Geography of Asia and the Pacific (pp. 2-7)

1. Location

-U.S. to Asia is west across the Pacific Ocean

-major peninsulas of Asia: Korean, Malay, Indochina, Arabian

2. Place

-Asia is 2 1/2 times longer and 2 times wider than the United States

-China, Asia's largest county

-highest: Himalayan Mts. lowest: Caspian Depression

-Australian capital is Canberra, New Zealand is southeast of Australia, Hawaii is in Polynesia

3. Interaction

6. Follow the Asian Monsoons with Geo Cleo:

Geo Cleo:

A. India

B. China

C. Southeast Asia: subsistence and commercial

4. Region

-countries bordering the Pacific have many volcanoes, its a ring because it is round in shape

-volcanoes are near fault lines, earthquakes and volcanoes are related

PHYSICAL GEOGRAPHY

Land and Water (pp. 8-12)

5. Mt. Fuji

-highest point above sea level in Japan

-symbol of Japan

6. Gobi Desert

-desert with a high altitude

-continental climate (except rainfall)

-rocky

7. Tibet

-high plateau (9,000 feet above sea level)

8. Loess

-soil which has been blown into piles by the wind

-a yellowish, fertile soil

-is present in only two locations on earth, northern China and southwestern Iowa

9. Archipelago

-group of islands

-several countries of Asia are archipelagos, including Japan

10. Aquaculture

-using the ocean as a means of farming

-pen raised fish, oyster beds

-second largest producer of fresh water fish

11. Terrace Farming

-digging out hillsides to create agricultural land

-work completed by hand, without heavy equipment

12. Double-Cropping

-growing two crops on the same land in the same year

13. Rice Paddies

-flooded fields used for growing rice

14. Silk

-created by a caterpillar (worm)

-once unique to China, it was an expensive trade item

-still naturally produced today; although, most is produced by chemicals

CULTURES AND HISTORY

History Traditions (pp. 28-34)

15. Confucius

-ancient Chinese teacher who used "sayings " to teach (analects)

-after his death, followers took his ideas and created a religion

16. Dynasty

-period of time when one family rules China

-China's dynasties came to and end in 1912

17. Shi Huang Ti

-unified all of China under one leadership becoming the first emperor of China

-cruel ruler

-responsible for several historical building projects

18. Grand Canal

-500 miles long connecting the Huang He and Yangzi rivers

-constructed by thousands of workers using only hand labor

-was only to be used by nobility: today is a major trade transportation route

19. Forbidden City

-built in the geometric center of Beijing

-only Chinese emperor and their servants were allowed inside

-contained a huge temple (1/2 mile x 1/4 mile)

20. Great Wall of China

-1,500 mile long wall: 25 feet high: 15-30 feet wide

-built to keep the Mongols out of China, it failed

-several existing walls were connected into one by Shi Huang Ti

-built by hand labor; thousands lost there lives in the construction of the wall

People and Culture (pp. 35-43)

21. Population

-China's current population is over one billion

-most people in China live in the eastern 1/3 of the country

22. Population Density

-number of people living in an area

-total population divided by land size (square miles)

23. Tiananmen Square-

-large open area in Beijing used for government gatherings

-Chinese students attempted to protest the communist government for more rights here

-Communist government sent in tanks and troops to put break up the protest

-many protesters where injured, killed or imprisoned

24. Hong Kong

-area of China which was once controlled by Great Britain

-was returned to China in 1997

-went from a democratic colony of a part of a communist nation

25. Sampans

-small boats which serve as homes for many Chinese

-most are very plain (junks)

-a replacement for apartments or homes in the most crowded area of the world

Japan (pp. 45-49)

26. Shogun

-leader of the early Japanese feudal system (18-19 centuries)

-like the kings of feudalism in Europe

27. Samurai

-responsible for protection of Shoguns

-like knights of feudalism in Europe

-lived by a very strict code of honor

28. Kimonos

-traditional type of clothing form the upper class; still worn for special occasions today

-made from silk and tied at the waist

29. Hiroshima

-Japanese city where first atomic bomb was dropped

-Nagasaki was the second city

30. Imports

-since Japan is small island nation with very few natural resources, they have been forced to import over 95% of their resource needs

-Japan exports many kinds of finished products which require very few natural resources (electronics), the exception being motorcycles and automobiles

31. Fishing

-one of the main industries and food sources of Japan

-Japan is a small country and have little area for pasture land; fish is a substitute

-caught in the ocean and raised on fish farms (over 1 million tons of fish each year)

