Cultural Regions by Mandy Weiskircher (read out loud books .TXT) 📕

In geography, physical features refer to landforms (mountains, deserts, fertile plains, etc.) and large bodies of water (rivers, lakes, oceans, etc.).  These formidable features can isolate and protect people in a particular area

and their culture or connect and provide opportunties for trade and attacks.  Great civilizations of the past provide diverse examples of isolation or connections to other

lands due to the physical characteristics of the land that allowed them to thrive and flourish. 

Mountains are high and steep stretches of land formed by either plate tectonics or volcanoes that tower over the land.  The more high and steep the mountains, the harder it is for people to cross and the greater the barrier it is

between groups of people.  This isolates people on either side of the mountain range and results in the creation of very different cultures.  Thus, mountain ranges typically act as boundaries of different culture regions.

Deserts have very little precipitation, which affects the amount of water resources and results in little to no vegetation growing in the area.  Where water and food are scarce, animals and people struggle to survive, so like

mountains, deserts act as a barrier between cultures.  People in desert regions are separated from each other and travel is difficult, so cultures vary greatly from area to the next. 

The term plains refers to flat or relatively flat land.  Fertile plains have a consistent source of water that allows for vegetation to grow and thrive.  This promotes the settlement of people and allows for easy travel within the

plains region.  This facilitates the formation of a relatively homogenous culture as people trade and share technology throughout the land.

A river is a waterway that flows towards a larger waterway.  Rivers provide a means of transportation between geographic areas.  While travel along the river promotes trade and connects areas along the rivers, depending on the size of the river, it can also isolate people and cultures on opposite sides of the river.  The larger the river, the

more cultural diversity exists.  Therefore, rivers help connect people and isolate people depending on the size and navigability of the river.

Lakes are large bodies of water that are relatively still compared to rivers and oceans.  They are smaller in size than oceans and are typically freshwater.  They are fed eit

her by rivers or by melting snow from the mountains.  Since they are relatively still, they are easier to navigate than rivers.  Although, depending on the size, they can provide can still provide a formidable barrier between peoples and cultures.

Oceans are the largest bodies of water in the world and consist of 2/3 of the planet's surface.  Since they are so immense, oceans provide great barriers between peoples and cultures.  Therefore, oceans provide opportunites for

great cultural diversity across the Earth. 

     Picture 1: Unknown Mountain http://eofdreams.com/photo/mountain/01/

Picture 2: World Topography http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:World_map.png

Picture 3: Netherlands http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/10/Griboyedov_Canal_2.jpg

Picture 4: Moraine Lake- Alberta, Canada http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/c5/Moraine_Lake_17092005.jpg

Picture 5: Glacier National Park http://images.cdn.fotopedia.com/flickr-4131901401-original.jpg

Picture 6: Desert of Namibia http://www.fotopedia.com/items/picasaweb-5426654356131110658

Picture 7:Desert of Namibia http://pixabay.com/static/uploads/photo/2012/11/06/15/40/tree-64310_640.jpg

Picture 8: Plains in Turkey http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/9e/Plains_south_of_Mardin,_Turkey.jpg

Picture 9: Ireland http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Plains_of_East_Wicklow-Ire2500.JPG

Picture 10: Burma http://i.images.cdn.fotopedia.com/jmhullot-bd29c8613641dbd34645d66d9ff5f95b-original/Burma/Burma-Irrawaddy_River-List_of_rivers_of_Burma-Pyay.jpg

Picture 11: Alaska http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/b4/CharleyRiverAtYukon1.jpg

Picture 12: Kananaskis Lake, Canada http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/47/Kananaskis_Lakes_aerial1.jpg

Picture 13: Crater Lake, Oregon http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/31/Crater_Lake_National_Park_Oregon.jpg

Picture 14: Unkown Ocean http://farm5.staticflickr.com/4111/4835086497_c16f238132_o.jpg

Picture 15: Ocean near Hawaii https://c1.staticflickr.com/7/6167/6184866649_b5cc1eb058_z.jpg

Publication Date: 04-16-2014

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