Chapter 14

Human Geography of Europe: Diversity, Conflict, Union

city-states: self

governing city and

surrounding area Greece

- one of Europe’s 1st

civilizations

- one of world’s 1st

democracies

Section 1: Mediterranean Europe

Rome

One of first

republics

-1st city to reach 1

million

(about 2,000 years ago)

-spread Christianity

throughout Europe

Renaissance artists like Michelangelo,

Leonardo da Vinci, and Raphael were

often financed by wealthy families

from powerful cities

1096 - European Christians launched

the crusades which led to increased

trade with foreign lands and made

cities like Venice and Florence rich,

powerful city-states

rich cultural legacy

Spain – expel Muslims after 700 years

and sponsor Columbus

Rome – language, architecture

(aqueducts), law, government, art,

science

economics

fishing and agriculture

increasing

manufacturing and

service industries

tourism

political turmoil in past years has led to instability at times

dictators in Italy and Spain, weak governments in other areas

Basques separatists in Spain

Benelux Countries

Belgium

Netherlands

Luxemburg

Section 2: Western Europe

historically very culturally divided –

language - religion (Reformation) - customs

during the Middle Ages feudalism takes hold and the idea of

nationalism begins to develop – this leads to a long series of wars and

conflicts between countries, kingdoms, and empires

Holocaust

modern conflicts

WWI

WWII

Cold War

Berlin Wall

Western Europe has traditionally been wealthier than

other parts of Europe - good agriculture - early

industrialization - and lots and lots of tourism

Western Europe has a strong artistic legacy

music – Bach, Beethoven, Mozart, …

art – Rembrandt, Monet, Cézanne …

most Western Europeans live in

cities with good transportation

systems, cultural attractions,

and lower crime rates than US

Europeans usually have

smaller homes, more

vacation time, less stress

and more social interaction

than Americans

recent problems

include a struggling

economy, a rise in

unemployment, and

immigration issues

Nordic countries

(Norway, Sweden,

Denmark, Finland and

Iceland) UK and

Ireland

early conquerors:

Celts

Romans

Germans

Vikings

France – 1066

William the

Conqueror from

Normandy take

over England

Section 3: Northern Europe

The United Kingdom of Great Britain and

Northern Ireland (UK) helped shape our

modern world in two major ways

1. Representative

government (parliament)

2. Industrial Revolution

economics Silicon Glen

euro

is the EU a good idea or not?

life in Northern Europe

many Northern European countries

practice socialism but maintain

their own customs

ex: British have afternoon tea

Swedes have their smorgasbord

Finns have their saunas

Welsh have their interesting names

leisure activities include football

(soccer), rugby, and cricket in UK

Nordic countries enjoy skiing

and other outdoor activities

Section 4:

Eastern Europe

Eastern Europe has always been a

cultural crossroads thanks to traders,

nomads, migrants, and armies

history of empires:

Rome

Byzantine

Ottoman

Austro-Hungarian

Prussia

Russia

turmoil in the 20th century

balkanization

satellite nations

under communism the government controlled

the economy, but today most Eastern Europe

countries have developed a market economy-

some countries still struggling due to internal

conflicts, lack of resources, or just plain lack of

time to recover from Soviet control

because Eastern Europe contains a variety of ethnic groups,

the region as a whole is a patchwork of different languages,

religions, ideas, art, (folk art) and customs – sometimes

that’s good, sometimes not so much (anti-Semitism)

Chapter 14 Today’s Issues:

Europe

Section 1: Turmoil in the Balkans

Death of Yugoslavia video

Slobodan Milosevic South Slavs ethnic cleansing

KLA Vojislav Kostunica

Section 2:

Cleaning Up Europe

cyanide particulates

smog ozone

all photos: Sean Simons