1 Earliest Civilizations Arose along River Valleys

Eastern Hemisphere Early Civilizations Tigris and Euphrates Rivers Iraq Nile River Egypt Indus River India Yellow River China Western Hemisphere Early Civilizations Aztecs Mexico Incas Peru

Mesopotamia: Euphrates River, Iraq Egypt: Egypt: The Nile River

Mesopotamia ~one of the first civilizations ~began between the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers. ~developed differently because of unpredictable geographical conditions Egypt ~one of the first civilizations ~began by the Nile River ~developed differently because of predictable geographical conditions Civilization Begins

Section 1-7 The Impact of Geography Mesopotamia eastern end of Fertile Crescent arc of land from Med. Sea to Persian Gulf. “between the rivers” valley between Tigris and Euphrates Rivers. Overflow, leaves silt, = rich soil & flourishing agricultural economy.

Example: Unpredictable Geography and Religion connected ~Harsh physical environment, not protected geographically (plains) and famines ~Believed world controlled by destructive supernatural forces.

Understanding cause and effect -- how or why an event occurred. Cause = the action or situation that produces an event. Effect = the result or consequence of an action or situation. Steps to identify cause-and-effect relationships: Learning the Skill ~Identify two or more events or developments. ~Decide whether or not one event caused the other. Look for “clue words” such as because, led to, brought about, produced, as a result of, so that, since, and therefore. ~Identify the outcomes of events. Looking at Mesopotamia and Egypt to Understand Cause and Effect

Learning the Skill Read the passage below and examine the graphic organizer on the next slide to see how geography effected settlement sizes & government in Egypt: Understanding Cause and Effect Unlike the floods on Mesopotamia’s rivers, the flooding of the Nile was gradual and predictable. The river was seen as life-giving, not life-threatening. Whereas massive, state-controlled irrigation and flood control were needed in Mesopotamia, the small villages along the Nile easily managed small irrigation systems that required no state assistance. As a result, Egyptian civilization tended to remain more rural. Many small villages were gathered along a narrow band of land on both sides of the Nile.

Skill Builder 4 Note the Clue Word and Effect – then work backwards to find the cause.

The reading says that Egypt is unlike Mesopotamia. So…. What can you infer about the flooding of the Tigris and Euphrates? What can you infer about the size of the towns and the government?

Skill Builder 4 Understanding Cause and Effect The flooding of the Tigris and Euphrates was ____________.  Small or large irrigation systems?  State assistance or not?  Rural or urban? Answer These In Your Journal