CHAPTER 15--THE BRITISH ISLES AND THE NORDIC NATIONS. SECTION ONE--ENGLAND

THE UNITED KINGDOM ALL ISLANDS CALLED THE “BRITISH ISLES. UNITED KINGDOM MADE UP OF” GREAT BRITAIN--WHICH IS 1) ENGLAND 2) WALES 3) SCOTLAND AND NORTHERN IRELAND http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rNu8XDBSn10

ENGLAND’S 3 REGIONS THE HIGHLANDS THE MIDLANDS LOWLANDS BAND OF HILLS/MTS.--WEST COAST DIFFICULT TO FARM THE MIDLANDS INDUSTRIAL REGION /COAL & INDUSTRY LARGEST POPULATED CITIES HERE LOWLANDS LAND SLOPES TOWARD ENGLISH CHANNEL ENGLANDS MOST PRODUCTIVE FARM AREA RAISING SHEEP, BEEF AND DAIRY CATTLE

LONDON--KEY CITY! CAPITAL OF ENGLAND LOCATED ON THE THAMES RIVER NATURAL HARBOR LOCATION MADE IT NATURAL AS A CENTER OF TRADE--CLOSENESS TO EUROPE.

ECONOMIC ACTIVITIES INDUSTRIAL REVOLUTION STARTS IN ENGLAND. ABUNDANT NATURAL RESOURCES COAL, LABOR, WATER POWER GROWTH OF INDUSTRIAL TOWNS BIRMINGHAM, SHEFFIELD, NEWCASTLE CREATED PROBLEMS INCREASED POLLUTION CHALLENGED BY NEW INDUSTRIAL NATIONS U.S. AND GERMANY

ENGLAND’C CHANGING ECONOMY MORE TERTIARY ECONOMIC ACTIVITIES SERVICE INDUSTRIES INCREASED TRADE-RELATIONS WITH EUROPE--RESULTS OF THE “CHUNNEL” http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V1AcpNwY0LI PART OF THE EUROPEAN UNION WON’T ADOPT THE “EURO”-currency

UNIQUE ACTIVITIES IN ENGLAND http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z64AzHIdgKw&feature=related http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7tUVo1TcbGw

SECTION 2--SCOTLAND AND WALES 1/3 OF THE LAND OF THE UNITED KINGDOM. LESS THAN 10% OF U.K. POPULATION SEPARATED FROM ENGLAND BY THE TWEED RIVER AND THE CHEVIOT HILLS. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bXLzMZ_ABU0

REGIONS OF SCOTLAND THE HIGHLANDS HIGH PLATEAU COVERED WITH LAKES CALLED LOCHS MANY BROAD TREELESS PLAINS --MOORS AREAS OF WET SPONGY GROUND--BOGS FISHING & SHEEP HERDING-ECONOMIC ACTIVITIES PRODUCE THE HANDWOVEN WOOLEN CLOTH--TWEED

REGIONS OF SCOTLAND CENTRAL LOWLANDS SOUTHERN UPLANDS 75% OF POPULATION-BETWEEN GLASGOW AND EDINBURGH RECENT LOSS OF INDUSTRY SOUTHERN UPLANDS CLOSEST TO ENGLAND SHEEP RAISING REGION

SCOTTISH CULTURE-OLD AND NEW! NEW INDUSTRY--COMPUTERS & TECHNOLOGY. STILL KEEP SCOTTISH GOVERNMENT PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH-CHIEF RELIGION HIGHLAND GAMES --TRADITIONAL ATHLETIC CONTESTS! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yZOeHoyNd6c http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9I9dg99ATnA&feature=related

WALES Conquered by England in 1284. About the size of Massachusetts 3 regions Highland Region--North Lowlands in South near Cardiff Cambrian Mts. In Central Wales Marine West Coast climate

WALES ECONOMICS AND INDEPENDENCE ECONOMICS OF WALES EARLY 1900’S RELIED ON COAL MINING COAL MINES FAILED IN 1990’S REPLACED BY TECHNOLOGY AND TOURISM JOBS TRYING TO MAINTAIN THEIR OWN CULTURE: 1) SEPARATE LANGUAGE 20% OF PEOPLE SPEAK WELSH 2) OWN FLAG

