How did location, climate and natural resources shape the way of life in Europe?
Southern Europe has a Meditaerranean climate so for many centuries the way of life was in harmony with the olive tree – busy in winter, the olive-picking season, relaxed in summer. The 2-3 hour afternoon break, called siesta in Spanish, sesta in Portuguese and mesimeri in Greek, fits well with the climate, being the time when work is most tiring (in summer). It helps to keep families together, because people customarily go home during the mesimeri and have lunch. Children go to school from 8 to 2 and also come home for lunch. Northern Europe by contrast is cold in winter and the climate was perhaps a factor stimulating to the growth of industrial society and an enterprise culture. Location – well, there is a lot of shoreline in Europe so many societies evolved with trade and ports being important. In the period of European power ascendancy the naval power of Portugal, Spain, later the Dutch and then the British was more important than their armies. Distance from China, India and Persia
