Complete document for all three sessions of Examining Changing Borders within Europe. This is a large file and should be downloaded (right-click on link) and viewed in Adobe Reader.
Session 1: Examining Changing Borders within Europe
Geographers study the division of space. How did the borders of various European areas change over time? Historians focus on the people and events that brought about those changes. In this learning activity students compare a series of maps that illustrate changes within the division of territory within Europe from 1000 A.D. (C.E.) to the middle of the 15th century. Unification of smaller regions into a larger state may form the basis for political power and the ability to exert influence over other countries. In this learning activities students uncover the relationship between territorial extent and political power.
Key Questions
- How did the consolidation of territory affect the formation of nation states?
- How could stable borders contribute to the political stability of a state?
Note:The following files contain layered pdfs. In order to manipulate the map layers, you must download each file.
Lesson
Lesson with attachments This is a large file and should be downloaded (right-click on link) and read in Adobe Reader.
Attachments
- Attachment A: Kingdoms, 1000
- Attachment B: Kingdoms, 1200
- Attachment C:, Kingdoms, 1450
- Attachment D: The Mongols
- The Mongols, an online map available at http://arcg.is/1TdtBzZ
Using Layered Portable Document Files (pdfs)
Return to World History and Geography to 1500 A.D. (C.E.) page.
A product of the Virginia Geographic Alliance. 
