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THE BRITISH ISLESChapter 15
England Physical Characteristics
Green Rolling meadows
Peaceful Rivers Neat Farms Lowlands:
Fertile-able to produce abundant goods
Most productive Farms
Wheat, vegetables Cool Moist Weather Raising Sheep, Dairy
and Beef Cattle
•Midlands:Factory TownsCoal MinesHeavy IndustryHigh Population Density
•Highlands:England’s West CoastDifficult to Farm
Highlands of England
Lowlands of England
Midlands of England
London’s Relative Location: English Channel drops
off sharply, forming steep cliffs that plunge straight down into the water
London is located on the Thames River
Ships sail directly into the port of London
Remains on the edge of European Trade
Exploration across the Atlantic allowed better locations than other European Countries.
Economic Activities Farm goods were shipped early on, but later United Kingdom
became more industrialized because of the Industrial Revolution. Built Factories to produce manufactured goods. “Workshop of the World”
The Rise of Heavy Industry: Water power ran the
machines Coal mines Produce ore- rocky
material containing a valuable mineral, used in making steel.
Industrial Revolution brought wealth to Britain
•Challenges to British Industry• World’s industrial leader for
years b/c of its location and raw material supply
• Recently faced hard times• Is Challenged by other
counties• Ran out of some of its raw
materials• Help ease the problems the
gov. encourages Tertiary Economic Activities- service industries such as finance, insurance, and tourism
Scotland and Wales Landscape and Rugged Southern Uplands:
Sheep Raising Region Wool Medieval Abbeys and landscapes
make it a tourist attraction Central Lowlands:
75% of pop live in this area Huge Ship Building Center
Highlands: High Plateau w/ many lakes Mountains Moors-broad, treeless rolling plains Bogs-areas of wet spongy ground Fishing and Sheep Herding Tweed -Scottish Home Industry
Scottish Culture
Largely a coal mining nation
New Industries: Oil, Computer, and
Electronic Businesses
Kept political and trading rights
Remain largely Presbyterian
New Scottish Parliament
Some even want independence
Wales Culture• Independent
Attitude• Own Capitol• Own Postage Stamp, flag, language• But Still influenced by EnglandEconomic
Activities• England’s Biggest Coal Producers• Fallen behind in Technology• Coal Mines Closed• New jobs in High Tech Industries• Promote Tourism
The 2 Irelands Physical Characteristics:
Moist Marine West Coast Climate
Brilliant Green Most of the Year
“Emerald Isle” Covered by Peat-
spongy material containing waterlogged mosses and plants Farmers cut and dry peat
to use for fuel and heating Peat is used in Power
plants Supplies 25% of the
nation’s electricity
Cooperation and Conflict Celtic tribes were 1st in Ireland
Spoke Gaelic History is shaped by invasion and wars from the
Vikings, Norman invaders . Religious Conflicts: In the 1500’s Churches started to reform the church called Reformation. Reformers were called Protestants and formed new Christian Churches. (Lutherans, Methodist, Baptist) England formed a new church named the Church of England (protestant) Ireland remained Catholic Protestant English were rich and powerful and the Irish Poor. Cultural Divergence- deliberate efforts to keep cultures separate
Irish Set Back Potato Famine
Blight- or plant disease Irish relied on potatoes. One Million died of starvation or disease Blight pushed millions from island to the United States in search of
jobs and a new life
Economic Activities Government invested in: Education and TelecommunicationsOffered tax incentives to foreign high tech companies lured emigrant back to Ireland1999 became part of the EU
Inflation rose and housing cost skyrocketed
Government and CitizenshipMany Irish wanted independence and Ireland was divided into two parts one becoming the Republic of Ireland in 1949.Today ½ of Ireland is Catholic while the other ½ is ProtestantProtestants want to remain independence, while Catholics want reunification.Protestant and Catholic extremist use:
ViolenceBombingsHunger StrikesGun Battles
The Nordic Nations-Physical Characteristics
Varied Landscape Denmark is Flat Norway is mountainous
Environmental Change Environment is part of the
last ice age. Glaciers carved out lakes Top soil removed Difficult to farm Rocky Fjords- flooded glacier
valleys Natural Resources
Iceland the Land of “Fire and Ice”, volcanoes and glaciers exists side by side.
Geothermal Energy- Energy produced from heat of the Earth’s interior
• Long Winters, Short Summers• Sun may shine only 2/3 hrs in
the midwinter and more than 20 hrs in Midsummer
• Start of summer is a public holiday, when they
celebrate the return of the midnight sun
• Northern Lights- winter is when greenish, white and red lights of the aurora borealis shine in the Nordic Nations
• The Ocean Climate• Mild Marine West Coast
Climate• Mountain Range prevents the
warm air from reaching the Scandinavian peninsula
where it is cold, dry andsubarctic.
Shared Cultural Bond
Understanding the Past Vikings left the fjords.
They were warriors, traders, colonizers, and explorers.
Nordic People belong to the Lutheran Church established during the Reformation.
Nordic School require students to learn: English, which
helps bridge gap in linguistic differences
Economic Systems All 5 nations are democracies Mixed Economies- systems
combining different degrees of government regulation (Mixture of Free Enterprise and Socialism)
Nordic Gov. guarantees certain goods and services.
Denmark and Sweden have a state-run daycare and state supported medical care.
Politically neutral in foreign affairs
Excellent Harbors for military Forbids storage of nuclear
weapons
Economic Activities
The Nordic Nations have a variety of wealth and sources.
Denmark and Sweden are great for agriculture.
Denmark produces 3 times the amount of food needed to feed its people.
Fishing is also important. Norwegians call the water
the “Blue Meadow” comparing it to Denmark’s farmland.
The region also provides oil and gas production, ore and vast forests.
Northern Lights (Clockwise: Sweden, Finland, Iceland)
