World Geography PDF Notes

Note: This information was taken from the module, ppts, and personal notes, if you wish to add anything, edit a copy :) Thank you and goodluck! Lesson 1: World Geography Geography - derived from the Greek word ‘geo’ (the Earth, in its broadest meaning) ‘graph’ (to write about) 2 types of Geography 1...

Note: This information was taken from the module, ppts, and personal notes, if you wish to add anything, edit a copy :) Thank you and goodluck! Lesson 1: World Geography Geography - derived from the Greek word ‘geo’ (the Earth, in its broadest meaning) ‘graph’ (to write about) 2 types of Geography 1. Human Geography - studies how people and their activities vary from place to place - focuses on language, religion, race, and ethnic groups 2. Physical Geography - studies earth’s natural features * Eratosthenes - father of geography, Greek mathematician, created maps * Herodotus - father of history 5 Themes of Geography 1. Location - specific place/location 2. Place - location’s unique characteristics, more on general names 3. Movement - mobility of people, goods, ideas 4. Region - how areas are similar/different based on physical or cultural characteristics 5. Human - Environment interaction - relationship between human and society and the natural world Language - basis of cultural formation - a language family is used to describe a number of related languages that are believed to share the same common ancestor or proto-language. Ethnolinguistic Group - group of people with distinct language and culture that gives them a unique identity. Religion - monotheism or polytheism, it is a system of faith and worship Government - formed to provide the needs of the people 3 branches of government 1. Executive - approve the laws, the executives like the President 2. Legislative - make the laws, Senators and House of Representatives 3. Judicial/Judiciary - execute the laws, Supreme Court 5 forms of government 1. Democratic Government - government by the people, especially the rule of majority, the people have the power to govern, and the government can only act upon their consent. 2. Parliamentary Government - executive branch derives its legitimacy and authority from the legislative branch and s accountable to it 3. Federal Government - power is divided between a central authority and individual state or provinces with each level having its own set of powers and responsibilities 4. Dictatorial Government - rulers hold power and they rely on the military 5. Communism - single authoritarian party controls the state Lesson 2: The Early Men Biological Evolution - men have found ways to search for the history of man’s origin. It was said that Africa is the cradle of civilization because it is where scientists found the remains of the first human beings. * Prehistoric culture - way of life, beliefs, practices, and social organization of human societies before the development of writing systems. Since no written records exist from this period, our understanding of prehistoric cultures is derived from archaeological findings, such as tools, art, burial practices, and structures. - Australopithecines/Australapithecus Africanus - Southern ape of Africa - Homo Habilis “skillful man” - use of tools, discovery of fire - Homo Erectus “upright man” - bipedalism - using 2 limbs to walk - Homo Sapiens “thinking man” - sapien - smart/wise - Homo Sapiens Sapiens “modern man” Cultural/Sociopolitical Evolution - From hunting and gathering to the agricultural, industrial, and post-industrial revolutions. A. Paleolithic Age (Old Stone Age) - nomadic way of life, meaning transferring from one place to another B. Mesolithic Age (Middle Stone Age) - fishing, melting of glaciers/ice caps C. Neolithic Age (New Stone Age) - agricultural intentions, domestication of plants and animals D. Early Civilizations - rise of the state, formation of cities, states, social hierarchies, and legal codes/laws E. Democratization Types of Society - Hunting and Gathering - people hunt and gather food in small, simple societies. Low degree of conflict and inequality -Horticultural/Pastoral - grow crops, raise livestock. Both types of societies are wealthier than hunting- and-gathering societies, and they also have more inequality and greater conflict than hunting-and-gathering societies. - Agricultural - grow a great number of crops with the use of different tools. They are wealthier and have a higher degree of conflict and of inequality. - Industrial - factories and machines, wealthier than agricultural societies and have a greater sense of individualism and a somewhat lower degree of inequality that still remains substantial. - Post-Industrial - feature information technology and service jobs. Higher education is especially important in these societies for economic success. Lesson 3: Early Civilizations (Egypt, Mesopotamia, India, and China) Mesopotamia - land between 2 rivers- tigris Euphrates, now Iraq Civilization- advanced culture, culture is a way of life Fertile Crescent- region that is shaped like a crescent, which is also fertile 1. Sumerians - first to settle in the plans of tigris-euphrates - headed by a priest-king “patesi” - patesi was referred to as their theocracy - cuneiform - form of writing using sharp tools/wedge that are written on a clay tablet - ziggurat - temple where the patesi resides, he stands at the dome for announcements - system of counting by 6’s - epic of Gilgamesh - similar to the story of noah’s ark - wheels - the first wheels were wooden until they discovered rubber and metals 2. Akkadians - ruled by Sargon I, the world’s first empire 3. Babylonians - led