32. Sake

-rice wine; national drink of Japan

33. Bonsai

-artist uses miniature trees and shrubs to create art

34. Sumo

-national sport of Japan

-type of wrestling where one tries to force their opponent out of a circle

-contains a strict social order amount participants

35. Typhoons - Tsunamis

-natural disasters in the eastern hemisphere

-typhoon=hurricane tsunamis= tidal wave

Korea (pp. 50-53)

36. Korean War

-to avoid a conflict between democratic and communist nations, the United Nations divided Korea

-North Korea crossed the dividing line and attacked South Korea

37. DMZ

-demilitarized zone; 38 degrees north parallel

-20 mile area where no military is to be placed between North and South Korea

38. South Korea

-democratic alley of the USA

39. North Korea

-communist enemy of the USA

Click HERE to return to the Africa menu

Click HERE to return to the Class Notes Page

Click HERE to return to Geography Homepage

Land and Water (pp. 10-11, 60-64)

1. Subcontinent

-large land mass connected to a continent usually large enough to be a continent itself

-culture varies from other areas on continent

-India is an example of a subcontinent

2. Himalayan Mountains

-highest mountain range in the world

-act as a wall between south and southwest Asia and the rest of the continent

3. Hindu Kush Mountains

-located in the countries of Afghanistan and Pakistan

-connected to the Himalayan Mts.

4. Kyber Pass

-natural passageway through the Hindu Kush mountains

-right along the Afaghani-Pakistani border

5. Mt. Everest

-highest point above sea level in the world

-in the Himalayan Mountains of Nepal

6. Sir Edmond Hillary

-along with Tenzig Norgay, the first to climb to the top of Mt. Everest

-from Great Britain but returned to help the country of Nepal

7. Sherpas

-people who live in the high elevation region of the Himalayan Mts.

8. Ring of Fire

-area of volcanic activity encircling the Pacific Ocean

Climate and Vegetation (pp. 14, 65-69)

9. Monsoons

-seasonal winds which blow strong and predictable

-they blow from the southwest during the summer (wet) and from the northeast during the winter (dry)

-responsible for large amounts of rain on the Asian mainland

-promoted trade during the early times

10. Rain Forest

-more than 70 inches of rainfall per year and located in the tropical climate region

-all of southeast Asia is located in a rain forest

11. Bamboo

-important plant used for many things by the people of southeast Asia

Cultures of South Asia (pp. 81-86, 92-95)

12. Mohenjo-Daro-

-ancient city in India

-one of the largest ancient cities in the world (40,000 people)

13. Aryans

-early group of people who inhabited India

14. Vedas

-thousands of songs divided into four groups which became the basis for Hindu culture

-included government (controlled by the Rajan)

-the Rig Veda (last one) explained the Hindu religion

15. Hinduism

-Religion developed in Southeast Asia

-30 million gods

-believes in reincarnation

-probably the oldest religion in the world

16. Caste System

-separation of people by birth

-social class order with each caste one level closer to "Nirvana"

17. Siddhata Gautama

-son of powerful emperor of India

-his father would not allow Siddhata Gautama to see anything bad in the world

-once he experienced pain, sorrow and suffering he dedicated his life the find the "noble truths"

18. Buddhism

-Asian religion which believes in the teachings Buddha (the enlightened one)

19. Akbar

-powerful Indian ruler

-responsible for the spread of Buddhism in southeast Asia

20. Taj Mahal

-built by Moslem ruler of India for his wife

-called the "Most Beautiful Building in the World"

21. Mohandas Gandhi

-leader of India's freedom movement against colonialism

-used non-violent disobedience to drive Great Britain out of India

-assassinated by Hindu fanatic

22. Mother Teresa

-known worldwide for her work to relieve the sufferings of the poor and dying

-won the 1979 Nobel Peace Prize

Cultures of Southeast Asia (pp./ 87-91, 96-105)

23. Indochina

-peninsula between India and China

-includes countries of Viet Nam, Loas, Cambodia and, Thailand

24. Angkor Wat

-huge Hindu temple (even larger than the Egyptian pyramids) with honeycomb shaped towers

-lost in the jungle for centuries, it was discovered by French missionaries in the 1860s.

-ranked among the masterpieces of world architecture.

