Ch 16 Teacher Edition Notes Section 1 page 349 The Iberian Peninsula
History:Spain and Portugal share the Iberian Peninsula. Various Mediterranean peoples like the Romans
ruled the area. In the AD 700’s the Arabic people called the Moors invaded Iberia through North Africa.
The Moors brought the Islamic religion, new irrigation techniques, and new crops to Iberia. Christian
rulers eventually forced them out of Spain.
During the 1500’s Spain used its strong navy to build a worldwide empire. At its peak the Spanish Empire
included most of Central and South America, they also ruled the southwest portion of the United States.
Today over 400 million people speak Spanish. Spain suffered a terrible civil war because one side
wanted a more democratic society while the monarchy was trying to hold on to power.
Culture: Today Spain is a constitutional monarchy (like G.B.) Spain’s central (federal) government gave
17 regions (states) different levels of autonomy.
Nearly all people in Spain are Roman Catholic. Most Spanish towns have squares that are surrounded by
buildings and these squares are known as plazas. Plazas serve as social gathering places.
Moorish influence can be found in Southern Spain. Arabic architectural styles are common.
Economy: Spain manufactures numerous products/goods such as textiles and clothing, footwear, ships,
and automobiles. Spain is a member of the EU. Tourism plays a major role in their economy. However
tourism has brought more traffic, pollution, and overbuilding. Agriculture plays another major role in
their economy. Spain is the world’s leading producer of olive oil and wine.
Issues & Challenges: Spain has one of Western Europe’s highest unemployment rates. Morocco (Africa)
lies just about 8 miles south of Spain across the Straits of Gibraltar. This causes many North Africans to
emigrate to Western Europe in search of jobs. Sadly many of these immigrants don’t find jobs and this
creates financial burdens for Spain and her people.
Section 2 page 355 The Italian Peninsula
Italians have created some of the world’s beloved architecture, literature, music, painting, and
sculpture. The Etruscans created one of the earliest civilizations to occupy the peninsula. The Romans
setup a republic in central Italy circa 500 BCE. The Colosseum in Rome was officially dedicated in A.D. 80.
The Romans helped spread Christianity throughout Europe.
Rome is the headquarters for the Roman Catholic Church. The seat of the church is at Vatican City, an
independent city in the heart of Rome.
During the Middle Ages, many Northern Italian cities grew rich from trade. Almost 1000 years after the
fall of the Roman Empire, Italy became the center of the Renaissance (rebirth).This time period spanned
from 1300-1500s and it was a renewed interest in architecture, painting and sculpture. Some of the
world’s most famous artists, such as Leonardo Da Vinci, Michelangelo, and Raphael worked during this
time.
In WWI Italy fought on the side with the allies. However in the early 1920s a dictator named Benito
Mussolini took control of Italy’s government. He formed an alliance with Germany and they were allies
during WWII. He was overthrown in 1943 when Italy came under control of the Allied Forces. Today Italy
is a member of NATO and the EU.
San Marino is surrounded by Italy. It is one of the world’s smallest countries- just 23 square miles. In
Europe just Monaco in Southern France and Vatican City in Rome are smaller. These countries are called
microstates. These countries have survived for a variety of reasons, such as physical isolation and
international treaties. They have different kinds of governments, although all but Vatican City have
elected legislatures. The pope heads the Vatican City Government as well as the Roman Catholic Church.
Church officials elect the pope and he rules with absolute authority for the rest of his life.
Most people in Italy are Roman Catholic and speak Italian. Much of the modern Italian culture was first
developed during the Renaissance. Italian food may be the most famous part of this culture. Daily life in
Italy is similar to other Mediterranean countries. The main meal is in the middle of the day. Afterwards
some people rest before returning to work.
Central Italy is the country’s political and cultural center. Rome is the capital and the largest city in Italy.
Ruins of ancient buildings still stand. The most famous are the Colosseum and the Forum.
Italy is a modern developed nation. The most famous Italian products are automobiles, designer
clothing, and fine food. North Italy is rich and industrial while the south is poorer and more agricultural.
This dividing line is just south of Rome.
Section 3 page 360 Greece and the Balkan Peninsula
Greece is located in Southern Europe, bordering the Aegean Sea, Ionian Sea, and the Mediterranean
Sea, between Albania and Turkey. It is slightly smaller than Alabama. Greece is in a strategic location
dominating the Aegean Sea and southern approach to Turkish Straits; a peninsular country, possessing
an archipelago of about 2,000 islands.
Greece achieved independence from the Ottoman Empire in 1830. During the second half of the 19th
century and the first half of the 20th century, it gradually added neighboring islands and territories,
most with Greek-speaking populations. In 1967, a group of military officers seized power, establishing a
military dictatorship that suspended many political liberties and forced the king to flee the country. In
1974, democratic elections and a referendum created a parliamentary republic and abolished the
monarchy. In 1981, Greece joined the EC (now the EU); it became the 12th member of the European
Economic and Monetary Union in 2001. In 2010, the prospect of a Greek default on its eurodenominated debt created severe strains within the EMU and raised the question of whether a member
country might voluntarily leave the common currency or be removed.
Approximately 61% of the population lives in urban areas. 44% of their young population (15-25) are
unemployed.
The Balkan Peninsula, popularly referred to as the Balkans, is a geographical and cultural region of
Southeast Europe. The region has its name from the Balkan Mountains that stretch from the east of
Bulgaria to the very east of Serbia. It is because of this mountainous terrain that so many ethnic groups
derive from this region. The mountains provided natural borders between neighboring people. This kept
each group isolated from each other. It also kept them from sharing ideas or cultures, which is why they
have different beliefs, methods, laws, and morals.
The region is inhabited by Slavic ethnic groups (Bosniaks, Bulgarians, Bunjevci, Croats, Gorani,
Macedonians, , Montenegrins, Serbs, Slovenes), also by Latin peoples (Romanians, Aromanians), Greeks,
Albanians, Turks and other ethnic groups which present minorities in certain countries like Romani
people (Gypsies), Ashkali, etc.[1] The largest religion on the Balkans is Orthodox Christianity, followed by
Catholic Christianity and Islam.[2]
The Western Balkans: All the Western Balkans states have been offered Stabilization and Association
Agreements (SAAs) and have a clear EU perspective. The EU's strategy includes massive financial
assistance, making it by far the largest donor to the region.
The EU strongly supports the membership of the Western Balkans states of the World Trade
Organization (WTO). In 2000, the EU granted autonomous trade preferences to all the Western Balkans.
These preferences, which were renewed in 2005 and subsequently in 2011 until 2015, allow nearly all
exports to enter the EU without customs duties or limits on quantities. This preferential regime has
contributed to an increase in the Western Balkans' exports to the EU. In 2010, the EU was the region's
largest trading partner for both imports (61.3%) and exports (64.5%).