Where is Mediterranean Europe?

Region: Mediterranean Europe aka Southern Europe Spain Portugal Andorra Italy Vatican City Malta Greece

Mediterranean Climate This climate region is named for the land around the Med Sea where the climate is found although it is found other places in the world. Hot and Dry Summers Cool/Moderate and Rainy Winters One reason for this climate is the mountains block cold north winds from reaching the Iberian, Italian, and Balkan peninsulas Good climate for dense populations and agricultural activity.

Special Winds: Siroccos A sirocco is a hot, steady south wind that blows from North Africa across the Mediterranean Sea into Southern Europe. Some siroccos pick up moisture from the sea and produce rain; others pick up dust from the desert, which builds new soils and fertilizes crops in Southern Europe.

Special Winds: Mistrals A mistral is a strong, cold, dry regional wind in France, it comes from the north. Mistrals can reach 90 kilometers per hour.

The Mediterrean region was home to the two great civilizations of ancient Europe. What were they? Ancient Greece Ancient Rome The Ancient Greek city-state of Sparta is featured in the film 300. What does this movie poster show about cultures?

Two geographic advantages helped this region develop Mild climate made survival easier and people had time to develop complex institutions such as government & empire. Mediterranean Sea encouraged trade with different cultures in North Africa and the Middle East. Trade resulted in cultural diffusion which brought new ideas to the region, which led to advances in knowledge & technology.

Mediterranean Trade Routes Just look, no notes!

Greece : Birthplace of Democracy The people of Greece are known as Greeks. They speak Greek. Greek Orthodox is a popular form of Christianity in Greece. Ancient Birthplace of the modern Olympics and the Marathon race.

Maps of Greece Greece is located on the Balkan Peninsula. South of Macedonia. Across the Aegean Sea from Asia.

The city-state Near 4000 years ago, people settled in isolated villages across the Balkan Peninsula. These villages developed into independent city states. A city-state is a political unit made up of a city and the lands surrounding it.

In 508 BC, the city-state of Athens developed the first democracy, a government in which the people rule. In Athens, all free adult males were citizens who had the right to serve in the law-making assembly. Athenian democracy helped inspire the US system of government. Warring among the Greek city-states weakened them so they were conquered by Alexander the Great near 336 BC.

Alexander the Great’s Empire BC

Greek classics, ideas or thoughts, in science, philosophy, drama and art helped shape modern culture.

The Parthenon in Greece Famous Greek Temple (450 BC) near Athens

City of Santorini in Greece

Greek Heroes: Jason, Hercules… Homer’s epics: The Iliad and Odyssey

Apennine Mts.-Italy The Apennines make the Italian peninsula difficult terrain to travel through.

“All roads lead to Rome” As Greek power was falling, Rome was rising. Founded as a small village in 753 BC Rome had built a huge empire by 100 AD. Infrastructure made the Roman empire, aqueducts brought water down from the mountains to cities and large road networks provided Rome important communication links with far away regions of it’s empire, they also were good when armies needed to march someplace as they were often required to.

Roman Aqueduct in Segovia, Spain Aqueducts are structures that carry water over long distances.

Roman Aqueduct in Istanbul, Turkey

Aqueduct at Pont Du Gard

Roman Senate pictured below Rome began as a republic, a government in which citizens elect representatives to rule in their name. Rome conquered the Iberian and Balkan peninsulas as well as much of Northern Europe, including present-day Britain.

Christianity spread across the empire when the emperor made it Rome’s official religion in the late 300 AD’s. Due to political turmoil in Rome, a dictator, or emperor, named Julius Caesar took over the republic. One of Rome’s territories was Palestine, the place where Jesus of Nazareth was born.

The Coliseum at Rome The Coliseum at Rome was used as a public arena for gladiator fights and public executions of criminals, traitors, and other people undesirable to the Imperial Roman government.

In 476 AD, Barbarian invaders overthrew the Roman empire, however they had no strong central government, so Italy divided into many, small city-states. After the fall of Rome, interest in learning and education fell and a period began in history called the Dark or Middle Ages.

City-states of Italy In 1096, Christian armies launched the Crusades against the Muslims that controlled Palestine. Italian merchants earned enormous profits ($$$) by supplying ships for the Crusaders’ journey across the Med. Italian city-states became wealthy and grew powerful.

Renaissance (French for Rebirth) Began among the wealthy, powerful Italian city-states who could afford to be patrons, or wealthy sponsors of artists, scientists, and philosophers such as: Leonardo, Michaelangelo, Donatello, and Rafael. It was a time of renewed interest in classical art & learning that followed the Middle Ages and lasted from the 1500s-1700s. (14 th – 16 th century)

The Renaissance started first in Italy in the 1500’s with famous artists and inventors. Renaissance ideas spread north from Italy to the rest of Europe during this period.

Michaelangelo’s “Awakening Slave” & “Holy Family”

Michaelangelo’s “Creation of Man” Painted on ceiling of the Sistine Chapel

Rafael’s “Madonna”

Leonardo DaVinci Artist & inventor

Vatican City Smallest nation in the world.

Vatican St. Peters Basilica A city-state within Rome where the Pope lives.

The Pope is the leader of the Roman Catholic Church. This is the current Pope, Pope Benedict.

Italy Venice -Canals throughout the city which is slowly sinking into the sea

Venice Gondolas

Leaning tower of Pisa

Iberian Peninsula Spain and Portugal are located on the Iberian Peninsula.

Spain and Portugal established colonies throughout the Americas and elsewhere during the 16 th century. They spread Christianity & the Roman Catholic Church as well as the Spanish and Portuguese languages throughout the world.

Pyrenees Mountains Pyrenees Mts. have isolated Iberian Pen. from Europe

SPAIN The people of Spain are Spaniards or Spanish. They speak Spanish. Roman Catholics are numerous throughout Spain. The Kingdom of Spain helped to fund Columbus’ voyages to the New World.

Bull fighting is a popular spectator sport and the Running of the Bulls takes place every summer in Pamplona, Spain.

Soccer is also a popular sport.

Spanish Artists: Dali

Spanish Artists: Picasso

Rock of Gibraltar The Rock of Gibraltar is famous for its strategic importance; it holds an underground military communication center and a naval base.

From a different angle-