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7th Grade UBD - Unit 6 – Europe

Europe is a continent with
varied geographic features,
abundant natural resources,
and a climate that can support
agriculture.

The development of Europe’s
diverse cultures has been
shaped by the continent’s
diverse geography.

Today, cars, airplanes, and
trains are common forms
of high speed
transportation across
Europe.

Before the 19th century,
however, the fastest form
of transportation was to
travel by water.

Water surrounds the continent of Europe to the
north, south, and west.

Europe also has many rivers. The highly traveled
Rhine and Danube rivers are two of the most
important.

For hundreds of years, these and other waterways
have been home to boats and barges carrying people
and goods inland across great distances.
Key Term
Europe- The
world’s second-
smallest
continent; a
peninsula of
the Eurasian
landmass.
Key Term
Russia- A
country in
northern
Eurasia; it is the
largest country
in term of size
in the world.

Europe, in general, has a much higher population
density than most of the world. By comparison,
Russia has a much lower population density.

Europe is a small continent. Only Australia is smaller.

Europe’s bays include many harbors, or sheltered
bodies of water, where ships can dock enabling
Western European countries to become world
leaders in the shipping industry.
Video- Europe and Russia’s Population

Europe, in general, has a much
higher population density than
most of the world. By
comparison, Russia has a much
lower population density.

Few people live in the vast plains
and mountains of Eastern Russia.
The poor soil and cold climate
make it a difficult place to live.
Key Term
Population
Density- The
average
number of
people living in
a given area.

Europe and Russia are
parts of Eurasia, the
world’s largest landmass.

This landmass is made up
of two continents, Europe
and Asia.

The Ural Mountains mark
the dividing line between
Europe and Russia.

Some 48 countries are
located in Europe; most are
small.

Many are the size of an
average state in the United
States.

Russia on the other hand is
almost twice the size of
Canada or the United
States.

The continent of Europe
has lots of peninsulas
and bays.

Europe’s bays have
enabled Western
European countries to
become world leaders in
the shipping industry.

Russia lies on the Arctic Ocean.
This body of water is frozen for
most of the year and cannot
be used for shipping.

However, there are no physical
features between Russia and
Europe that form travel
barriers.

Within Europe are four
major land regions: the
Northwestern
Highlands, the North
European Plain, the
Central Uplands, and the
Alpine Mountain
System.

Half of Europe is covered
by the North European
Plain.

It includes most of the
European part of Russia.

This region is the most
important region since it
has the most productive
farmland and the largest
cities in Europe.

The North European Plain stretches from
the coast of France to the Ural
Mountains.

The North European Plain is the location
of some of the world’s richest farmland.

Europe and the Western part
of Russia share the North
European Plain.

Russia’s largest cities, Moscow
and St. Petersburg, are in this
region.

There are more people living in
this region than in any other
part of Russia.

To the East of the Urals is
the Asian part of Russia- a
region known as Siberia.

This region makes up 75
percent of Russian
territory, but it has only
about 20 percent of
Russia’s people.

Lake Baikal, Russia,
holds about one fifth of
Earth’s fresh water.

More than 300 rivers
and streams flow into
Lake Baikal from the
surrounding mountains.

Because Lake Baikal holds
so much water, it affects
the weather in the area
around it.

The land near the lake is
cooler in the summer and
warmer in the winter.
Key Term
Tributary- A
river or
stream that
flows into a
larger river.
Video- Lake Baikal
Reading Activity- Eyewitness to History 15
1.
What are two examples of ways in which physical
features have affected life in Europe and Russia?
2.
Think about the areas of Europe and Russia that are
most densely populated. What physical features
attract people to settle in those areas?
What are two examples of ways in which physical features
1.
have affected life in Europe and Russia?
 Good harbors have enabled European countries to become world
leaders in the shipping industry. Few people live in the vast plains and
mountains of eastern Russia. The poor soil and cold climate make it a
difficult place to live.
Think about the areas of Europe and Russia that are most
2.
densely populated. What physical features attract people to
settle in those areas?

