15 Questions
What is the most important natural resource in much of the Middle East and Africa?
Water
Where were the first settlements in the Middle East and Africa located in relation to water?
Areas with access to water but high enough to avoid flooding
Why were settlements in flood-prone areas like Egypt and Mesopotamia considered a gamble?
In years without flooding, settlements could grow and become rich
What became a primary way to trade and build knowledge and wealth in regions with access to water?
Access to water
What are some examples of the first settlements in the Middle East and Africa mentioned in the text?
Catal Huyuk in Turkey and the Kush culture of Sudan
How has settlement changed in regions with desired resources over time?
Settlements have shifted as desired resources have changed
What has made increased settlement possible in regions with abundant natural resources?
New technologies
What was the role of rivers in the development of trade and wealth in Zimbabwe and Ghana?
Provided transportation for trade and wealth, in addition to more stable food stocks
What were Axum and Yemen crucial markets for?
Spices
What problem did the discovery of significant quantities of gold in West Africa present?
Transporting it across the Sahara or the jungles of the Congo
What allowed trade routes to link in Africa?
Small outposts placed throughout the Sahara close to permanent oases
What was the most famous small outpost that became amazingly wealthy due to trade?
Timbuktu
What changed the location of large settlements in Africa and the Middle East from being determined by the ability to maintain a population to being determined by economics?
Discovery of petroleum and the requirement of large groups of people to maintain oil wells
What technology was built to get the oil from remote areas to refineries or ports?
Pipelines
What had to be built in the desert to turn sea water into fresh water for the settlements near oil fields?
Massive desalination plants
Explore the impact of natural resources on human settlement patterns in Africa and the Middle East with this quiz. Learn how access to resources has influenced the development of civilizations and shaped human history in these regions.
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