Download Global History Name: Regents Prep Date: Period: ___ Lesson #1

Global History
Name: __________________________
Regents Prep
Date: _________________ Period: ___
_______________________________________________________________________________
Lesson #1 Notes: Geography
Introduction
Human and Physical Geography is the study of the environment, people and the resources they use.
Geography determines the way in which humans live, the adaptations they have developed to
survive, and the alterations to the environment they have made to better their existence. The impact
of human interaction with the environment has had mixed results. While human life has been
improved and made more comfortable, the environment has been damaged in a variety of way. The
study of Human and Physical Geography has five themes, Location, Place, Interaction, Movement and
Region.
Rivers
Rivers and river valleys have been very important in the development of civilization. A river is a
moving body of water that usually has its source in an area of high ground. An example would be the
Ganges River flowing out of the Himalaya Mountains in India. Rivers often flow to a larger body of
water such as a lake, ocean, or sea. The Nile River in Egypt flows into the Mediterranean Sea. The end
of a river is called its mouth, and with some rivers, such as the Nile, deposits of silt build up creating
what is a Delta.
Over time, many rivers have carved out river valleys as they flow. Early civilizations formed in these
river valleys because they provided a water source, good farmland, and a source of trade. Civilizations
such as Egypt of the Nile, Mesopotamia cultures on the Tigris and Euphrates, early China on the
Yellow and Yangtze Rivers and early India on the Indus all benefited from the rivers resources. Many
early civilizations developed irrigation systems to further take advantage of the river. This allowed
them to grow and flourish.
Mountains
Mountains are areas of land with steep sides that rise sharply from surrounding land. They can be
found all around the world, with 20% of the Earth’s surface being mountainous. Mountains present
both positive and negative aspects to human existence. In positive, mountains often act as barriers to
invasion. India, protected by the Himalaya Mountains, has enjoyed protection from invasion from
other parts of Asia. However, the barrier effect can also have negative effects. Cultural Diffusion is
often hindered as trade and other peaceful contact cannot occur.
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Global History
Name: __________________________
Regents Prep
Date: _________________ Period: ___
_______________________________________________________________________________
Mountains also usually lack arable farm land. This has often resulted in sparse human habitation.
But, in some places human adaptation to this geographical feature has allowed civilizations to
flourish. In both Chinese and Incan civilizations, terraces or steps, were cut into the mountain
providing an area of flat land suitable for crops. This is known and terrace farming.
In Greece, the mountainous terrain prevented the development of a unified society. As a result, the
Greeks formed city-states with a variety of government systems, including the first democracy.
Another result of the mountainous terrain of Greece was the reliance on the sea as a source of trade.
Deserts
Deserts are areas of land with sparse vegetation, no arable farmland and very poor climate, usally
hot and dry. Deserts often act as barriers to civilizations, as crossing a desert is very hard. The Sahara
Desert in North Africa effectively cut the southern part of the Africa off from the Mediterranean world
for centuries. Also, through the process of desertification, the Sahara has been slowly claiming the
arable land in Northern Africa. In spite of that some civilizations did develop in Northern Africa; Mali,
Songhai, and Ghana.
Bodies of Water
Oceans and seas are large bodies of salt water. The difference between the two is that a sea is smaller
than an ocean and is generally surrounded by land. The four oceans are the Atlantic, the Pacific, the
Indian and the Arctic. Oceans and seas have positive and negative effects on human civilization; they
often act as a barrier to both cultural diffusion and invasion. However, many civilizations developed
good sea travel and were able to overcome this effect. Many of these civilizations used the water as
highways of trade, cultural diffusion and invasion.
A Peninsula is an area of land surrounded on three sides by water. Italy, Greece and India are all
peninsulas. The advantages and disadvantages of living on a peninsula are the same as living in any
coastal region. In fact, the geography of Italy helped bring about a golden age called the Renaissance
in the 13th century.
An island in an area of land completely surrounded by water. Examples include Iceland, Great
Britain and Madagascar. Islands often lack many natural resources and are forced to trade with other
nations. Most island nations develop good forms of sea travel, such as Great Britain and Japan.
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Global History
Name: __________________________
Regents Prep
Date: _________________ Period: ___
_______________________________________________________________________________
Throughout history islands have been used as steeping stones to cross the major oceans. The Pacific
Ocean is full of archipelagos, which are chains of islands. Japan is a prime example of an
archipelago.
Human Impact
Introduction
Human impact on the environment can be explained in two important ways. One is how humans have
adapted to and changed their environment to survive and make life more comfortable and convenient.
The other is the effects of these changes and adaptations.
Positive Changes/Adaptations
Humans have made many changes to their geographical situations to better suit their needs and
wants. Most of these changes/adaptations have had a positive impact on the lives of humans, but were
not necessarily good for the environment.
Irrigation
Irrigation systems bring water from nearby sources, often rivers, to areas where crops are grown.
Early civilizations such as those in Egypt and China used irrigation systems to grow more food,
enabling them to expand and grow. In modern times, more advanced irrigation systems have been
developed to grow crops in areas once thought barren.
Terrace Farming
Terrace farming involves cutting out flat areas (terraces) into near vertical slopes to allow farming.
Terrace farms appear as steps cut into a mountainside. This adaptation allowed both the early
Chinese, and the Inca of Mesoamerica to grow enough food for their large populations.
Roads
The development of roads allowed civilizations to exchange goods and services with other cultures as
well as invade and conquer. The Roman and Incan Empires built elaborate road systems throughout
their empires. These roads allowed them to maintain good communication and establish a strong,
centralized government.
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Global History
Name: __________________________
Regents Prep
Date: _________________ Period: ___
_______________________________________________________________________________
Lesson #1 Classwork: Geography
Complete the following activities to gain a better understanding of geography’s affect on History.
1. Review your notes about the following location. For each location, explain how it either helped or
hurt the people of the location
 Early River Valley Civilizations
 Ancient Greece
 China
 Italy
2. Choose two examples of how humans have used geography or geographic features to meet their
needs. Each answer must be a minimum of three sentences.
3. Answer the following Thematic Essay Prompt in essay form: introduction, conclusion, and body
paragraphs.
Throughout history, geographic features have influenced the development of civilizations and
regions. Geographic features have both promoted and limited interactions with other
civilizations and regions.
Select two different geographic features and for each
• Discuss how this geographic feature influenced the development of a specific civilization or
region
• Discuss how this geographic feature promoted and/or limited the interaction of this civilization
or region with another civilization or region
4. Rate your partner’s response to the essay prompt. Answer the following questions in complete
sentences.
 How did you rate your essay response (scale of 1 – 10)
 Why did you give yourself this rating? (minimum 5 sentences answer)
 What are three ways you can improve your essay in the future? (minimum five sentence
answer)
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