Early civilizations began independently all over the world. Although each civilization was unique in the area of the world in which they were located and the specific details such as the language and culture that made them special, they were similar in their development. Each civilization began simply, usually nomadic, and grew more complex as they learned how to use and settle the land around them. The most significant likeness is that without an accessible river, no civilization could have developed. Due to these likenesses, historians recognize four foundations of civilization as examples of the development of all civilizations. The four foundations were: the Nile River Valley, the Tigris-Euphrates River Valley, the Indus River Valley, and …show more content…
Civilizations in close proximity to a river had a source of water for drinking, bathing, cooking, and irrigation purposes. As salt water accounted for the majority of the Earth’s water supply, people had to dig a well or live near a freshwater river or stream to have access to life-giving water and survive. The Nile River, located in Egypt, is the world’s longest river. It provided for the Egyptian’s water requirements in abundance. This plentiful supply of fresh water was a constant source of enrichment to the people’s lives. Civilizations of the Indus Valley developed along the banks of the Indus River. Once again, the river’s supply of fresh water drew the people to the area who built a civilization along its banks, in modern day Pakistan and western India.1 In both locations, cultures were characterized by stability, success and cultural advancements. These developments were only possible because the basic requirement of water for survival was met by an adequate and constant water …show more content…
As a river washed over or flooded its banks, sediment would be left in the soil. This overflow would, in turn, provide nutrients that were needed to successfully grow crops and other vegetation. The fertile soil was greatly prized and made an ideal growing medium for food plants and healthy crops. Since the plants were thriving due to the land environment, civilizations were more likely to settle permanently in these locations providing a steady food supply. A crescent shaped region that stretched from the Nile River in Egypt to the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers in modern day Iran was known as the Fertile Crescent. This area was an ideal farming settlement for the nomads. During this time period, Egyptian farmers planned their work around the river bank floods in order to best benefit from the growing season of each crop. In Ancient China, a yellow fertile soil known as loess was a result of the Huang He River’s flooding overflow. This soil would eventually develop into an exceedingly fertile agriculture soil that was ideal for growing food to provide for many people. The Nile and Huang He Rivers pattern of flooding provided the basis for the rich food supply of these areas. Farmers were able to capitalize on the benefits derived from this natural occurrence and received a better and more varied food supply contributing to their
Conscious of the geographical region, Egyptians settled around the Nile, as the Nile provided substance (agriculture, irrigation, trading routes, etc.). The Egyptians noticed that the Nile would flood regularly, and exploited this natural flooding by building an irrigation system to support their agriculture, as well as their society. “Hymn to the Nile” depicts this prosperous age of agriculture, “Lord of the fish, during the inundation, no bird alights on the crops. You create the grain, you bring forth the barley, assuring perpetuity to the temples.” ("Ancient History Sourcebook: Hymn to the Nile, c. 2100 BCE."). However, the Nile might have contributed to the eventual collapse of ancient Old Kingdom Egyptian civilization. The Nile partially destroyed the society that it had once nurtured. A series of low or high floods over the course of a few years immensely impacted their agriculture, which in turn created epidemics of famine and civil unrest. The Egyptian civilization eventually prospered once more, only centuries later and with new social
Was it a gift or a curse? The Nile is the world's longest river at 4,160 miles. Of that total, approximately 660 to 700 miles of the Nile are actually in Egypt. It is one of the four most important river civilizations in the world. Land in Egypt was called Black Land (representing life) and Red Land (representing danger). For Egyptians, the Nile meant the difference between life and death. Today, we know that the Nile influenced ancient Egypt in many areas of life such as providing food, shelter and faith to the people. Specific areas dealing with settlement location, agricultural cycle, jobs, trade, transportation and spiritual beliefs will prove the case.
In Southern China, the Yangzi River provides transportation and irrigation throughout China. The Yangzi River, also referred to as “China’s blessing,” rarely floods and creates a warm, long growing season. The land around the river is lush and ideal conditions to grow vegetables, fruits, and grains. In contrast, the Yellow River of the North is essentially opposite. The river is often referred to as “China’s sorrow.” The weather is cold and dry and it leads to harsh seasons with drought, flooding, and frost.
The four river valley civilizations, formed in Mesopotamia (Tigris Euphrates River), Egypt (Nile River), the Indus River basin (Indus River), and China (Huanghe River), all had common features as well as distinctly different ones. When comparing these four civilizations, one may notice that each of their governments were run by kings. The difference though, is that China, Egypt, and India’s kings came from dynasties, whereas Mesopotamian rulers were chosen by their importance and strength as military leaders. They were also similar because of their reliance on agriculture and the river they built their civilization along. The river provided food, water for agriculture, and was a means of transportation and communication. The four civilizations
Egypt and Mesopotamia were two of the world’s earliest city-based civilizations, creating the basis for Middle Eastern and Western history. Both Egyptian and Mesopotamian civilizations existed on the banks of major rivers. While Egyptian civilization thrived along the Nile, Mesopotamia settled between the Tigris and the Euphrates. Although they shared this characteristic, it was also the cause of many of their differences in political systems, religions, and social stability.