25. Vietnam Conflict

-war fought between North and South Viet Nam with the United States helping the South Vietnamese

26. Viet Cong

-short for "Vietnamese Communists" referring to the North Vietnamese

27. Ho Chi Minh-

-communist leader of North Viet Nam

28. Refugees

-people who fled South Viet Nam when the North Vietnamese took over the country

-many were captured and torture or killed, others were able to escape

Click HERE to return to the Africa menu

Click HERE to return to the Class Notes Page

Click HERE to return to Geography Homepage

Physical Geography (pp. 115-127, 204, picture 156)

1. Rub al-khali-

-"empty quarter"

-area of Arabian Peninsula which is desert and supports little life

2. Oasis-

-area of a desert which contains water

3. Dates-

-a type of food grown at an oasis

-high in protein, eaten by humans and animals

4. Bazaar

-traditional open air market place

5. Sea of Galilee-

-body of water in northern Israel used for irrigation

6. Dead Sea-

-body of water into which the Jordan River flows into but, no river flows out of

-seven times saltier than the oceans

7. Bedouins-

-nomadic people of Arabia, live in tents and are always on the move

-herd camels, sheep and , goats

-live a very traditional lifestyle

8. Dromedary-

-one humped camel

-native to Arabia

-good for travel, good disposition, well adapted for desert

-used in Arabia like we would use horses

9. Bactrian-

-two humped camel

-native to Asia

-poor disposition, difficult to train for travel

-used in Arabia like we would use cattle

10. Caravan-

-groups of travelers in the desert

-travel in groups for safety

11. Wadis-

-river beds which fill with water only when it rains

-usually dry

12. Arid Land-

-land which is too dry to grow crops

13. Arable Land-

-land which can be used to grow crops

14. Petroleum-

-oil

-Southwest Asia is rich in oil natural resources

-brought wealth and power to this area of world

15. Aural Sea-

-located in central Asia

-is drying up due to the irrigation from rivers which once fed the large body of water (once the fourth largest body of water in the world)

16. Suez Canal

-connects the Red Sea with the Mediterranean Sea

-important waterway cutting nearly 3,500 miles off the sea route from Europe to Asia

Culture and Religion (pp. 132-136)

17. Tigris-Euphrates Rivers-

-rivers which flow through the present country of Iraq into the Persian Gulf

-where ancient civilization began

18. Fertile Crescent-

-crescent shaped area of fertile farmland surrounded by desert

19. Mesopotamia-

-"land between to rivers"

-name given to the early civilization

-created the world's first cities, 5000 years ago

20. Citadel-

-area of the city inside the protective city walls

21. Ziggurate-

-huge temple around which early cities were built

-used for protection and worship

22. Cuneiform-

-"wedge form"

-early form of Mesopotamian writing

-one of the earliest forms of writing in the world

-developed using a stick and mud

23. Hammurabi-

-King of the city of Babylon (1750 BC)

-first known ruler to actually write down laws (code of Hammurabi)

24. Baghdad-

-city know as an ancient learning center

25. Arabian Nights-

-epic story written in early Arabia

-collection of oral folk tales and stories which were passed down from generation to generation

-also called 1,001 Nights or 100,1 Tales

26. King Shahariyar-

-king who vowed to kill a wife each evening for the actions of his own wife

27. Scheherazade-

-maiden who married King Shahriyar

-was able to save her life by her ability to tell stories

28. Sheiks-

-religious and political leaders of the Arab tribes

-no unity among the Arab people

29. Islam-

-Middle Eastern religion which began on the Arabian Peninsula

-unified the Arab people

30. Muhammad-

-prophet (or founder) of Islam

31. Mecca-

-powerful Arabic trading city

-where Muhammad was born and lived

-became a holy city for Moslems

32. Medina-

-rival trading city of Mecca

-where Muhammad fled for his life

-led an attack on Mecca

33. Hegira-

-trip Muhammad made from Mecca to Medina in 622 A.D.

-beginning of Islam

-beginning of the Islamic calendar

34. Kabba-

-holy shrine for Moslems

-located in Mecca

35. Five Pillars of Islam-

1. worship Allah and Muhammad as his prophet

2. give alms to the poor

3. fast during the holy month of Ramadan

4. Hajj: complete a pilgrimage to Mecca at least once in a lifetime

5. face Mecca, bow and pray five times each day

6. unofficial pillar, Jihad: holy war to protect Islamic religion

36. Muezzin-

-person who climbs the minuets and calls all Moslems to prayer

37. Kurds-

-ethnic group living in the eastern region of Asia Minor

-have no country of their own

-have been driven from their homes by Iraq

38. Saddam Hussein-

-present leader of Iraq

-attacked neighboring country of Kuwait

-United States drove Iraq out of Kuwait

-Operation Desert Storm

Central Asia (pp. 138-142, 153-157)

39. Kazaks-

-Moslem ethnic group in mountainous region of central Asia

-were at one time under control of communist Soviet Union

-nomadic herders

40. Steppe-

-treeless plain

-area of possible crop land (elevation too high in Kazakstan

41. Silk Road-

-ancient trade route from Middle East to China

-many products were brought across the Silk Road (or route) for early trade

Israel (pp. 137, 143-147)

