Welcome to Europe Physical Features The Danube River is the 2nd longest river in Europe and an important shipping route across the continent. It flows E to W from Germany to the Black Sea. The Rhine River originates (starts) in the Swiss Alps mountain range and flows NW to the North Sea. Important for shipping goods throughout continent. The English Channel is a narrow sea between Great Britain and France. (1994 an underground rail, the “chunnel” opened… allows below water transportation.) The Mediterranean Sea is the world’s largest inland sea, located between Europe, Africa, and Asia. The Europe Plain is a vast, flat area stretching from France’s Atlantic coast to the Ural Mnts. In Russia. Rich farmland containing some of the largest cities (Paris, Berlin, and Moscow.)

Welcome to Europe Physical Features The Alps are a magnificent mountain range in South central Europe stretching from E-France and N-Itlay through Switzerland and Austria. Snowmelt from the Alps pours into many of Europe’s rivers. The Pyrenees mountain range extends along the border between France and Spain. Most of the P. Mnts. Are in Spain. The Ural Mountains in Western Russia form the boundary between Europe and Asia. The Iberian Peninsula in southwest Europe contains Spain and Portugal. It is separated form the rest of Europe by the Pyrenees Mountains. The Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe is occupied by Norway and Sweden. This mountainious region is bordered on the N by the Barents Sea, a section of the Arctic Ocean.

Welcome to Europe The Ural Mountains in Western Russia form the boundary between Europe and Asia.

Welcome to Europe The Mediterranean Sea is the world’s largest inland sea, located between Europe, Africa, and Asia.

Welcome to Europe The Iberian Peninsula in southwest Europe contains Spain and Portugal. It is separated form the rest of Europe by the Pyrenees Mountains.

Welcome to Europe The Pyrenees mountain range extends along the border between France and Spain. Most of the P. Mnts. Are in Spain.

Welcome to Europe The Alps are a magnificent mountain range in South central Europe stretching from E-France and N-Italy through Switzerland and Austria. Snowmelt from the Alps pours into many of Europe’s rivers.

Welcome to Europe The English Channel is a narrow sea between Great Britain and France. (1994 an underground rail, the “chunnel” opened… allows below water transportation.)

Welcome to Europe The Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe is occupied by Norway and Sweden. This mountainous region is bordered on the N by the Barents Sea, a section of the Arctic Ocean.

Welcome to Europe The Europe Plain is a vast, flat area stretching from France’s Atlantic coast to the Ural Mnts. In Russia. Rich farmland containing some of the largest cities (Paris, Berlin, and Moscow.)

Welcome to Europe The Danube River is the 2nd longest river in Europe and an important shipping route across the continent. It flows E to W from Germany to the Black Sea.

Welcome to Europe The Rhine River originates (starts) in the Swiss Alps mountain range and flows NW to the North Sea. Important for shipping goods throughout continent.

Find Me! Belgium France Germany Italy Poland Russia Spain Ukraine United Kingdom

Russia Belgium United Kingdom 8 8 Germany Ukraine France 1 1 Italy Poland Germany Ukraine France 1 1 Italy Spain

15 12 1 3 11 8 8 2 7 10 9 16 8 1 1 4 13 14 6 5

Location, Climate, Natural Resources Affect Where People Live

SS6G10 The student will explain the impact of location, climate, natural resources, and population distribution on Europe. In your groups you will take notes on how the location, climate, and natural resources of your country affect where people live and how they trade You will have one of the following countries to become experts on: the United Kingdom Russia Germany Italy

Farmland or Industry (and what they produce)   United Kingdom Pg. 254-259; 271 Russia Pg. 348-355 Germany Pg. 282-286 Italy Pg. 303-307; 313 Location Climate Farmland or Industry (and what they produce) Where People Live (most populated) Natural Resources

Languages and Religions

Diversity of Languages Europe is a continent of diverse languages. Some are in the same language family, so people from one country can often understand the language of people from another country. Many European are bilingual (speak 2 language) or multilingual (speak several languages). The native languages in Europe belong to the Indo-European language family. Branches of the Indo-European family include the Germanic languages, Romance languages, and Slavic languages.

What Language Do You Speak Germanic: German and English. English is spoken in more parts of the world than any other language. Romance: French and Italian. These languages are based on Latin, the language of the Ancient Romans. Slavic: Russian is an example of a Slavic Language.

