Geography and Life in
Arabia
Standard 7.2.1
Describe the geography and climate of the
Arabian Peninsula. Discuss the impact of
surrounding bodies of water and of nomadic
and settled lifestyles.
Objective:
To learn that the geography and location of the
Arabian Peninsula have greatly influenced the
lifestyles of those who live there.
What system are we discussing?
Where is the Arabian Peninsula?
What is a “crossroads location”?
• People travel through it to get to other areas
• Arabian Peninsula is a crossroads location
because it is in between which three
continents?
– Europe
– Asia
– Africa
Physical Features
• Mostly sandy deserts
and sand dunes
• Water exists mainly in
oases scattered across
the deserts
Desert Climate
• Arabia is one of the hottest, driest places in
the world!
• Can plants survive here? Can animals?
• How does the desert climate impact life
there?
How does the desert climate impact
life in Arabia?
• 2 main ways of life – what are they?
– Sedentary or settled
– Nomadic or constantly moving
Sedentary or settled way of life
• People settled around oases & trade routes
• Towns developed
• Souks were markets where people gathered
to buy, sell and trade
Sedentary life
• Modern-day souk or bazaar
Nomadic life
• Lived in tents and raised animals
• Why animals?
– Food source = milk and meat
– Skins
– Could travel vs. plants
Nomadic life
• Modern-day desert nomads
Now that you have read and reviewed the
geography and environmental system of the
Arabian Peninsula…
…answer the following questions in your
notebook. Good luck!
Check for understanding…
1.
Why was the Arabian Peninsula known as a “crossroads”
location?
Check for understanding…
1.
Why was the Arabian Peninsula known as a “crossroads”
location?
It is located between Asia, Europe and Africa.
People traveled through the peninsula in order to travel
and trade with other lands.
Culture influenced by many different types of people.
Not done yet…
2. What are two things you can find in the
Arabian Peninsula?
Not done yet…
2. What are two things you can find in the
Arabian Peninsula?
Sand dunes and rare oases.
Almost done…
3. What is this a
picture of? Why
were these
important?
Almost done…
3. What is this a
picture of? Why
were these
important?
A souk. It’s a
place where
people could buy,
sell and trade.
Sharing of
different cultures.
One more to go…
• What are two ways the people living on the
Arabian Peninsula were able to make a
living?
One more to go…
• What are two ways the people living on the
Arabian Peninsula were able to make a
living?
Some were sedentary to settled and farmed
or created needed goods.
Others were nomads who raised herds of
hearty animals while moving through the
desert.
(P2) Draw this graphic organizer in
your notebook.
oasis
desert
climate
lifestyle
benefits
drawbacks
How can you connect the geographic regions &
the lifestyles of the people who live there?
oasis
wet, fertile soil
desert
climate
lifestyle
benefits
drawbacks
hot and dry
Lifestyle?
oasis
desert
wet, fertile soil
climate
hot and dry
sedentary
lifestyle
nomadic
benefits
drawbacks
Benefits?
oasis
desert
wet, fertile soil
climate
hot and dry
sedentary
lifestyle
nomadic
settled life,
trade, towns
benefits
member of a
tribe / traditional
lifestyle
drawbacks
Drawbacks?
oasis
desert
wet, fertile soil
climate
hot and dry
sedentary
lifestyle
nomadic
settled life,
trade, towns
benefits
open to attack
drawbacks
member of a
tribe / traditional
lifestyle
dangerous
lifestyle
How did you do???
Ok, so now for the fun part!
Activity for today!
Intro:
In what ways did townspeople & nomads rely
on each other?
Townspeople traded for nomads’ herds and
animals products. Nomads also needed supplies
such as blankets, clothing, and cooking supplies
from townspeople.
What are these?
Magazine Covers
Using the supplies given to you, create a
magazine cover for an imaginary magazine
that would have appealed to both the nomads
and townspeople of early Arabia.
Criteria:
• Needs a title
• Article titles need to appeal to both types of
people
• Neatness and accuracy count!!!
Don’t forget…
• The main features of the Arabian Peninsula
are deserts and oases.
• There are two main lifestyles of Arabia –
nomadic and sedentary.