People are attracted to areas that have good soil, access to freshwater
and other natural resources.
Reading Handout- A Land of Varied Riches

Write a paragraph about
what you would see if you
flew in a plane over
Europe and Russia. Then
explain what physical
features would you see.
Next, draw a picture of
some of those features.
(10 minutes)

Warm water from the Gulf of Mexico brings mild weather
to much of Europe.

The North European Plain was once covered by
grasslands, called prairies. Like the forests, most of the
prairies have been cleared away.

The natural vegetation, or plant life, of Europe and Russia
is as varied as the climate. Vegetation regions are related
to climate regions.

Areas that are near the
ocean or sea have
fairly mild weather
year round.

Areas that are far from
the ocean have
extreme weather.

Winds blowing across the
ocean pick up a great deal
of moisture.

When these winds blow
over land, they drop the
moisture in the form of
rain.
Video- The Gulf Stream
Key Term
The Gulf StreamThe current of
warm water which
flows across the
Atlantic Ocean
from the Gulf of
Mexico towards
Europe.

As wind rises up a
mountain, it cools and
drops moisture. The air is
dry by the time it reaches
the other side of the
mountain.

Areas away from the wind
are in a rain shadow.
Key Term
Rain ShadowAn area on the
sheltered side
of a mountain
that receives
little rainfall.

The natural vegetation,
or plant life, of Europe
and Russia is as varied
as the climate.

Vegetation regions are
related to climate
regions.

The natural vegetation of much
of Europe is forest. However,
most of these forests have been
cleared to make way for farms,
factories, and cities.

Much of Europe was also once
covered by grasslands, called
prairies. Like the forests, most
of the prairies have also been
cleared.
Key Term
Prairies- An
area of
grassland.

Today, the largest forests
are found only in
Northern Europe and at
high altitudes in the
mountains.

In Northern Europe
forests, such as the Black
Forest are still being cut
for lumber.
Key Term
The Black
Forest- A hilly
forest region in
Germany that
is still being cut
for lumber.

Russia has three great
vegetation zones: the
tundra, forest, and the
grasslands.

The tundra and forest
zones extend across
Siberia. Grasslands cover
southwestern Russia.
Key Term
Tundra- A region
where
temperatures are
always cool or cold
and where only
certain plants, such
as low grasses, can
grow.
Key Term
PermafrostSoil that is
permanently
frozen.
Key Term
Taiga- An
enormous
Russian forest,
it is the largest
forest in the
world.
1.
What different climates and kinds of
vegetation does Europe and Russia have?
What different climates and kinds of
1.
vegetation does Europe and Russia have?

The natural vegetation of much of Europe is
forest and grasslands. However, many have been
cleared away. Russia has three great vegetation
zones: the tundra, forest, and the grassland.

The United States
has many natural
resources. Which
resources do you
think are most
important? Why? (5
minutes)

Work with a
neighbor and
compare your
answer with theirs.
What things are
the same and what
things are
different? (3
minutes)

Europe's most important natural resources
include fertile soil, water, and fuels.

Russia is one of the world’s largest
producers of oil and has the largest reserve,
or available supply, of natural gas in the
world.

Europe is a wealthy region and
a world leader in economic
development.

Part of this wealth and success
comes from Europe’s rich
supply of natural resources.

Europe’s most important
natural resources includes
fertile soil, water, and fuels.

Much of Europe is covered
with rich, fertile soil,
especially the region’s river
valleys.

Good soil, plentiful rain,
and a long growing season
enables European farmers
to produce abundant crops.

During the 1400s Europeans
began exploring other lands
and continents.

They traded for and took
new plants and animals they
encountered back home
with them to Europe.

The exchange of plants
and animals between
hemispheres is known as
the Columbian Exchange.

