Geography Documents Worksheet
Answer the following questions based on the documents found in the
“Geography Documents” file. Documents are not numbered, so pay attention
to the description when responding.
Document # 1 “Africa” Robin Hallett
1) How have people been able to make a living (way of life) in the Sahara Desert?
The egyptian civilization used the nile river for water nutrients and transportation
Document # 2 The Subcontinent of India James Clark
1) Which part of India sees temperatures dropping below the freezing point?
Only in the northern mountain region do temperatures fall below freezing.
2) Rains of the rainy season originate from which ocean?
The rainy season is brought on by the southwest monsoon, which carries moisture from
the Indian Ocean.
3) How are the winter monsoons different from the summer monsoons?
The northeast (winter) monsoon blows from land to sea and brings little rain, while the
southwest (summer) monsoon carries moisture and brings rainfall.
Document # 3 “The World Trade Created”
1) Which factor most influenced the timetables for trade in Maritime Asia?
The timetables for trade in Maritime Asia were dictated by the monsoon winds, which
blow consistently in one direction for months and then reverse.
2) Why were a series of emporias (trading centers) developed?
Emporias were developed based on how far a trader could travel in one sailing season,
rather than the local production of goods.
3) Why do port cities often have little in common with the hinterlands which surround them?
Port cities developed as cosmopolitan trading hubs with weak relationships to their
inland hinterlands due to their focus on maritime trade.
Document # 4 “The West and the Spice Trade”
1) Based on the previous reading and the map shown in document #4, when would be the
best time for a trader to venture from Melaka to Canton?
Skip this document, access to map has been denied by owner.
Document # 5 Russia
1) In what specific ways does the long cold winter impact Russian life?
The long cold winter affects where and how long people can live and work, limits the
growing season for crops, and imposes special requirements on construction, machinery, and
transportation systems.
2) What roles do Russian mountain ranges play in the moderation/or lack of moderation in
its temperature?
Answer the following questions based on the documents found in the
“Geography Documents” file. Documents are not numbered, so pay attention
to the description when responding.
Document # 1 “Africa” Robin Hallett
1) How have people been able to make a living (way of life) in the Sahara Desert?
The egyptian civilization used the nile river for water nutrients and transportation
Document # 2 The Subcontinent of India James Clark
1) Which part of India sees temperatures dropping below the freezing point?
Only in the northern mountain region do temperatures fall below freezing.
2) Rains of the rainy season originate from which ocean?
The rainy season is brought on by the southwest monsoon, which carries moisture from
the Indian Ocean.
3) How are the winter monsoons different from the summer monsoons?
The northeast (winter) monsoon blows from land to sea and brings little rain, while the
southwest (summer) monsoon carries moisture and brings rainfall.
Document # 3 “The World Trade Created”
1) Which factor most influenced the timetables for trade in Maritime Asia?
The timetables for trade in Maritime Asia were dictated by the monsoon winds, which
blow consistently in one direction for months and then reverse.
2) Why were a series of emporias (trading centers) developed?
Emporias were developed based on how far a trader could travel in one sailing season,
rather than the local production of goods.
3) Why do port cities often have little in common with the hinterlands which surround them?
Port cities developed as cosmopolitan trading hubs with weak relationships to their
inland hinterlands due to their focus on maritime trade.
Document # 4 “The West and the Spice Trade”
1) Based on the previous reading and the map shown in document #4, when would be the
best time for a trader to venture from Melaka to Canton?
Skip this document, access to map has been denied by owner.
Document # 5 Russia
1) In what specific ways does the long cold winter impact Russian life?
The long cold winter affects where and how long people can live and work, limits the
growing season for crops, and imposes special requirements on construction, machinery, and
transportation systems.
2) What roles do Russian mountain ranges play in the moderation/or lack of moderation in
its temperature?