Before the beginning of history, people from across the land gradually developed numerous cultures, each unique in some ways while at the same time having features in common. Mesopotamia, Egypt, Greece and Israel are all important to the history of the world because of religious, social, political and economic development. In the first civilization, both Mesopotamia and Egypt relied on a hunter-gatherer economic system, during that time, every country in the world strived on it. Mesopotamia has rich soil for agriculture, but experiences floods. For the Mesopotamians, these floods would destroy major cities, but for the Egyptians it would keep the soil rich all year long without the damage that the Mesopotamians had experienced.
...dant amount of flash floods. This lies in contrast to Egypt, which received even less rainfall than Mesopotamia, and was thus totally dependent on the Nile for watering crops. The Nile River flooded regularly, allowing for easy basin irrigation. Lastly, Rome, in contrary to Egypt, grew up on the banks of a river, the Tiber, but substantial amounts of natural rainfall in the area made extensive irrigation for agriculture purposes unnecessary. Rome’s primary water issue was the lack of good drinking water; the Tiber was often brackish and unpleasant, so the Romans had to build aqueducts. All of these civilizations had a separate and distinct relationship with water, and thus each had their own way of dealing with its conditions.
The Nile and Indus River Valley civilizations were both unique civilizations in their own way in comparison. Yet despite being separated by thousands of miles there are similarities in these two ancient civilizations. It is seen that amongst ancient civilizations, rivers are fundamental for them to prosper and provide for a relatively stable society for which a people can grow and develop. There are general similarities with pinpoint differences as well as general differences with pinpoint similarities. Both civilizations have left their influence on human civilization and history, with their unique characteristics of their religion, way of life, social classes, cultures, technological advancements, government systems, rulers and notable
Agriculture- farming in Egypt was completely depended on the Nile River. If you were to go a couple miles farther away from the Nile River you would see nothing but bone dry desert so the Nile was very important to the Egyptians. Flooding season lasted from June to September, depositing a layer of silt beside the river. After the flooding season was over growing season lasted from October to February Egypt had very little rain fall so farmers made canals and ditches to the field.
Approximately 5500 years ago four of the worlds' most prestigious ancient river civilizations had emerged. Our world has been left in astonishment and awe wondering how these civilizations were developed. Egypt and Mesopotamia were the first ancient river civilizations to create cities and their own ways of living. Society, geography, and religion played an enormous role in the development of the ancient cities. Although there is evidence of early Sumerian contact with the Egyptians, Egypt's civilization was largely self-generated and its history and cultural patterns differed from Mesopotamia.
Providing extremely fertile soil is one, if not the most important, roles the Nile River played in the life of the ancient Egyptians. By providing fertile soil, the Nile made it easy for cities and civilizations to grow alongside the banks of the river. This fertile soil comes from the annual flooding of the Nile. This replenishes the top soil with silt deposits that hold much needed nutrients for crops to grow. Ancient Egyptians developed highly complex irrigation methods to maximize the effect of the Nile waters. When the Nile overflows in mid summer, Egyptians divert the waters through the use of canals and dams. As the water seeped into the farm land, rich deposits of silt ensured a good harvest for the year. This allows the civilizations of Egyptians to grow enough food to feed the community. Without the annual flooding of the Nile, Egyptians would have a very difficult time growing necessary amount food to sustain life. Most of the land in the Egyptian nation is dry desert. Very little rain falls year round here. The river provides the needed water to grow the crops as well as provide drinking water for the people. Th...
The Sumerians built their civilization in the fertile crescent, between two rivers. The Euphrates river and the Tigris river. There was silt there, good for planting crop seeds, however when the seeds became crops, it was hard to farm due to the little rainfall. Not only that, but when rain did come, the crops were flooded. The reason why it flooded is because the Tigris and Euphrates rivers water levels depended on the beginning point of the rivers: Eastern Asia Minor.
Cities are the central feature of a civilization. The first cities emerged shortly after farmers began cultivating fertile lands along river valleys and producing surplus foods. These surpluses allowed the population to expand. As population grew, some villages expanded into cities. These cities rose independently in the valleys of the Tigris and Euphrates rivers.
The Indus Valley is primarily known for the rise of a large civilization, and this took place in the not so distant past. The first settlers in the Harappan area established themselves near the Ravi River around 3300 BC in a small agricultural village ( Kenoyer 3). The date of 3300 BC means that agriculture in the Indus Valley first appeared a mere 3000 years ago. Though the first agricultural settlements may have been small, large cities eventually developed. Other archaeological records estimate the age early Indus Valley occupation at between 2175-1750 BC ( Fitzsimons 10). So through this information it can be concluded that the early Indus Valley had agricultural beginnings within the last 3500 years. The region lies in a lowland valley along the Indus river, the Himalaya mountains, along with other river tributaries feed the river causing severe flooding ( Fitzsimons 11). Due to the severe flooding in the Indus Valley technological innovations had to take place to combat the problem. “Against the menace of the river the men of this civilization built huge walls of brick surfaced with baked brick” ( Fitzsimons 11). Although little evidence of irrigation has been found, perhaps due to the close pro...
For thousands of years, people all over the world have developed, progressed, and eventually formed civilizations. A civilization is a community characterized by elements such as a system of writing, a development of social classes, and cities. Early civilizations such as ancient Greece, classical Rome, Mesopotamia, and classical China have made many contributions to society that still affect people in the modern world. The inventions, progress, and contributions of the people of these ancient civilizations and others have shaped the world that we all live in today.