Chapter One: Europe
Part One: Pages 46 - 71
Teacher Notes
Introduction:
- Over the last 500 years Europe has had a greater impact on the rest of the world than any
other region.
- Created new societies from N. America to Australia.
- The movement of peoples was enormous:
Africa to America; Indians to Africa; Chinese to S.E. Asia; Malays to S. Africa;
Native Am.s forced westward.
- Europe’s history has been full of conflict: religious strife, 2 world wars, cold war –
shaped our lives over the last 500 years.
Europe’s Geographic Qualities
1) Efficient world contact – easy access.
2) Global economic and political domination.
3) Natural environment – a varied climate with many resources.
4) Many opportunities for exchange and specialization.
5) Manufacturing, technology and service.
6) Nation states emerged – leading to separatist movements.
7) Aging population today is well educated, financially independent; urbanized.
8) A population decline today, being somewhat offset by new immigration.
9) More international economic integration, less political integration within Europe.
Defining the Realm
1) Geographical Features
40 Countries, 590 Million people in a rather small territory
Borders: Atlantic, Mediterranean, Arctic, and Russia
Resources are large and varied – industrialization
Climate has an incredible range – one of the sharpest
Human diversity – Latins, Germans, Slavs, Finns, Magyars, Basques, Celts
Locational Advantages – centrally located – easy access
2) Landscapes
Physiography – any part of our terrestrial world – it is small but varied
See Page 52 Map
Central Uplands – heart of Europe
Alpine Mountains – Pyrenees, Alps, Balkans
Western Uplands – older, lower, more stable – Scandinavia to Spain and the Isles
Northern European lowlands – Great European Plains
3) Historical Geography
Ancient Greece – built the foundation of European civilization
Romans superseded them, built an enormous infrastructure
“Local Functional Specialization” became a hallmark of Europe – production of a
particular good in a particular place by a particular people
Language – Romance languages
Christianity
Education
Administration
Commerce
Renaissance – 1400’s – European Revival: critical rebirth from the Dark Ages
Mercantilism – a competitive accumulation of wealth from overseas exploration
4) Revolutions of Modernizing Europe
A. Agrarian Revolution – more people and creation of cities - a need for more food
Improvements: in farming practices, transportation
Landownership broadened
New crops from America (potato)
The Isolated State – Von Thunen – (page 54) an economic geographer created a
model of the idealized “Model” of farming called the “Location Theory”
Location Theory is a model circling the city was in this order: intensive
farming/dairy, forest, field crops, animal ranching, wilderness
B. Industrial Revolution
Local Functional Specialization existed for a very long time before Ind. Rev.
a. British Primacy
1780’s James Watt invents steam engine – it was applied to everything!
Charcoal to Coal to coke – greater heat for iron making – less reliance on wood –
Coal fields become dominate and sought after.
Power loom is invented for fabrics
Transportation and ocean shipping are revolutionized
b. Resources:
Coal fields and iron belts are discovered
Manufacturing zones are formed around these and clusters of people
c. Clustering:
Many gather in one place to take advantage of resources
“Agglomerative” – concentrating “Deglomerative” – dispersing
d. Political Revolutions:
Peace of Westphalia – 1648 – 1806 – recognized boundaries and sovereignty
French Revolution – 1789-1795
e. Division and Unity:
Nationalism takes root
Much division exists – Germany is 39 states until 1870’s.
“Centrifugal forces” divisions over race, religion, linguistic, political, regional
“Centripetal forces” unifying force, people are satisfied
5. Contemporary Europe
Europe is ultra modern and powerful as one entity – collectively
As individual states there is much conflict, past and present and many areas of backwardness throughout
the continent.
6. Language and Religion:
Multiculturalism is a problem, though English is the unofficial official language.
Religion, while Christian, there still exists conflict between Catholics and Protestants.
Eastern Europe conflict is between the Christian Orthodox and Islam
Islam is on the rise in the west while Christianity is on the decline
7. Spatial Interaction: (Edward Ullman)
“Complementarity” – when 2 or more regions satisfy each other’s trade needs.
“Transferability” – transporting goods with ease, Europe has a great transportation system
“Intervening Opportunity” – trade occurs only when it can’t be found close at hand.
8. Highly Urbanized Realm:
“Primate City” – the country’s leading city is disproportionately large and exceptionally expressive of the
national culture.
“Metropolis” – central city and suburban rings
“Central Business District” – oldest part of urban agglomeration, the wealthiest and most prestigious
section. European’s prefer apartments to get open spaces vs. individual homes.
9. Changing Population:
Europe’s indigenous population is declining, which is dangerous when the elderly outnumber the young.
Immigration is offsetting some of these losses, but Islam is spreading.
The immigrants face prejudice, poverty, and are more isolated (often of own choosing) which means
assimilation doesn’t occur.
Divisions are growing throughout Europe.
10. Europe’s Modern Transportation:
a) Unification
Following WWII Europe was devastated.
The US created the Marshall Plan to help them rebuild Western Europe.
Russia pulled the eastern block countries back and assisted them, but not to the same extent.
The Marshall Plan created unity in the west of Europe.
“Supranationalism” when 3 or more nations create a voluntary association in economics, politics, and
cultural spheres – they are willing to yield some sovereignty for mutual benefit.
b) Policies & Priorities
“Common Market” 1957-1973 – 6 nations
“European Community” 1973 by 1995 there were 15 nations
“European Union” 1995 – present – 27 nations today
“Euro” the new currency of the EU.
c) Momentous Expansion
Problems:
Will the weaker nations weaken the larger body?
How big should they grow?
Who to include?
How will Russia react?
Commons policies: agriculture, economics, industry, subsidy programs
What to do with Yugoslavia, Ukraine, and Turkey?
d) Centrifugal Forces: see map on page 69
A. Devolutionary Pressures – regions seeking independence from their larger states.
England: Scotland, Wales, N. Ireland
Spain: Basques
e) European Union’s New Economic Geography:
“Four Motors of Europe” – European growth centers, they often reach beyond their national governments.
A. France – “Rhone-Alps Region” – Lyon, France
B. Italy – “Lombardy” in Northern Italy – Milan, Italy
C. Spain – “Catalonia” – Barcelona, Spain
D. Germany – “”Badden-Wurttemberg” – Stuttgart, Germany
“Regional States” – another way to describe the 4 motors of Europe.