Essay Review Geography!

Components of the Regents Essay F – Facts, Evidence & Details (the explanation, specifics and substantiation of the essay) O – Organization (Introduction, Body Paragraphs & Conclusion) L – Level of Analysis (the long-range or immediate impact of the information on a society or on history) D – Development of the Task (the bullets of the task)

The Geography Essay! Task: Select three different geographic features and for each: Discuss how this geographic feature influenced the historical and/or cultural development of a specific civilization, empire, country, or region.

Essential Information for this Essay!

Deserts Sahara Desert Location: Northern Africa Size: 3,000 x 1,500 miles – size of Continental U.S. Effects: Massive barrier to trade & travel, presents agricultural difficulties, spreading of the desert in Sahel region creates economic difficulties Gobi Desert Location: Northern China/Mongolia Note: This is a rain shadow desert of the Himalaya Mts. Effects: Historic barrier to trade & travel, terrible desertification occurring and terrible sand storms create problems for China

Mountains Himalaya Mountains Location: S. Asia, between India & China Note: Highest mountain range in the world Effect: Serious barrier to trade & travel, isolated China – created sense of superiority (ethnocentric), the Middle Kingdom Andes Mountains Location: W. coast of S. America Note: Second highest mountain range in world Effect: Isolates coast, Incas had to create terrace farming, paved roads and suspension bridges in order to communicate and farm

Oceans/Seas Indian Ocean Location: South of Asia Effects: Historic highway of trade between E. Africa, India, SE Asia & China, created cultural & ethnic diversity in SE Asia because of the volume of trade & diversity of traders Mediterranean Sea Location: Between Europe and Africa Effects: Historic highway of trade for European civilizations – especially Rome, Rome controlled land all around the Med Sea and trade was an important component to Rome’s power & wealth

Rivers Nile River Location: Egypt Effects: Site of Egypt’s Ancient civilization, the Nile provided life-giving water in an otherwise arid Sahara Desert (also key for irrigation), flooded annually leaving fertile silt behind Yellow River (Huang-He) Location: China Effects: Sometimes referred to as China’s sorrow, it was the site of China’s Ancient civilizations, water for humans, animals & irrigation, flooded unpredictably (causing destruction), leaving fertile loess behind

Island Location England/Britain Location: ~20 miles off the coast of Europe (France) Effects: Location is close enough to afford contact or isolation, Necessitated development of a navy or merchant ships to trade or for defense Japan Location: ~90 miles off the coast of Asia (Korea) Effects: Location is close enough to afford contact or isolation, Japan borrowed some Chinese culture, but remained largely isolated during Tokugawa Era ( ), Japanese society is very homogenous