1. The Influential Environment
How did the Environment of the Mediterranean Influence Civilization?

2. The Climate Dry, long summers
The area in the Plains of Gaul has a mild and rainy climate
Similar to Canada in many areas

4. Annual Precipitation
Take a look where the Alps and Pyrenees Mountains are located

5. Vegetation The vegetation in the Mediterranean varies. It includes:
Forest, which dominates much of the region
Grassland (stepe) in the south-east
Forest and Stepe areas in some of the south-east
Mediterranean vegetation (evergreen shrubs and trees) in the southern part of the region

8. Soils Fertile layer of top soil in most areas
Lots of space for agriculture
Some forestry and stock-raising areas
Cows from the Pyrenees Mountains

9. River Valleys Many rivers flow through this area
What effect might they have on the environment? And on the lives of people close to them?

10. Mountains
Many mountains and mountainous areas are to be found in Southern Europe.
High altitude
Difficult to traverse
Snow year-round at times
The Matterhorn located in the Swiss Alps, north present-day Italy

11. Seas Many Seas are found in this region:
The Mediterranean in the South
The Black Sea in the South-East
The Caspian Sea (the largest land-locked lake in the world) to the far South-East
The North Sea and Baltic Sea in the North
The Atlantic Ocean in the West

12. What difficulties could there be in travelling across a wide water expanse?
What influences could the seas have on human settlement and trade routes?

13. Your Assignment
Using your knowledge from reviewing this presentation and atlases, complete the activity sheet entitled “The Influence of Environment on Mediterranean Civilization”. Record at least three influences that each factor (climate, vegetation, soils, river valleys, mountains, and seas) could have had on civilization.