CHAPTER XL 



CLIMATE 



Environment. The food we eat, the clothes we wear, the 

 houses we live in, and the work we do, are more or less determined 

 by our geographic environment; that is, by the section of the 



world in which we __ 



live. In the tropics, 

 where it is warm all 

 the time, the na- 

 tives eat little, wear 

 little, live in crudely 

 constructed houses 

 (Fig. 261), and 

 work sparingly. 

 Because of the cli- 

 mate and the 

 weather conditions, 

 the needs of the 

 people are few, and 

 plants furnishing 

 food, clothing, and 

 shelter are luxurious (Fig. 262). Heavy work is unnecessary, 

 and the people are easy-going, indolent, and improvident. 



In temperate regions, such as the United States, the tem- 

 peratures vary from the broiling heat of summer to the icy cold 

 of winter, and variety of food and clothing is needed to meet 

 the changing conditions. The light, dainty meals of summer 

 are insufficient for winter; the thin clothes of August mean 



393 



FIG. 261. A simple hut made from plants. (Courtesy 

 of Philadelphia Commercial Museum.) 



