Human Geography of

Northern Europe
Social Studies 12
 In World War II…
• Germany perfected a new military tactic –
blitzkrieg.
• Blitzkrieg is the use of surprising, swift
attack with the use of dive-bombers, tanks,
and artillery before the enemy could mount
their defense.
• This was used to invade Poland, Belgium, the
Netherlands, and France.
• However, it could not be done to Great
Britain in UK.
• The status of Britain as an island has
remained to be a geographic advantage for
them.
A History of Seafaring Conquerors

Early Conquerors Dreams of Empire

• The history of
the region has
been a history of
using the sea and
of conquest.
 Representative Government*
Moving into Industrial Revolution*
the Modern
Since 1900
Age
The Irish Question
 Early
Conquerors
• In ancient times, waves of migrating
people settled Northern Europe.
• Each new group tended to push the
previous residents out of its way.
• As a result, the earlier groups ended
up living at the tips or along the coasts
of Northern Europe’s peninsulas and
islands.
• The Sami people now live in far
northern Scandinavia and Finland
despite the fact that they were one of
the earliest migrating groups that
reached the region.
 Ancient Britain
• It was invaded by many
peoples, including the
Celts.
• Rome conquered southern
Britain by about 80 CE.
• In the 400s, Germanic
tribes invaded parts of
Britain by driving out the
Romans and pushing the
Celts north and west.
 Seafaring
Warriors
• Beginning about 795, a group of
seafaring warriors from Denmark,
Sweden, and Norway terrorized
Europe.
• These Norsemen or the Vikings sailed
to Iceland, Greenland, and even North
America.
• They also had a settlement in
Normandy and moved into Russia.
• In 1066, William the Conqueror of
Normandy conquered England and
began to rule it.
• The Normans spoke French, and over
time the English language acquired
many words of French origin.
 Denmark, Sweden, and Norway each became a
kingdom during the 900s.

Sweden was a strong power in 1600s, but no

Nordic country ever became a major empire.

In contrast, Great Britain built an empire that

Dreams of strongly affected the rest of the world.

After 1066, no outside power ever successfully

Empire invaded Britain.

By 1801, the nation became known as the

United kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland.

By 1800s, it had colonies in the Americas, Asia,

Africa, and Oceania.
 Representative Government*
Moving into Industrial Revolution*
the Modern
Since 1900
Age
The Irish Question
 There are many industries and technologies in
Northern Europe.

There are also abundant natural resources that are

exploited by the countries.
Economics: •Sweden exports timber
•Iceland – Fishing
Diversity and •Norway - Oil

The high-tech industry is centered in Northern

Change Europe, as well as auto and aerospace industries.

•Silicon Glen – Scotland between Glasgow and Edinburgh

Many of the countries are a part of the European

Union, but Norway is not.
 The countries are not very diverse
in their populations.
Cultural • Nordic nations have populations that
consist mostly of one ethnic group.
Similarities • However, United Kingdom, particularly
London, has grown more diverse.
• Most people of Northern Europe speak a
and Modern Germanic language.
• Sami language is spoken in the far north.
Art • Celtic languages (Welsh, Irish Gaelic,
and Scottish Gaelic) survive on the
northern and western edges of the
British Isles.
Modern Culture and Literature
• English Poet – William Wordsworth – popularized
the use of everyday speech in poetry

• English playwright (greatest of all time) – William

Shakespeare

• Norwegian playwright – Henrik Ibsen – father of

modern drama

• Swedish director – Ingmar Bergman – influenced

movies with his intensely personal films.
• English Novelist of the
1800s - Charlotte Bronte –
influenced later novels

• Irish novelist James Joyce

– shaped modern fiction
by exploring techniques
to portray human thought
The nations in Northern Europe are socialist, where
the government provides services for the people. As a
result, these countries also have high taxes.

Winter sports are very popular, as well as hunting and

equestrian sports. Many of the activities that the British
participate in have spread because of its empire.