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Explores why the first civilizations started near big rivers like the Nile and the Tigris.
Imagine you are standing in a giant, hot desert with no water in sight. Suddenly, you see a long ribbon of blue water with green plants growing all around it. Why would you want to build your house right there?
Long ago, the first great civilizations began near three special rivers. In a place called Egypt, the Nile River flowed through the desert. In a land called Mesopotamia, two rivers named the Tigris and the Euphrates ran side-by-side. These rivers were like 'ribbons of life' because they brought fresh water to very dry places. Without these rivers, the famous pyramids and ancient cities we study today would never have existed! People settled here because the water was easy to find and use every single day.
Quick Check
Which river was the most important to the people living in ancient Egypt?
Answer
The Nile River.
Ancient farmers loved these rivers because they did something magical every year: they flooded. When the water rose and then went back down, it left behind a thick, gooey layer of dark mud called silt. This silt was full of vitamins for plants! Farmers used irrigation, which means they dug small canals (like tiny man-made streams) to lead the river water to their thirsty crops. Because of the river, they could grow enough wheat and barley to feed thousands of people.
A farmer has a field that needs water. He digs 3 small canals from the river to his field. 1. Each canal carries enough water for 5 rows of corn. 2. To find out how many rows he can water, he calculates . 3. By using the river, he can grow 15 rows of food instead of zero!
Quick Check
What is the name of the rich, dark soil left behind after a river floods?
Answer
Silt.
Before cars or trains were invented, walking across a hot desert was very slow and difficult. Ancient people realized that the rivers were like highways. They built boats out of reeds and wood to float down the river. This allowed them to move heavy stones for building or carry large bags of grain to other cities to trade. Trading is when you swap something you have (like extra corn) for something you need (like shiny copper or wood).
A merchant in the south has 10 baskets of gold but needs wood to build a house. A merchant in the north has plenty of wood but wants gold. 1. Walking would take 20 days. 2. Sailing the boat takes only 5 days. 3. The river saves them days of travel time!
Imagine you need to move a giant stone block that weighs as much as 2 elephants. 1. On land, you need 50 people to pull it on a sled. 2. On a large river boat, the water helps float the weight, and you only need 5 people to steer. 3. The river makes the work 10 times easier! This is how the Egyptians moved stones to build the Great Pyramid.
Which two rivers were located in Mesopotamia?
Why was the yearly flooding of the rivers actually a good thing for farmers?
Ancient people used rivers to trade goods because it was faster than walking across the desert.
Review Tomorrow
In 24 hours, try to remember the names of the three rivers we talked about and one reason why farmers loved them.
Practice Activity
Draw a map of a pretend desert. Draw a blue river through the middle and decide where you would build a farm, a house, and a boat dock!