42. Abraham-

-prophet (or founder) of Judaism

43. Moses-

-led Hebrews out of slavery in Egypt to Canaan

44. Holocaust-

-Hitler's attempt to destroy the Jewish race during World War II

-over 5,000,000 were killed in concentration camps

45. Israel-

-many Jewish people fled Europe to Israel (Canaan)

-official country of Israel was created by the United Nations in 1948

-has since survived four wars and many terrorist attacks from Palestinians wanting their land back

-presently in peace negotiations (land in exchange for peace)

46. Moshavim-

-small Israeli farming villages where people share equipment and profit

47. Kibbutz-

-cooperative farms in Israel

-includes farming and industry

-has proven very successful in a society which began very poor

48. West Bank-

-refers to west bank of the Jordan River

-refugees from Palestine were forced to stay here when they were driven from their homes

-taken over from Jordan and occupied by Israel

49. Jerusalem-

-sacred city for all three Middle Eastern religions (Judaism, Christianity and Islam)

Saudi Arabia (pp. 148-152)

50. Role of Women in Arabia-

-today, women have a very limited role in Arab society

-religious law is very strict for all but, especially strict for women

51. "Gifts of the Arabs"-

-kept the ideas of the Greeks and Romans alive during the Middle Ages

-mathematics

-medicine

-astronomy

Click HERE to return to the Africa menu

Click HERE to return to the Class Notes Page

Click HERE to return to Geography Homepage

Physical Geography of Australia and New Zealand (pp. 162-167)

1. Outback-

-central region of Australia

-very dry and uninhabited

2. Murray-Darling River System-

-only major river system in Australia

-shallow, used mainly for irrigation and hydroelectric energy

3. MacDonnell Range-

-long ridge of bare mounts in Outback

4. Ayers Rock-

-large monolith (free-standing rock formation) in central Australia

-sacred to early people of Australia for changing colors (probably caused by sun) and cave paintings

5. Great Barrier Reef-

-1,250 mile long reef made of coral

-made up of over 350 different spices of polyps (microscopic sea life)

6. Marsupials-

-animals which carry young in pouch

-most mammals in Australia are marsupials

7. Islands of New Zealand-

-North and South Islands

8. Southern Alps-

-scenic mountain range extending the length of the two islands.

Physical Geography of the Pacific Islands (pp. 168-171)

9. Oceania-

-name given to the region of the Pacific Ocean

-contains millions of islands

10. Melanesia-

-"black islands"

-has most of the people

-mainly high islands

11. Micronesia-

-"small islands"

-most of Micronesia's 2000 islands are north of the equator

-mainly low islands

-some islands are only 1 square mile in size

12. Polynesia-

-"many islands"

-the largest of the three areas

-includes Hawaii in the United States

13. High Islands-

-islands which are formed by volcanoes

-mountainous with fertile soil

-usually larger so are inhabited

14. Low Islands-

-created by coral

-low altitude means subjected to flooding

-few people, if any, live on these islands

15. Atoll-

-coral which forms into a ring shape

-creates a water area in the middle called a lagoon

-eventually, the coral crates an island

Cultures of Australia, New Zealand, and the Pacific Islands (pp. 172-181)

16. Easter Island-

-tiny Pacific Island with several mysteries

-large (10 to 40 feet high) statues

-how people ever got there

-wooden tablets containing ancient written language, the only written language in Oceania

17. Aborigines-

-first people to inhabit Australia

-aborigines = earliest inhabitants of any area

18. Boomerang-

-weapon first developed by Aborigines

19. Maori-

-first people to inhabit New Zealand

20. Southern Cross-

-astronomy is different in the southern hemisphere

-star constellation used by early explorers in the southern Hemisphere to find location

21. Botany Bay-

-first penal colony established in Australia

-where present day Sydney is located

22. Convicts-

-forced by the British courts to settle Australia

23. Stations-

-huge ranch in the Outback region of Australia

-raise sheep

24. Ringers-

-people who work on the stations

-like cowboys of North America

25. Sheep-

-main grazing animal of Australia and New Zealand

-Australia is the world's largest producer of wool and raise 1/6 of the world's sheep

-sheep outnumber people in New Zealand 20:1

26. Paddocks-

-New Zealand pastures

27. Sydney Opera House-

-built in 1973

-the appearance of sails created a very difficult architectural style

-symbol of Sydney and Australia

28. 2000 Summer Olympic Games-

-Sydney will host the games this summer

Click HERE to return to the Africa menu

Click HERE to return to the Class Notes Page

Click HERE to return to Geography Homepage