Tuesday, December 5, 2017 Southern Europe Physical Geography Content Objective: WG.4A Explain how elevation, latitude, wind systems, ocean currents, position on a continent, and mountain barriers influence temperature, precipitation, and distribution of climate regions. Language Objective: complete Warm- Up, write outline notes and discuss the geography of Southern Europe Do Now: Why is Europe referred to as a continent of peninsulas? Which peninsulas can be found in Southern Europe? What separates Spain and France? Tungsten- an extremely rare heavy-metal element essential in high-tech industry City-state- an independently governed community consisting of a city and the surrounding lands, notably present in Ancient Greece
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Human Geography of Southern Europe Early History Ancient Greece was a collection of city-states, each independent with its own form of government and society. They were linked only by their common language and shared cultural identity. The classical period of Greek history reached its height in the 400s B.C. The citystate of Athens introduced the concept of democracy to the world. The city-state of Sparta was built on the glory of war. The Roman Republic, founded in Italy, was established on the rule of law and the balance of power. It was the foundation of the largest empire of the ancient world.
Human Geography of Southern Europe The Path to Today Beginning in Italy in the 1300s, a new era called the Renaissance (from the French word for rebirth ) signaled a major cultural revival. Much of Europe experienced a renewed interest in the arts, politics, science, and philosophy. This blossoming was possible because of the level of wealth and stability that the Italian city-states achieved. Artwork during the Renaissance also reflected a trend toward realism through new techniques such as perspective. Italian Renaissance artists, such as Leonardo da Vinci (1452 1519) and Michelangelo (1475 1564), created many of the era s masterpieces. Before Renaissance After
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Human Geography of Southern Europe Population Patterns As in most European countries, the populations of Italy, Spain, and Greece are aging. The birthrates are not high enough to replace the current generation. Traditionally, younger generations cared for older family members. This practice is declining in Europe where older people do not have adult children to care for them. Demands for necessary labor are being met by migrants within the European Union. Newly admitted EU countries in Eastern Europe have larger proportions of their populations living in rural areas.
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Human Geography of Southern Europe Society and Culture Today The people of Italy, Spain, and Portugal all speak Romance languages that evolved from Latin, the language of the Romans. Many inhabitants of these countries are also heavily influenced by the Roman Catholic Church. Throughout the region, literacy is very high (about 95 percent). The high literacy rate reflects the strong government support of education. Spain and Italy have well-established universal health care systems that cover the basic health care needs of the people. Spain has more doctors per person than many other countries in Europe.
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Human Geography of Southern Europe Economic Activities The global recession of 2008 hit Southern Europe hard. Spain and Italy continue to face economic challenges. As one of the least developed in the area, Greece s economy remains weak as it grapples with high public spending, low productivity, and tax evasion. The EU is facing its first test of economic stability with Southern Europe suffering from record national debt and high unemployment.