The study of people, their resources and their environments. GEOGRAPHY The study of people, their resources and their environments.

Geography and the Environment This deals with the relationship among people, places, and environments. Environment means the surroundings created by humans. This looks at how people have had to adapt to their surroundings.

River Valley Civilizations Early civilizations grew up developed around rivers. These rivers provided water for crops and for drinking; as well as transportation and eventually trade.

Examples China – Yellow River Egypt – Nile River Indian Subcontinent – Indus River Mesopotamia – Tigris and Euphrates Rivers

Mesopotamia/Middle East Tigris and Euphrates Rivers The “Fertile Crescent” Area that stretches from the Persian Gulf to the Mediterranean Sea Cradle of Civilizations Crossroads for people

Indian Subcontinent Indus River Relied on monsoons (seasonal winds that bring rain every summer) Good – waters crops Bad – too much rain, river floods wiping out crops; no rain meant no crops

China Yellow River Aka “River of Sorrows” Aka Huang He River Yellow due to the loess (fine windblown soil).

More China China is geographically isolated due to the Gobi dessert to the north, the Himalayas to the west, and seas to the east and south. Develop a sense of ethnocentrism (they are better than other civilizations) as a result of this They called themselves the Middle Kingdom

Egypt Nile River Most of Egypt is desert so people settled around the Nile River Yearly floods soaked the land and left rich deposits of silt that left the land fertile Egypt is the “Gift of the Nile”

One More River Ganges River (India) Sacred to the Hindus Most polluted river in the world People bathe, drink, throw dead bodies in it, perform sacred rituals, etc

Picture – Ganges River

Mountains Himalayas – Asia Andes – South America

Himalayas Separate China from India Highest mountain range on earth Mt. Everest

Andes Mountains Andes – line the western coastline of South America Civilizations use terrace farming to adapt to their surroundings Incas Terrace farming occurs when people farm strips of land on the sides of a mountain Sort of looks like steps

Terrace Farming

Japan Archipelago – a chain of islands There are 4 main islands “Ring of Fire” – area prone to earthquakes, tidal waves, tsunamis and volcanoes Land is very mountainous The rugged terrain sometimes acts as a barrier to political unity Japanese people develop a deep respect for nature - Shintoism

Map of Japan