Cradles of Civilizations Early Civilizations UNIT 2 Essential

Cradles of Civilizations/ Early Civilizations UNIT 2

Essential Questions • Why did ancient civilizations develop in river valleys? • Where were the earliest civilizations located? • When did these civilizations exist?

During the New Stone Age, permanent settlements (CIVILIZATIONS) appeared in river valleys and around the Fertile Crescent.

The fertile crescent In the spring, the rivers often flooded, leaving behind rich soil for farming. The problem was that the flooding was very unpredictable. It might flood one year, but not the next. Every year, farmers worried about their crops.

River valleys provided water and rich soil for crops as well as protection from invasion.

Irrigation Over time, the farmers learned to build dams and channels to control the seasonal floods. They also built walls, waterways, and ditches to bring water to their fields. This way of watering crops is called irrigation. Irrigation allowed the farmers to grow plenty of food and support a large population.

1. Mesopotamian civilization: Tigris and Euphrates River Valleys (Southwest Asia)

River valley civilizations (about 3500 to 500 B. C. [B. C. E. ]) 2. civilization: Nile River Valley and Nile Delta (Africa)

River valley civilizations (about 3500 to 500 B. C. [B. C. E. ]) 3. Indian civilization: Indus River Valley (South Asia)

River valley civilizations (about 3500 to 500 B. C. [B. C. E. ]) 4. Chinese civilization: Huang He River or Yellow River (East Asia)

Essential Answer • Ancient Civilizations developed in River Valleys because: 1. They offered rich soil and irrigation water for agriculture 2. They tended to be in locations easily protected from invasion by nomadic peoples.

Other early civilizations (about 2000 to 500 B. C. [B. C. E. ]) 1. Hebrews settled between the Mediterranean Sea and the Jordan River Valley (part of Fertile Crescent in Southwest Asia).

• Phoenicians settled along the Mediterranean coast (part of Fertile Crescent in Southwest Asia).

• 3. Nubia was located on the upper (southern) Nile River (Africa).

• Irrigation ditches connected farms with rivers