European European GeographyGeography

You will study the geography of Europe You will study the geography of Europe and the Eurasian land mass including and the Eurasian land mass including location, topography, waterways, location, topography, waterways, vegetation, and climate and their vegetation, and climate and their relationship to ways of life in Medieval relationship to ways of life in Medieval Europe. Europe.

VocabularyVocabulary

Topography: Shape & elevation of Topography: Shape & elevation of land.land.

Waterways: Channel of water Waterways: Channel of water (rivers, canals, ect…)(rivers, canals, ect…)

Vegetation: Plant lifeVegetation: Plant life

Climate: WeatherClimate: Weather

LocationLocation

Europe is actually Europe is actually part of Eurasia, the part of Eurasia, the large landmass that large landmass that includes both includes both Europe and Asia.Europe and Asia.

Geographers Geographers consider the Ural consider the Ural Mountains to be the Mountains to be the boundary between boundary between the two continents.the two continents.

TopographyTopography

Mountain ranges Mountain ranges cover much of cover much of southern Europe.southern Europe.

The Northern The Northern European Plain is European Plain is very flat. It begins very flat. It begins just north of the Alps just north of the Alps Mountains and Mountains and extends to the top of extends to the top of the Scandinavian the Scandinavian Peninsula .Peninsula .

Climate and VegetationClimate and Vegetation Southern Europe – Southern Europe –

largely warm and sunny; largely warm and sunny; shrubs and trees are shrubs and trees are commoncommon

Northwestern Europe – Northwestern Europe – Mild, cool, wet climate; Mild, cool, wet climate; freezing weather in freezing weather in winters limit growing winters limit growing seasonsseasons

Scandinavia (northern Scandinavia (northern most) – very cold, snows most) – very cold, snows all year; few plants can all year; few plants can survivesurvive

Glaciers in Scandinavia

Geography and Life Geography and Life in the Middle Agesin the Middle Ages

Southern EuropeSouthern Europe Lived on coastal plains Lived on coastal plains

and river valleys to and river valleys to farmfarm

In the mountains In the mountains people were herderspeople were herders

Access to coast made Access to coast made trade and fishing easytrade and fishing easy

Northern EuropeNorthern Europe Used rivers for Used rivers for

transportationtransportation Flat land made Flat land made

invasions a big probleminvasions a big problem