Particularly before the Common Era, access to water was a key necessity for the settlement of civilizations. Since transportation was commonly by foot, living a long distance from a body of water could prove difficult as it is needed for drinking and farming, among other things. Even if the water source is not clean, it can still be used to make alcohol which would be sterilized and safe to drink for survival. Ancient civilizations would settle close to water and make various innovations and establish trading bases. This is demonstrated largely in the societies of Ancient Mesopotamia, Ancient Egypt, and Ancient Greece. Mesopotamians settled between the Tigris and Euphrates rivers and developed into a civilization known for several inventions
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The Nile created rich soil for farming which allowed for settlement, its closeness allowed for innovations to be made, and it acted as a natural highway for trade. The rich soil along the banks of the Nile was known as Kemet. The annual flooding of the river deposited an abundance of silt that was used for farmland. Beyond the Nile were the Libyan and Arabian deserts, so in order to be fed and have drinking water, Egyptians settled along the river . Moreover, “To the Egyptians … the Nile was a lifeline” which let them thrive. Due to their settlement along the Nile, the Egyptians invented sails and the shaduf. Sails were developed to allow for longer trade journeys along the Nile River . The shaduf made the job of a farmer easier as it moved water from the ditches into the fields which was difficult labour. The water container on one end lifted the water and the counterweight steadied it as the water was transported. Adding to its various functions, the Nile acted as a natural highway that linked communities in the ancient world. This was because transportation along the Nile was fairly easy and merchants went along the Nile to exchange goods . Using the Nile, Egyptians came into contact with various groups of people from Asia and Africa. Trade was beneficial to the development of the society because “as people from different societies met, they enriched each …show more content…
Settlement was encouraged due to good farm land in Mesopotamia and Egypt and fishing in Greece. Also, the Tigris and Euphrates rivers, the Nile, and the Mediterranean and Aegean seas all interconnected other civilizations and acted as trade routes in the ancient world. In addition, water sparked many inventions such as irrigation systems, the shaduf, and the water wheel. Development of ancient civilizations began with the settlement of people in a certain region and followed with innovations made to make peoples’ lives and jobs easier. Settlement helped to establish known trade routes which were connected via waterways and civilizations were enriched due to exchanging the goods, ideas, and innovations they had to offer. Therefore access to water allowed for settlement, innovations, and trade which were all dependant on one another in the ancient societies of Mesopotamia, Egypt, and Greece and was influential in their development of civilizations which historians study
The Nile created rich soil for farming which allowed for settlement, its closeness allowed for innovations to be made, and it acted as a natural highway for trade. The rich soil along the banks of the Nile was known as Kemet. The annual flooding of the river deposited an abundance of silt that was used for farmland. Beyond the Nile were the Libyan and Arabian deserts, so in order to be fed and have drinking water, Egyptians settled along the river . Moreover, “To the Egyptians … the Nile was a lifeline” which let them thrive. Due to their settlement along the Nile, the Egyptians invented sails and the shaduf. Sails were developed to allow for longer trade journeys along the Nile River . The shaduf made the job of a farmer easier as it moved water from the ditches into the fields which was difficult labour. The water container on one end lifted the water and the counterweight steadied it as the water was transported. Adding to its various functions, the Nile acted as a natural highway that linked communities in the ancient world. This was because transportation along the Nile was fairly easy and merchants went along the Nile to exchange goods . Using the Nile, Egyptians came into contact with various groups of people from Asia and Africa. Trade was beneficial to the development of the society because “as people from different societies met, they enriched each …show more content…
Settlement was encouraged due to good farm land in Mesopotamia and Egypt and fishing in Greece. Also, the Tigris and Euphrates rivers, the Nile, and the Mediterranean and Aegean seas all interconnected other civilizations and acted as trade routes in the ancient world. In addition, water sparked many inventions such as irrigation systems, the shaduf, and the water wheel. Development of ancient civilizations began with the settlement of people in a certain region and followed with innovations made to make peoples’ lives and jobs easier. Settlement helped to establish known trade routes which were connected via waterways and civilizations were enriched due to exchanging the goods, ideas, and innovations they had to offer. Therefore access to water allowed for settlement, innovations, and trade which were all dependant on one another in the ancient societies of Mesopotamia, Egypt, and Greece and was influential in their development of civilizations which historians study