Geography Presentation
Transcript: Section 2: Western Europe History of Cultural Divisions French Culture is strong in France and Monaco. German Culture is strong in Germany, Austria, and Liechtenstein. . Switzerland and Benelux countries (Belgium, Netherlands, Luxembourg). By 50 B.C. Rome had conquered the Celtic tribes in France. French is a Romance language (comes from Latin). Rome never conquered the Germanic tribes. Late 700s, Charlemagne (Germanic) conquered most of Europe. His empire fell apart after he died. The Reformation: During the Renaissance, people began to question the authority. They even questioned the authority of the Catholic Church. 1517 Martin Luther published 95 statements against the teachings of the Catholic Church (45 of Luther’s statements were proven by the Church to be false). This started the Reformation- period when many Christians broke away from the Catholic Church and started their own churches. Hostility between Protestants and Catholics caused religious wars that tore Europe apart. France is mostly Catholic. Netherlands, Switzerland, and Germany have both Protestants and Catholics Nation States are an independent nation with people who share a common culture. The Rise of Nation States After Rome fell, feudalism- political system in which powerful Lords owned most of the Land. i. Developed in England. ii. Lords gave some land to nobles in exchange for military service. Over time Kings gained more power than Lords and, nationalism- the belief that people should be loyal to their nation, developed Nation States. i. France was one of the first. ii. Many European nations considered each other rivals. Modern Conflicts: WWI was started partly because of European nations rivalry and competition for colonies i. Allied Powers vs. Central Powers WWII in which Germany led by Adolf Hitler and the Nazis tried to conquer Europe i. Nazis also carried out the, Holocaust- a program of mass murder of European Jews and other minorities. ii. After the war Germany split into two Nations 1. West Germany 2. East Germany Economics: Diversity and Luxury Dairy farming and livestock: most of the agriculture income in France, Belgium, Netherlands, and Switzerland. These countries produce and export dairy products. Western Europe; leader in developing industry for its richness in coal and iron ore. Top three manufacturing nations in Europe: 1. France 2. Germany 3. Netherlands Great Music and Art Germany and Austria are famous for music Bach and Beethoven from Germany Mozart from Austria Painting: Eyck from the Flanders region Vermeer and Rembrandt were from the Netherlands Monet from France Modern Life Strong economies= high standards of living High percentage own cars and computers Most people live in cities City Life: Generally good cities Good transportation Many attractions Conflicts: Immigration Increasing numbers of “guest workers” Many go to Germany from smaller, less stable countries Tensions are high, an a lot of fighting