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Objectives  Describe Europe’s main geographic features  Explain how they have contributed to the growth of civilization there

What are the seven continents?  Asia  Africa  North America  Europe  Antarctica  South America  Australia

Eurasia  Europe is the world’s smallest continent  However, it connects with Asia to create the world’s largest landmass, called Eurasia

How is Europe both a small and big land mass?  Small: second smallest continent  Big: a part of Eurasia

On what ocean does western Europe face? Southern Europe?  Western: The Atlantic  Southern: The Mediterranean Why would you expect Europeans to use waterways extensively?

Locate the Ural and Caucasus Mountains  They are considered to be the border between Europe and Asia. URAL MOUNTAINS CAUCASUS MOUNTAINS

Unusual features of Europe  Spouting geysers (Iceland)  Huge glaciers (Alps)  Waterways: rivers and canals, seas and bays, harbors and channels

What else do you notice about Europe?  Many peninsulas, islands  Fjords – where sea surges in between cliffs (Scandinavian peninsula) Fjord

European Climate  What kind of climate does Europe have? Generally temperate (mild)  How does climate influence how people develop their culture? It affects what they can grow and the comfort or discomfort of their lives

Deforestation  What is deforestation and how does it relate to Europe? The process of clearing forests from the land It took place in Europe mostly after 1100 A.D.

North European Plain  The most fertile farmland in Europe is found in this region  A long growing season helps farmers to grow crops like wheat in the plain’s rich soil  Why might a broad sweeping area like this also encourage warfare? No natural barriers to invaders

Bounty from Rivers and Seas  Jagged coastline creates natural harbors that help to protect boats Fishing has always been important to the European economy  Over 2,000 years ago, river power was used to turn waterwheels that ground wheat  Traders transported goods on Europe’s long, navigable rivers

Why is it possible to travel from Britain to the Ural Mountains without ever leaving a boat?  Waterways, whether they are natural or human-built, connect all Europe from west to east

Seine River  Paris, France (one of the world’s largest cities) grew alongside the Seine  Europeans have developed thriving economies by using rivers for power and transportation

Sum it Up  Europe, Earth’s second-smallest continent, had a long, jagged coastline  Closeness to the sea has had important effects on Europe’s climate and economy  Europe’s rivers and seas are great sources of fish  Waterways are also used for transportation and power

Think About It  What makes the climate of Europe temperate? Warming winds from the sea  Name a trade that has always been important to the European economy fishing  How did the waterways of Europe affect life there? They gave people food, power, transportation, trade, and power  Explain why the following statement is a fact or an opinion – “Europe’s navigable rivers help in the transport of goods.” It is a fact because it can be proven by information about the amount of shipping along rivers that is carried on each year