沈阳师范大学 主讲人：闫怡恂 欧洲历史与文明

导 论 HIstory and Geography 第二节 地理与文化 Geography and Culture

Overview 1. Plants and animals 2. Cartography and maps 3.Geographical determinism 4. Summarization 5. Questions to ponder 6. Terms

1. Plants and animals Geographic distances and diversity of climate have also produced differences in flora （植物群） and fauna （动物群）, and hence in the plants and animals upon which humans are dependent.

Wheat （小麦） became the most usual cereal in the Middle East and Europe; Millet ( 小米 ) and rice in East Asia; Sorghum ( 高粱 ) in tropical Africa; Maize （玉米） in pre-Columbian America.

The horse, first domesticated in north-central Asia about 4500 years ago, was for centuries a mainstay of Europe and Asia for muscle power, transportation, and fighting.

The camel （公元前 3000 年人类已经开始驯养骆驼。阿拉伯骆驼， 驮运 400 磅，每天走上 40 英里，连续走 4 天。） was adopted later in the middle east and the Americans long had no beasts of burden except the llama ( 美洲驼，无峰驼，驮 载 100 ～ 130 磅 ).

New discoveries and calculations are always displacing older hypotheses, paleontologists （古生物学家 ） studying plant and animals fossils (including human ones) have used techniques such as radiocarbon dating ( 碳同位素年龄测定，放射性碳定年法 ) to transform our knowledge of the earth and of the earliest human beings.

In geography, aerial and satellite photography and computer technology have enabled us to refine older conceptions of continents and oceans.

2. Cartography and maps Cartography （地图学） —the art and science of mapmaking The Europeans designed our most commonly used maps, which are oriented North-South, and West-East from fixed points in their horizons, and which therefore reflect their own European cultural assumptions.

The Chinese for centuries defined and visualized the country as the “Middle Kingdom”. In the early modern centuries maps drawn in India typically represented South Asia as forming the major part of the world.

This demonstrates the Australian perspective from “down under”, showing South Africa at the top of the map and Cape town at the very tip.

3.Geographical determinism The climate and the environment—setting limits, or providing opportunities? Geography –destiny or not? It depends on: application of knowledge a natural resources the state of technology the possibilities of economic exchange

3. Geographical determinism Disadvantages? (oceans) Oceans divide human beings, but a highway for the Portuguese( 麦哲伦 Magellan Ferdinand), Spanish ( 克里斯托弗 · 哥伦 布 Christopher Columbus ), Dutch, French, and English. Chinese and Arab Sailors use oceans for trade.

4. Summarization Geographic distances and diversity of climate have also produced differences in the plants and animals upon which humans are dependent. The Europeans designed our most commonly used maps. Geographic determinism

5. Questions to ponder? How do you understand the relationship between geography and culture? What is geographic determinism?

6. Terms Middle Kingdom ( 中央王国；中王国时代，古埃 及十一王朝时期。虽然人们一贯认为中国即是指 “ 中央王国 ” （ Middle Kingdom ），但这个词最初是 指 “ 中原诸国 ” （ central states ）： “ 中 ” 是指中原，而 “ 国 ” 是指 “ 诸国 ” 。 ) Mediterranean 地中海 ( 位于欧、亚、非三大洲之 间，世界上最大的陆间海；大西洋的附属海。 )