Notes, summaries, assignments, exams, and exercises for Geography for Secondary education

The Ancien Régime: 17th and 18th Century Transformations

The Ancien Régime, spanning the 17th and 18th centuries, witnessed significant political, economic, and social transformations:

• Monarchs became more powerful.
• Trade increased.
• The bourgeoisie grew more powerful and wealthier.
• Humanism developed.
• Advances occurred in science and philosophy.
• New artistic styles emerged.

Main Features of the Ancien Régime (16th-18th Centuries)

• Open Economy: Characterized by craft production and trade.
• Powerful Monarchs: Absolute monarchy predominated.
• Estates System: Nobility held social power, while the bourgeoisie gained economic power.
• Culture: Humanism was a key intellectual movement.

Politics in the Ancien Régime

In the 17th century, absolute monarchy came to...

International Trade

International trade involves buying and selling goods from and to other countries.

External Debt

External debt refers to the money a country owes to external creditors.

Balance of Trade

Balance of trade reflects the difference between a country's exports and imports. If a country exports more than it imports, it has a trade surplus (positive balance). Conversely, if imports exceed exports, it results in a trade deficit (negative balance).

Systems of Agriculture

Crop Diversity

• Single crop (monoculture): This system involves cultivating only one type of crop.
• Multiple crops (polyculture): This system involves growing more than one product simultaneously.

Water Use

• Irrigated lands: These lands require artificial irrigation in addition

Second Industrial Revolution (1870-1910)

Rapid Industrialization and Finance Capitalism

The period between 1870 and 1910 witnessed rapid industrialization fueled by the rise of the financial sector. This involved investment activities through banks and stock exchanges, creating capital without direct product manufacturing.

Innovations and Changes

Increased Production

• New Sources of Finance:
  • Joint-stock company: Individuals contribute capital, buy shares, and receive/lose profits proportionally.
  • Bank: Lent money to businesses with interest.
  • Stock exchange: Marketplace for buying and selling company shares.
• New Business Structures:
  • Cartels: Horizontal associations of companies in the same industry, collectively deciding production and prices.
  • Trusts: Vertical

Dividing the World

Globalization's Influence

Globalization has extended the culture and way of life of the USA and some European countries to the rest of the world.

The world today can be divided into two main parts: central areas and peripheral areas.

Global Cities

Global cities (New York, London, Tokyo, Paris, Berlin) are the main decision-making centers where multinational companies, large banks, and important international organizations are located.

Support for Globalization

Supporters of globalization include international organizations like the World Trade Organization (WTO), the International Monetary Fund (IMF), the G8, and the G20. They use the following arguments:

• Globalization promotes the exchange of goods, services, capital, and people.

Farming Innovations

The old method of farming involved leaving one field fallow every third year. The Dutch, seeking to maximize land use, developed a system of crop rotation. This involved growing different crops (wheat, turnip, barley, clover) on the same field each year. Each crop utilized different chemicals and minerals from the soil. By the mid-eighteenth century, wealthy British farmers enthusiastically adopted crop rotation.

Traditionally, seeds were sown by hand, with much being lost to wind or birds. Jethro Tull invented a seed drill that dug a hole, trickled in the seed, and covered it with earth. Sowing seeds in rows also made weeding easier. Another innovation was the horse hoe, which allowed for weeding multiple rows at once. By...

The Second Industrial Revolution: A New Era

The late 19th century marked a period of profound transformation, often referred to as the Second Industrial Revolution. This era brought significant advancements that reshaped economies and societies across the globe.

Timeline and Global Impact

• When: Primarily by the end of the 19th century.
• Where: Its influence spread across Europe, Japan, and North America.
• What Happened: New industrial changes dramatically improved Western economies and global production capabilities.

Key Innovations and Changes

This period was characterized by several groundbreaking developments:

• New Energy Sources: A shift from coal and steam to more efficient sources like oil and electric energy.
• Highly Developed Industrial Sectors:

Urbanization is a process of urban growth that leads to a greater proportion of people being concentrated into towns or cities.

Historical Context of Urban Growth

Towns and cities grew rapidly during the Industrial Revolution. The 19th century also saw an agricultural revolution, where new farm machinery reduced the need for labor on farms. This prompted people to move to towns where jobs were available in factories.

Towns and cities continued growing in the 20th century, causing rural depopulation and issues in rundown inner-city areas.

Causes of Urbanization in Developing Nations

• Rural-to-urban migration.
• High rates of natural increase among the youthful populations of these cities.
• Concentration of industry makes cities a natural magnet for young

Development of Trade and Capitalism

National and international trade grew as transport improved. Different regions specialized in different products.

Capitalism: Money was invested in industries to grow and produce more money for new investments.

1. Leads to more complex companies and societies; people invested capital, and others administered it.
2. Companies sold shares, and the stock exchange market developed.

Banks became increasingly important. They provided loans and invested capital. Financial operations became more complex, and banks and businesses began to use checks and letters of credit.

Spread of the Industrial Revolution

Britain's example was followed by other European countries (Belgium, France, Switzerland, Germany).

Consequences of the Industrial

Consequences of the Discoveries

The discoveries brought important consequences:

1. Shift in Global Perception: Europeans encountered new lands, oceans, islands, flora, fauna, and diverse cultures, languages, and religions.
2. European Supremacy: European nations expanded territories, religions, languages, and customs, with Portugal and Spain establishing vast overseas empires.
3. Growth of Maritime Trade: The Atlantic became a pivotal trade route. Europeans imported precious metals (gold, silver) and agricultural products (corn, potatoes, tomatoes, tobacco, cocoa) from America, altering diets and habits (e.g., smoking). They exported goods like wheat, coffee, lamps, jewelry, horses, and sheep to the colonies.
4. Transatlantic Slave Trade: African slaves were