Natural Introductory Geography Volume 2

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1907 Excerpt: ...the sultan. He both makes the laws and sees that they are executed. Such a government is called a despotism. The sultan's rule has long been harsh and cruel. Many hundred years ago the Turks, a fierce race of yellow people who had conquered much of western Asia south of the Black Sea, crossed over into Europe and added the whole Balkan peninsula to the great empire of Turkey. Most of the people of the Balkan peninsula belonged to the white race and were Christians, while the Turks belonged to the yellow race and believed in the Mohammedan religion: thus the customs of the two peoples were very different. The Turks were cruel to the Christians, and robbed and oppressed them. Hence the Christians were discontented, and often tried to free themselves from Turkish rule. About eighty years ago, Greece, aided by other Christian countries of Europe, succeeded in becoming independent. Afterwards Roumania, in the same way, freed herself from Turkey and became a kingdom. Still more recently Servia and Montenegro became independent monarchies, while Bulgaria, though still supposed to pay tribute to Turkey, has her own ruler, and is really an independent state. Thus all that is left of Turkey in Europe is a narrow strip between Greece and Bulgaria, though the Turkish Empire still includes much of western Asia. About half the people in European Turkey are Christians, and they Bulgarian Village. Bulgarian Insurgent Soldiers. are still trying to free themselves from the Turks. The people of Turkey have been so badly governed that they are wretchedly poor. They have little wealth besides the forests and herds of cattle and sheep. Small amounts of grain, tobacco, silk, and wine are produced. Turkish carpets and rugs made by hand are sold in Europe and America. What sea is b...