What’s Your Religion Judaism: religion and culture of the Jewish people and the first recorded faith to worship one God (monotheism). The beliefs and history of Judaism make up the historical foundation of many other religions, including Christianity and Islam. There have been small populations of Jews in Europe for centuries. Today, most European Jews live in France, the United Kingdom, Russia, an other countries that were formerly part of the Soviet Union.

What’s Your Religion Christianity is a religion based on the teachings of Jesus Christ. Its sacred scripture is the Bible. It is the dominant religion in both Western European and Eastern Europe. Two major division Catholic Most of Europe is Catholic… In the South… France, Spain and Italy Protestant Northern countries… Germany and the United Kingdom

What’s Your Religion? Islam is the religious faith of Muslims founded by Muhammad in the 7th century. Allah is the sole deity and Muhammad was his prophet. Many Muslims are immigrating to Western Europe, making Islam the fastest growing religion in Europe. Muslim populations are highest in France, Germany, and the United Kingdom. There are large Muslim populations in Eastern European countries like Albania and Bosnia.

Standard of Living

Reading is Essential to the Standard of Living Standard of Living: measure of a nation’s quality of life based on income, education, life expectancy and other factors. One factor that has a huge effect on a country’s economic health and its citizens’ standard of living is Literacy Rate. A country that improves the literacy rate among its citizens will improve the standard of living within that country and improve its economy (income making potential). Educated and skilled workers are an important factor in a country’s economic growth!

Standard of Living Europe is unique because most countries that comprise this continent have approximately a 99% literacy rate. However, Russia places a high emphasis on education and has a 99% literacy rate, but the economy has struggled since the breakup of the Soviet Union. WHY?!! Therefore, there are obviously other factors which contribute to the standard of living.

Long story short… During the Cold War, the Soviet Union placed heavy importance on science and math education… think SPACE RACE… ARMS RACE… SPUTNIK… Well… along comes the end of the Cold War in 1991, the U.S. and the S.U. are now friends.  And there is no longer a need for brilliant, or rather mad scientists (some may say) mind set. Now, the people must learn to exist and survive under a new government who requires the people to enter a new form of economy with new and different jobs. Unemployment rates skyrocket… like SPUTNIK Bottom line… smart, literate people with little common sense. (perhaps overly simplified, but you get the picture nonetheless)

Standard of Living Clearly there are some obvious factors which contribute to the standard of living. Literacy rate: the ability of the people to read More people can read, more people working, more people working, better the products being created (think original cell phone to current IPhone) Unemployment rate: # of people not working As the unemployment rate goes up does the STANDARD OF LIVING go up or down? Can someone explain? Life expectancy (how long the average person is expected to live) HUH? How does that influence how SOWEEEET my life is? SOMEONE EXPLAIN PLEASE!!

World Literacy Rate

Partner Project Use the provided information sheets to complete the graphic organizers. Choose any 3 countries you want to know more about. Tomorrow we will share our findings. Be ready to present. You must answer the following question: What do the following concepts mean and how do the following terms relate? Unemployment rate Literacy rate Standard of living Life expectancy GDP per capita

Unitary, Confederation, and Federal

Unitary: a form of government in which power is held by one central authority; Examples: Cuba and the United Kingdom

Confederation: voluntary associations of independent states that, to secure some common purpose, agree to certain limitations on their freedom of action and establish some joint machinery of consultation or deliberation. Example: European Union

Federal: Power is shared by a powerful central government and states or provinces that are given considerable self-rule, usually through their own legislatures . Examples: United States Australia, Germany, Russia, Canada, Brazil, Mexico

Autocracy Autocratic: government in which one person possesses unlimited power and the citizen has little if any role in the government. Example: Cuba In an autocracy, where most dictators maintain their position via inheritance or military power, the citizen has little, if any, role in the government. People who try to speak out against the government are often silenced through use of power. In an oligarchy, a small group exercises control. Communist countries are mostly oligarchies. The citizen has a very limited role in government. In a democracy, supreme power is vested in the people and exercised by them directly or indirectly through a system of representation usually involving periodically held free elections.

Oligarchy Oligarchic: government by the few, sometimes a government in which a small group exercises control especially for corrupt and selfish purposes. The citizen has a very limited role. In an oligarchy, a small group exercises control. Communist countries are mostly oligarchies. The citizen has a very limited role in government.

Democracy Democratic: a government in which the supreme power is vested in the people and exercised by them directly or indirectly through a system of representation usually involving periodically held free elections. In a democracy, supreme power is vested in the people and exercised by them directly or indirectly through a system of representation usually involving periodically held free elections. Examples: United Kingdom, Germany, Mexico, Brazil, Canada, Australia