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River Valley Geography

1. Why do people go to the river valleys?

-Fresh water-Fertile land

2. Why so important?

Provides food surplus necessary for large settlements

3. In all these river valleys what challenge do they all face?

They all were flood victims at one point or another, from ones that are too high or too low create irrigation systems to control movement of water

And the award for “Best River” goes to……

Egypt: Best River!#4. Was their river(s) predictable? Explain impact on society.

Answer: Yes, every year around July the rivers would flood and recede by October leaving behind rich silt made life very stable, allowed people to create a calendar, (flood, plant, harvest) worshiped as a god. Egypt is “the gift of the Nile” gave life

Egypthttp://www.eduplace.com/kids/socsci/ca/books/bkf3/imaps/AC_05_143_egypt/AC_05_143_egypt.html

Egypt: Great Transportation= Best River

#6. Were the river(s) used for transportation?

Answer: • Easy travel up and down Nile b/c winds

blew South and current flowed North= Easy trade

• 31000 BCE King Menes unified villages from Upper and Lower Egypt

• Traded with Kush, Nubia, and Mesopotamia

And the award for worst river goes to…

Sumer:

Worst Rivers, but still a success!#4. Was their river(s) predictable? Explain impact on society.

Answer: No!• It could flood at any time between April and June. • If it didn’t rain enough, there would be drought

*These conditions are the reason Sumer originally had city-states independent governments that fought over limited resources.

Sumer

And the award for best resources goes to….

Egypt! (the streak continues)Natural resources?• Fertile land and plenty of water• fish, birds, hippos• flax plants, veggies, figs, dates, • reeds (papyrus=paper)• stone, granite and limestone

Effect: • could build pyramids and tombs; • Wealth of resources means other countries

wanted to trade with them • lots of trade = solid economy

And the award for “Worst Resources” goes to….

Sumer: Worst Resources

Natural resources? Answer: • limited supplies of wood, stone,

and metal • Had to trade their cloth, grain

and tools w/ mountain and desert people

And the award for “Best Boundaries” goes to…

Egypt: Best Boundaries

• Desert on all sides were harsh and huge hard for any enemy to cross

• Keeps out invaders and helps maintain stable society

• But, still had plenty of easy water access that let them trade

Indus

And 1st Runner up is…Indus!

#7. Natural boundaries?

• Himalaya Mountains in East and Hindu Kush Mountains in North

• Thar Desert in South• Keep out invaders--> little

evidence of weapons found in the ancient city walls (little warfare). They did still build walls to keep others out.

And the award for “Worst Boundaries” goes to…

Sumer: Worst Boundaries

Natural boundaries?

• No, houses were reed huts in open plains.

• Built mud brick walls that offered limited protection.

• Constant invasion (Babylonians invade Sumer)

China Not worst, but not great

Natural boundaries? So many!

• East Yellow Sea and Pacific Ocean

• West Taklimakan Desert and Plateau of Tibet

• Southwest Himalayas• North Gobi Desert and

Mongolian Plateau• **Still invaded by Warriors

began to build Great Wall

China

Indus Rivers#4. Was their river(s) predictable? Explain impact on society.

Answer: No, the rivers could sometimes change course bc of the additional issue of monsoons (seasonal winds, brought dry weather Oct – May; wet weather – June)

Answer:Cultural Diffusion is the spreading of ideas or products from one cultural to another through travel, war, and trade. Ex. Sumer & Indus Trade, why Indus access to Indian Ocean

What is the definition of cultural diffusion?

Indus Evidence of Cultural Diffusion

Answer: seals with Indus stamps have been found on goods at Sumerian archeological sites.

How do we know that the people of Indus and Sumer traded with one another?

Indus

#5. Where the river(s) used for transportation?

Answer: the Indus river proved the people with a link to the sea (Indian Sea), we also know they traded long distance with Sumer: Evidence Indus seals found in Sumer, and Sumerian goods found in Indus

China Rivers#4. Was their river(s) predictable? Explain impact on society.

Answer: No, unclear when to plant an harvest so they created major water control/irrigation systems.

Sumer Quest 5

#5. Where the river(s) used for transportation?

Answer: Yes, they traded with people of the mountains and the desert. *Built wheel and sail to aid in trade

China Quest 5

#5. Where the river(s) used for transportation?

Answer: Used the rivers for travel/trade within China’s River Valley society, little outside trade bc of natural boundaries.

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China Quest 6#6. Do they have any natural resources? (If yes, tell me. If no, tell me what lacking)

Answer: lots of resources such as loess silt, bronze, jade, wood…

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Indus Quest 6#6. Do they have any natural resources? (If yes, tell me. If no, tell me what lacking)

Answer: lots of resources such as cotton, diamonds, elephants, furs, horses, pearls, lapis lazuli

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