1. Italian Geography
SOCIAL STUDIES FOR 9° EBG
TEACHER: MAURICIO TORRES

2. Background
• Rome was a small town on theTiber
River.Then it grew into a mighty
empire.
• Its geography – central location and
good climate – were very important
factor in its success and growth.
• Their rise was due to the conquering
of neighboring tribes and how
geography protected them too.

3. Italian
Geography
• Rome was located in the Italian peninsula
(southern Europe).
• It is shaped like a boot with a football (Sicily).
• As it is surrounded by water, trade routes can
be easily established and also it serves as
protection, as it can be invaded only by the sea.
• The water that surrounds it is called the Mediterranean
Sea.And the small sea in between it and Italy is called
theAdriatic Sea.
Italian Peninsula

4. Italian
Geography
• Italy has two major mountains ranges:
• Alps, which are Europe’s highest mountains.They also
serve as a natural barrier that separate the peninsula from
the rest of the continent.
• Apennines, which run the length of the Italian Peninsula.
These mountains make it difficult to cross from one side
to another, but not as difficult as the the geography of the
Greek Peninsula.
• Also, it has many volcanoes like MountVesuvius and
Mount Etna, which represented a danger for Roman
towns.
Physical Features

5. Italian
Geography
• The Italian countryside is
filled with hills. People
have settled here in order
to defend themselves
from invasions, such was
the case with Rome.
• Rivers also run through
Italy. Rome in fact was
settled next to theTiber.
Other famous rivers
include the Arno, Po and
the Rubicon.Physical Features

6. Weather counts
• Most of the Italian peninsula enjoys a warm dry
summer with a mild rainy winter. It is pretty
much like southern California!
• This weather allows them to grow different
types of crops, such as:
• Grains,Citrus, Fruits, Grapes,Olives.
• This steady food supply allowed to Rome to
grow.
Climate

7. Geography matters – where to settle?
ROCKY HILL
• Provides view for the
surrounding area.
• Easily protected.
• Limited room to expand.
FIELD NEAR THE SEA
• Access to the sea for trade
• Flat land for farming
• Exposed to invasion by land and
sea.

8. AskYourself
• Identify:
• What mountain ranges are in Italy?Where are they located?
• Explain:
• Why could Romans grow a wide variety of crops?
• Elaborate:
• How did Roman’s take advantage of Italy’s physical geography?
• Analyze:
• Look at the map on page 295: why do the Alps serve as a natural barrier?

9. Bibliography
• Burstein, S. M., & Shek, R. (2012). World History (Teacher´s Edition) (1st Edition
ed.). (H. McDougal, Ed.) Orlando, Florida, US.: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
Publishing Company.
• Images taken from Google.com