by king hammurabi- was harsh, cruel and violent, believed in many gods like enlil, enki and any, embraces Sumerian culture - adapted Sumerian culture -the Hammurabi code - lex talionis “ an eye for and eye, a tooth for a tooth”, do your work well 4. Hittites - warriors, introduced the use of metal tools, armor and shields - humane legal system - capital punishment was only for major crimes, so not everyone should be punished - iron smelting 5. Assyrians - cruel, aggressive, warlike, led by tiglath pileser I, ashurbanipal built the first library in the world - mostly contained clay tablets, invented chariots - Assyrian alphabet, Assyrian wars 6. Chaldeans - stargazers of Babylon, interested in astrology, 2nd Babylonia, led by Nebuchadnezzar - zodiac - as they are very interested in astrology - hanging gardens of Babylon - built by king nebuchadnezzar, built it for his wife who was always sad because she could not bear a child - stargazers - they relate it to the people 7. Persians - Persia: now Iran, known for being the mightiest empire, led by Cyrus the great - Zoroastrianism - zoroaster - prophet, introduced this religion - coinage system - use of coins - the royal road from Iran to turkey - made a road Persia to turkey for trading which are also used by the Chinese 8. Phoenicians - contributed greatly to the interconnected nature of ancient civilizations during the Mesopotamian period. Their seafaring skills, mastery of trade, and innovations in writing helped spread ideas, goods, and technologies across the ancient world. As a result, the Phoenicians served as key cultural and economic links between the great civilizations of Mesopotamia, Egypt, and the Mediterranean. - ships - trade purple dye from snails “muerex” - phoenician alphabet 9. Hebrews - chosen people of god - monotheism - belief of one god - mosaic law: Ten Commandments* - Hebrew alphabet - the Old Testament Egypt - located in Africa, “gift of the nile” - Herodotus Nile river - longest river in the world (4,160 miles)/ - what gave life to egypt Kemet - how people call their land meaning “black soil” Papyrus - redd that grow along the nile’s marshy shores - used for making paper Religion Polytheism - amon-re - most important god “sun-god” Government Theocracy - their leader is appointed by god System of Writing Hieroglyphics - picture writing, one of the oldest form of writing The Old kingdom: Age of Pyramids - pharaoh: great house - believed to be the son of the sun-god - the source of law, owner of all lands, quarries mines and water in egypt - pharaoh Menes “golden age of egypt” - economy is prosperous, everyone is happy, there is peace and order in the country - menes: united the upper and lower egypt - pharaoh Khufu/cheops - intimated the building of pyramids, made the pyramid at Giza - tombs for each pharaoh The Middle Kingdom: age of nobles - pharaoh amenemhet 1 - art and literature flourished - agriculture flourished - canals were built - downfall: Hyksos invasion - assyrians, conquered lower Egypt using bronze weapon and horse-drawn chariots The New Kingdom: Age of Empire 1. Pharaoh thutmose 2 2. Queen Hatshepsut - marketing and trading 3. Thutmose 3 - conquered Palestine and syria - built obelisks: where achievement or accomplishment are put and built, for leaders only Amenhotep 4 - most controversial pharaoh of the new kingdom - wanted egyptians to worship the god ATON - changed his name from anhotep to Akhenaton meaning pleasing to the Aton - downfall: lost support of the people and military Tutankhaton - changed his name from tutankhaton to tatankhamon signing the return of traditional religious practices Ramses 2 - last great ruler of the new kingdom - revived the greatness of the empire -fought the Hittites Alexander the great- occupied the land in the nile valley Queen Cleopatra - last pharaoh of egypt - defeated by the romans - very ambitious - serpent of the nile Contributions to Civilization 1. Hieroglyphics 2. Pyramids 3. Obelisks 4. Great sphinx 5. Mummification 6. Surgery and anatomy 7. Mathematics/engineering/architecture Indus Valley civilisation - we do not know the cities were sophisticated enough to have brick walls surrounding them for protection against flooding form the Indus River 1) dravidians: early inhabitants of India, blacks, they are discriminated 2) aryans: the noble ones - nomads from Iran - called the people they found in India, daysu Caste system - is a fixed social grouping based on class, occupations and tradition in a hindu society Indus economy - the Indus River valley people were mostly farmers - traditional economy - they dd trade with shines and with sumerians (Mesopotamians) Ancient China - Great Wall- was built to keep the mongols out, many died building it and their bodies were used as filler for it - began 2000 B.c. - mandate of heaven- their leadership is to be determined by god - dynasties - silk - astronomy Yellow river - ancient china was formed around the river - “china’s sorrow” - it was named the yellow river because of the silk of the reflection of the sun - the color yellow symbolize “centrally” as in china is the center of the world accomplishments: - making bronzework - gongs, gunpowder, wrote books, developed a complex of writing - silk - was exotic and expensive so it was good for trading with the rest of the world, made from silkworms Dynastic cycle: 1. Dynasty is founded by a powerful leader 2. Period of great power and prosperity - restores peace, restores glory to the country 3. Period of decline - higher taxes, social services decline, natural disasters, loses mandate of heaven 4. Period of rebellion, dynasty will be overthrown