The Influential Environment How did the Environment of the Mediterranean Influence Civilization?

The Climate Dry, long summers The area in the Plains of Gaul has a mild and rainy climate Similar to Canada in many areas

Annual Precipitation Take a look where the Alps and Pyrenees Mountains are located

Vegetation The vegetation in the Mediterranean varies. It includes: Forest, which dominates much of the region Grassland (stepe) in the south-east Forest and Stepe areas in some of the south-east Mediterranean vegetation (evergreen shrubs and trees) in the southern part of the region

Soils Fertile layer of top soil in most areas Lots of space for agriculture Some forestry and stock-raising areas Cows from the Pyrenees Mountains

River Valleys Many rivers flow through this area What effect might they have on the environment? And on the lives of people close to them?

Mountains Many mountains and mountainous areas are to be found in Southern Europe. High altitude Difficult to traverse Snow year-round at times The Matterhorn located in the Swiss Alps, north present-day Italy

Seas Many Seas are found in this region: The Mediterranean in the South The Black Sea in the South-East The Caspian Sea (the largest land-locked lake in the world) to the far South-East The North Sea and Baltic Sea in the North The Atlantic Ocean in the West

What difficulties could there be in travelling across a wide water expanse? What influences could the seas have on human settlement and trade routes?

Your Assignment Using your knowledge from reviewing this presentation and atlases, complete the activity sheet entitled “The Influence of Environment on Mediterranean Civilization”. Record at least three influences that each factor (climate, vegetation, soils, river valleys, mountains, and seas) could have had on civilization.