The Importance of Place

Project Introduction

In this lesson we looked at the creation of the world's first civilization, which developed in Mesopotamia. In the following lessons of the unit, we will look at the next major world civilizations that arose in ancient Egypt, China, and India. The importance of place is clearly shown in the development of these civilizations.

All of the world's first civilizations started in the valley of a large river:

• Mesopotamia was centered around the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers (Mesopotamia means land between the rivers)

• Ancient Egypt was centered around the Nile

• Indian civilization arose on the Indus River and later Ganges

• Chinese Civilization arose first on the Yellow River and later the Yangtze.

A coincidence? Not likely! The beginning of civilization was completely connected with the place in which they arose. Why do you think all the world's first major civilizations started in the valley of a large river?

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