Notes, summaries, assignments, exams, and problems for Geography

Ancient Civilizations and Geography

The Americas and the Olmecs

1. What do we call South America, Central America, and North America?

A. The Americas

2. What is between Russia and Alaska?

C. The Bering Strait

3. What is maize very similar to?

C. Corn

4. What did the Olmecs use to make statues?

D. Basalt

5. What did the Olmecs use to make balls?

D. Rubber

African and Mesoamerican Cultures

6. Where did the Nok people live?

A. West Africa

7. Which people built the city of Monte Albán?

A. Zapotec

8. Which people started a civilization on the Yucatan Peninsula?

D. Maya

9. Which city name means “City of the Gods”?

C. Teotihuacán

10. What did the Olmecs use to make statues?

D. Basalt

The Middle Ages and European History

The Vikings and the Dark Ages

11. Which people

Feudal Society

1. The Three Estates

Feudal society was organized into three distinct social groups, known as the Three Estates. These groups were largely closed, making it difficult for individuals to change their social status.

Nobles: Bellatores

Nobility was determined by birth, and knights dedicated their lives to warfare. The nobility was further divided into two categories:

• High Nobility: This group held significant power and influence, shaping the decisions of the kingdom.
• Low and Middle Nobility: This group consisted of knights and lords with fewer possessions compared to the high nobility.

Nobles resided in castles and had the authority to assemble their own armies.

Feudal Castles

Castles served as residences for lords, their families, knights,... Continue reading "Feudal Society: The Three Estates & Feudal Economy" »

TYPE OF TEXT: Primary Source

As regards the form, it's a law - legal text/terms. For content - economic text.

AUTHOR

Liberal Progressive Government, at the proposal of the Ministry of Development + approved by Cortes + Isabel II (Queen)

ADDRESSEE

All the Spaniards, so it is a public text.

Introduction

OBJECTIVE

Attract foreign capital to boost the construction of the railway in Spain.

LOCATION + DATE

Aranjuez, published in “”/Located in the process of “Vicalvarada” to Progressive Biennium 1854-56

Main Idea

Boost the construction of the railway in Spain + the need to attract foreign capital.

Introduction

The law - approved in Cortes is ratified by Isabel II, Queen of Spain.

Articles

Their object is to regulate the general service of the rail network.... Continue reading "The 1855 Spanish Railway Law: Boosting Construction and Attracting Foreign Capital" »

The Headright System in Colonial America

The Headright System was a legal grant of land to settlers, most notable for its role in the expansion of the thirteen British colonies in North America. The Virginia Company of London (1618) initiated this practice, and the Plymouth Company followed suit. It was designed to attract new settlers to the region and address the labor shortage.

With the emergence of tobacco farming, a large supply of workers was needed. New settlers who paid their own way to Virginia received 50 acres of land. However, most workers who arrived in Virginia were indentured servants—people who pledged to perform five to seven years of labor in exchange for their passage and eventual "freedom dues."

Proprietary Colonies

A Proprietary

Commercial Fishing

The aim of this modern form of fishing is the large-scale sale of the catch. It is common in developed countries. In commercial fishing, there are also different techniques for catching the fish. Two are especially worth noting: trawling and electrofishing with suction.

DISTANCE TO THE COAST

Coastal fishing:This is done in large bodies of fresh water or in the ocean near the coast. Boats go out for one or two days. They are small and use nets and paternoster lines, long fishing lines with several branches ending in a hook. This type of fishing does not employ a lot of technology.

Deep-sea fishing: This is done exclusively in the open sea by fleets equipped with sonar and radar to detect shoals of fish. The ships are very large

Kingdoms of Castilla and León

The kingdoms of Castilla and León were unified by Ferdinand III. In the 11th century it expanded to Toledo under Alfonso III. In the 12th century it extended to Cuenca, and in the 13th century it reached Córdoba under Ferdinand III and Sevilla under Alfonso X and the Cádiz taifa. Only one taifa remained: the kingdom of Granada. It is called a kingdom because people from surrounding areas fled to this taifa, so it grew larger and larger until it became a kingdom.

Key territorial expansions

• 11th century: expansion to Toledo (Alfonso III)
• 12th century: expansion to Cuenca
• 13th century: extension to Córdoba (Ferdinand III)
• 13th century: conquest of Sevilla (Alfonso X) and the Cádiz taifa
• Surviving taifa: Granada —

Hudson's Bay Company and North West Company History

Key Timeline

• NWC Founded - 1783
• Thomas Scott died - 1870
• HBC Founded - 1670
• HBC + NWC - 1821
• Selkirk Settlement - 1812
• Red River Rebellion - 1869
• Manitoba federation - 1870
• Pemmican Proclamation - 1814

Rupert's Land

Rupert's Land included all lands drained by rivers flowing into Hudson Bay; it was named after Prince Rupert. It was the area claimed around Hudson Bay.

HBC Grant

The HBC grant consisted of Rupert's Land, the drainage basin of Hudson Bay.

Northwest Territory and Peoples

The Northwest Territory was dominated by the Canadian Shield and was covered by boreal forests. Closer to Hudson Bay the trees were small and the ground was often covered by lichen.

Major Indigenous groups included the Ojibwa,... Continue reading "Hudson's Bay Company and North West Company History and Impact" »

The Industrial Revolution: Economic and Social Shifts

The Industrial Revolution was a period of profound economic and social change, driven by the widespread adoption of machinery in production. It is divided into two distinct stages:

• The First Industrial Revolution: Characterized by the steam engine.
• The Second Industrial Revolution: Characterized by the internal combustion engine.

The Demographic Revolution

Historically, high birth and mortality rates defined the population. However, several factors led to significant changes:

• Nutrition: Improved diets, particularly the introduction of potatoes, made the population more resistant to illness.
• Personal and Public Hygiene: The widespread use of soap, cotton clothing, and better access to clean drinking