During this exchange
many plants and animals
moved between Europe
and the Americas.

Some of the plants and
animals that were only
available in the
Americas before the
1400s were potatoes,
maize, tomatoes, and
turkey.

The Columbian Exchange
introduced new items into
the Eastern and Western
hemispheres.

This global exchange of
goods permanently
changed Europe, Asia,
Africa, and the Americas.
Key Term
The Columbian
Exchange- The
transfer of people,
ideas, plants,
animals, & diseases
between the
Americas, Europe,
Asia, and Africa.
Reading Handout- The Columbian Exchange
Video- Crash Course The Columbian Exchange

Many countries in Europe have
good locations for the
development of hydroelectric
power.

Damming rivers usually creates
or enlarges reservoirs.

Dams make people’s lives easier,
but they also have negative
effects.

While these reservoirs can be
useful, in some cases reservoir
waters flood surrounding lands,
destroying farmland or land that
had been used for other purposes.

Some reservoirs have become
contaminated and are unable to
be used for their intended
purpose.
Key Term
HydroelectricityElectric power
that is produced
by running water,
usually with
dams.
Key Term
Reservoir - The
body of water
that fills up
behind a dam.

Like flowing water,
fossil fuels provide a
source of energy for
industries. They
include coal, oil, and
natural gas.

An abundance of coal,
along with another iron
ore gave Europe a head
start in the 1800s, when
industries grew rapidly.

Today, Europe remains a
leading world industrial
power.

Parts of Europe are rich in coal
and iron.

Coal was especially valuable as
Europe entered the Industrial
Revolution.

During the Industrial
Revolution, Britain and other
countries in Europe built large
factories.

The Industrial
Revolution started in
Great Britain and soon
spread elsewhere.

Britain fueled an
Industrial Revolution,
which changed society.

Workers benefited eventually,
but at first they suffered bad
working and living conditions.

Other nations followed Britain’s
example and industrialized.

Thinkers reacted to these
changes by developing new
views of society.

Reformers pushed for changes
to make society better.
Key Term
The Industrial
Revolution- A period
in European history
during the early 1800s
when products once
made by hand in
homes began to be
made by machines in
factories.
Reading Handout- The Industrial Revolution
Video- Crash Course- Coal, Steam, and The Industrial Revolution

Russia has developed its
natural resources far less
than Europe.

Russia’s harsh climate,
huge size, and few
navigable rivers have
made it difficult to turn
resources into wealth.

Russia is one of the world’s largest
producers of oil and has the
largest reserve of natural gas in
the world.

Scientists estimate that the
country has about one third of the
world’s coal reserves.

Russia also has the world’s
greatest reserves of iron ore,
which is used to make steel.
Key Term
Reserves- The
available supply
of something.

Russia’s huge size presents
a major challenge to the
county.

Russia is continually
finding ways to move
resources around.

Pipelines carry oil and
natural gas, and railroads
transport coal.

Siberia’s forests are
one of Russia’s most
important resources.

Unlike coal and oil,
forests are renewable
resources if they are
managed carefully.
1.
What are the major natural resources of Europe
and Russia?
2.
Russia is richer in resources than Western
Europe. Yet Russians are generally not as
wealthy as Western Europeans. How does
geography help explain this?
What are the major natural resources of Europe and Russia?
1.
 Europe's most important natural resources include fertile
soil, water, and fuels. Russia on the other had has large
supplies of natural gas, iron ore, timber and coal reserves.
Russia is richer in resources than Western Europe. Yet
2.
Russians are generally not as wealthy as Western
Europeans. How does geography help explain this?

Russia’s harsh climate, huge size, and few navigable rivers
have made it difficult to turn resources into wealth.

What has been the
“muddiest” point so far in
this lesson? That is, what
topic remains the least
clear to you? (4 minutes)

Work with a
neighbor and
compare your
muddiest point with
theirs. Compare
what things are the
same and what
things are different?
(3 minutes)