How People Are Affected by the Environment (8A)

How People Are Affected by the Environment (8A)

Bodies of Water Fresh water is essential to human life Earliest civilizations arose in river valleys Ancient Egyptians developed along the Nile River Even today, most cities are located near a major body of water

Landforms Most people live in: flat, fertile valleys and plains, where they can build homes and grow crops easily Few people live in: mountains, swamps, or desert areas

Landforms Even in harsh environments, people develop their own way of life (culture) Ex: Berbers in Sahara lifestyle based on living in a desert Ex: Incas in Andes Mountains able to grow potatoes

Climate Affects how people live EX: Vikings wore fur clothing to protect them from the cold) Affects what can grow in a region and what livestock can live there EX: rice grown in China where it is moist and warm due to monsoons

Plant and Animal Life People use local plants and animals for sources of food, clothing, and building materials EX: steppes of Central Asia are grasslands where grazing animals feed but not enough rain for farming so many people will be herders skilled at horsemanship EX: Native American Indians lived on grasslands of North America, were buffalo hunters Both groups lived in tents made of animal skins, which they could move easily to follow animal herds

Seismic Activity Refers to earthquakes and volcanoes (Ring of Fire) Ex: Japanese homes use lightweight materials or wood without nails to allow for shifts during a quake

Write-to-Learn What are ways in which the physical environment affect s people s lifestyles? Give one example of how your activities are influenced by your environment:

How People Modify their Environment Culture and technology influence how people modify nature Does this photo show MODIFICATION -or- ADAPTATION of the environment?

Agriculture 10,000 years ago: people found if they planted seeds and watered plants they could grow fruits, grains, & vegetables Crop Cultivation = modification to increase food production Altered landscape: clearing existing vegetation and tilling the soil Irrigation = increased productivity Since then, civilizations have turned forests, grasslands, and marshes into productive farmland

Urban Growth (7000BC) Jericho: first cities arose in Middle East (3500BC) Sumer: earliest civilization, in Mesopotamia (1700s): agricultural improvements = increased trade Industrial Revolution: rise of manufacturing = growth of cities

Urban Growth Today: most people live in cities Urbanization changes environment by concentrating many people in small, treeless areas Cities replace open fields and forests with paved roads and tall steel buildings

Building of Dams drain swamps, prevent floods, store water (drinking and irrigation), generate electric power

Energy (thousands years ago): humans discovered power of fire to warm themselves, cook food, and heat water Allowed them to spread to new places where climate was colder Later: burn coal, whale oil, etc for light, heat, power Modern Times: dig and drill for coal and oil Effect: destructive on environment (leaks, explosions, air pollution)