian Peninsula: The Scandinavian Peninsula contains the countries of Norway and Sweden. It borders the Norwegian Sea and the Baltic Sea.
Chernobyl Disaster
In 1986, the nuclear power plant at Chernobyl, Ukraine had a nuclear meltdown. It was the worst accident ever at a nuclear power plant. Many people in the surrounding area were exposed to radiation. Some developed cancer, and others died. Before the accident, there were 14,000 residents in Chernobyl. After the accident, everyone within 30 kilometers of the plant was evacuated.
Pollution Problems in Europe
There are many kinds of pollution—air, water, and even land can be polluted by chemicals. Below are some of the environmental problems in Europe:
- Acid Rain—chemicals in the air cause rain to become polluted. This is called acid rain. It damages ancient structures in Europe. Marble buildings and statues, for example, are becoming discolored and corroded. Acid rain also damages the forests across Europe, such as the Black Forest in Germany.
- Population and Industry—Europe is both densely populated and highly industrialized. These factors combined place a great amount of strain on the environment.
- Global Warming—many places in Europe rely heavily on tourism. Areas that rely on winter tourists will slowly watch their economy be hurt as the temperature increases globally.
- Deforestation—Europe used to be covered in forests. Today, many of these forests are being cut down. The land is then used for farm land and development. Trees are not being replaced as they are cut down. This makes the forests decrease quickly in size.
- Chemical pollution—modern farming techniques often require spraying the land with fertilizer. The runoff mixes with water in lakes and rivers. This mix causes water pollution. These chemicals also affect the soil and the air
Europe's Pollution Solutions
Overall, Europe has come up with many solutions to its pollution problems. In June 2007, 172 countries signed the Kyoto Protocol to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change. This protocol states that each country participating will reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 2012. All of the countries in the European Union signed the protocol. The European Union has also adopted its own energy policy. This policy will reduce emissions even further than the Kyoto Protocol calls for in the European Union.
The European Union is also thinking about banning the use of incandescent light bulbs in homes and offices of member countries. Incandescent light bulbs are not very energy efficient. This means that they waste a lot of energy. The European Union would instead ask homes and businesses to use fluorescent light bulbs. These bulbs conserve energy.
SS6G10: The student will explain the impact of location, climate, distribution of natural resources, and population distribution on Europe.
Climate
Climate affects where people live and how they live. People have built homes and buildings out of different materials that work better with the climate they live in. Native Americans in Arizona and New Mexico built their homes out of adobe to keep out the sun and heat. Climate also affects the number of people that live in an area. In Australia, people live near the southern coasts because the weather is more temperate.
Natural Resources
Natural resources affect how people will interact with the land and what they will build homes and make tools with. If brick and clay are more abundant than thatch and mud in a region of the world, homes will be made of brick and clay. Natural resources also affect where people live. People live near water and food for basic necessities. Water also allows for transportation.
Environmental Changes
Changes in the environment force people to make a decision: stay and adapt to the change or move and adapt to a new environment. As sea levels change and natural disasters like hurricanes destroy coastal towns, more people have to find new places to live or risk losing their homes. Sudden changes like volcanoes and earthquakes can also devastate a population and cause people to move from one region to another.
Changes Humans Bring
People also change their environment by building and increasing the population. Water shortages, soil exhaustion, and deforestation are occurring more often as a result of the population growth. Pollution is another problem caused by people. As pollution becomes a bigger problem, people have to adapt their transportation and water usage. Acid rain threatens forests, leaving entire habitats vulnerable. As natural resources become less abundant, people must find alternative sources for the same items, like oil. Today, people have to decide whether to continue to destroy natural resources and habitats or to protect them.
Natural Resources of Europe
Europe is located in the northern latitudes. However, the continent has a fairly mild climate. Ocean currents bring warm air and water from the Atlantic Ocean to the continent. This keeps the temperatures mild. Europe has an extensive system of rivers and seas. They make for excellent trade routes. The Mediterranean Sea brings a warm, moist climate to nearby countries. It also allows for high production of fruits and vegetables in countries like Spain, Italy, and Greece. Oil Fields are located in the North Sea. Norway, the United Kingdom, Germany, and the Netherlands all have drilling rights in that area. Russia is also a major producer of oil. In Italy, Mt. Vesuvius is famous for erupting and burying several towns in 79 A.D., but today Europe worries more about manmade disasters than natural ones.
SS6G11: The student will describe the cultural characteristics of Europe
Religion
- Roman Catholicism: a form of Christianity that is more prevalent in western and southern Europe. The base of the Roman Catholic Church is Vatican City, which is located in Rome, Italy. Roman Catholics were the primary form of Christianity until the Protestant church broke off during the Reformation.
- Eastern Orthodoxy: a form of Christianity that is more prevalent in eastern and southeastern Europe. The Orthodox Church separated from the Catholic Church in 1054 over disagreements between the pope in Rome and the patriarch in Constantinople (present-day Istanbul). The Orthodox Church has more influence in countries like Russia and Greece because Constantinople is closer geographically to them.
- Protestantism: a form of Christianity that is more prevalent in western and northern Europe. The Protestants broke from the Catholic Church during the Reformation. Today, there are many divisions within Protestantism.
- Judaism: the religion of the ancient Hebrew people that was the first monotheistic (belief in one God) faith. The Jewish population has never been very large because Jews immigrated to Europe in smaller groups. The Jewish population in Europe was persecuted and attacked for much of its history.
- Islam: a religion that believes Muhammad was the last and greatest prophet of Allah (God). Historically, Islam has ties to Spain and the former Ottoman Empire in southeastern Europe, though the Muslim population is growing in other countries (especially France).
Languages
Nearly all of the languages in Europe are in the Indo-European language family. Greek, Romance, Germanic, and Slavic languages are the four main branches of the Indo-European languages which are used today. Greek is in its own category. Romance languages formed out of the Roman Empire's Latin. Romance languages include Italian, Spanish, Portuguese, and French. Germanic languages can be traced back to a language that goes back to 500 B.C. Germanic languages include German, Dutch, and English. Slavic languages are languages that, today, are spoken in eastern Europe and northern Asia. Slavic languages include Russian, Polish, and Serbian.
Literature
Europe's history of literature is very rich. The Nobel Prize in Literature is given each year in Sweden. Many European authors have won this award, including Rudyard Kipling (1907). Kipling was born in India when it was controlled by the British Empire. Many of his stories were influenced and impacted by his life in India and England.
Art
Europe has had many different painters who used different styles. Pablo Picasso, a Spanish artist, painted in the early 20th century. He is most well-known for cubism, a form of abstract art. Abstract art, including cubism, is a style in which the pictures are not meant to be realistic. Another famous painter was Vincent Van Gogh, from the Netherlands. Van Gogh was a post-Impressionist artist who painted scenes, landscapes, and still lifes. Only one of his paintings was sold while he was alive, but today he is extremely well-known all over the world.
Music
Music has been a part of European culture for years. Three styles are distinctly European—classical, opera, and modern musicals. Classical music includes artists like Beethoven, Mozart, and Wagner. Opera is a musical style that began in Italy around the 17th century. It tells a dramatic story through music and song onstage. Modern musicals are very similar to opera, though with opera the story is told entirely through song. Modern musicals tell a story through acting, dancing, and song. English writer Andrew Lloyd Webber may be one of the most well-known musical writers. His musicals The Phantom of the Opera and Cats have broken records in England and on Broadway.
Sports
The most popular sport in Europe is soccer, also called football in some countries. The World Cup is an international event for this sport, which may also be the most popular in the world. Other popular sports in Europe include rugby, cricket, tennis, and basketball.