SECTION 3 THE TWO IRELANDS IRELAND DIVIDED INTO 2 PARTS: NORTHERN IRELAND PREDOMINANTLY PROTESTANT ENGLISH / SCOTTISH IMMIGRANTS AGAINST RE-UNITING IRELAND REPUBLIC OF IRELAND PREDOMINATLY CATHOLICS DESCENDANTS OF ORIGINAL CELTIC PEOPLE GOAL IS TO RE-UNITE IRELAND.

PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS NICKNAMED THE “EMERALD ISLE” MARINE WEST COAST CLIMATE 1/6 COVERED WITH PEAT--A waterlogged spongy material now used in power plants. ECONOMICS--GOOD AND BAD +Growth in education and telecommunications +1994-2000 highest economic growth in Europe +Unemployment falls +Irish emigrants return to Ireland -Ireland adopts the Euro. -Inflation 6.2%(Triple European average) -Housing costs grow http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DsVd1S6g284&feature=related

IRISH HISTORY IRELAND FALLS UNDER BRITISH CONTROL. 1200’S LAND SPLIT BETWEEM ENGLISH PROTESTANTS AND IRISH CATHOLICS--1600-1800 CULTURAL DIVERGENCE--KEEP CULTURES APART POTATO FAMINE LEADS TO MILLIONS DYING DUE TO STARVATION!--BLAME ENGLAND! MILLIONS IMMIGRATE TO THE U.S. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rjtkRfsZUck&feature=related REPUBLIC OF IRELAND BECOMES INDEPENDENT 1949 History of violence between Protestants and Catholics

SECTION 4--THE NORDIC NATIONS 5 INDEPENDENT NATIONS FINLAND SWEDEN NORWAY DENMARK ICELAND http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mn3vwBsAJEo http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sA_ytcSGhsI&feature=related

PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS MUCH OF TERRAIN ESTABLISHED BY LAST “ICE AGE”. 2 PENINSULAS FILLED WITH LAKES AND ROCKEY SOIL. COASTLINE A SERIES OF DEEP WATER FILLED VALLEYS CALLED “FJORDS”

NATURAL RESOURCES ICELAND --A LAND OF FIRE AND ICE HOT WATER GEYSERS AND VOLCANOES NEXT TO GLACIERS INHABITANTS RELY ON “GEOTHERMAL ENERGY” AS A SOURCE OF POWER. ACOUNTS FOR A LARGE PORTION OF ALL THEIR POWER.

SEASONS IN THE NORDIC NATIONS WINTER-LONGEST SEASON SUN MAY ONLY SHINE 2-3 HOURS. INFLUENCE OF THE “NORTHERN LIGHTS” SUMMER--SHORT SEASON NOTED PUBLIC HOLIDAY “RETURN OF THE MIDNITE SUN” SUNLIGHT SHINES FOR 20 HOURS A DAY.

CLIMATE OF NORDIC NATIONS LONG COLD WINTERS, BUT COASTAL AREAS--MILD CLIMATES AFFECTED BY WARM WATER OCEAN CURRENTS

WHAT DO THE NORDIC NATIONS HAVE IN COMMON FIRST RULED BY THE VIKINGS 800-1050 MOST PRACTICE LUTHERAN REFORMED RELIGION SIMILAR LANGUAGES--ALL STUDENTS REQUIRED TO LEARN ENGLISH ALL ARE DEMOCRACIES AND MIXED ECONOMIES

NORDIC NATIONS--ECONOMICS AND FOREIGN POLICY NORDIC GOVTS. PROVIDE/PAY FOR HEALTH CARE AND DAY CARE. BELIEVE IN NEUTRALITY IN FOREIGN AFFAIRS. ECONOMIC ACTIVITIES SWEDEN & DENMARK--FARMING (60% OF LAND) NORWAY--FISHING NORWAY--OIL & NATURAL GAS, TIMBER