Water, Topography and Vegetation

Water and Topography

• The most important environmental factor in early human settlement is water.
• Fresh water serves as drinking water for humans, and for the food supply (birds, fish, etc.).
• Fresh water is needed as a tool for hygiene for bathing and cleaning.
• Growing crops is achievable with fresh water as there is flooding from rivers which provides irrigation.
• Water provides methods of transportation via boats to visit relatives and for trade.
• Topography is composed of physical features of land.
• Topography includes hills, deserts, mountains, valleys, flatlands/plateaus, and plains.
• Topography matters when establishing early settlements because mountains/hills block sunlight.
• Colder temperatures make growing crops harder.
• Deserts are too small to farm in as they are too hot, and have sandstorms.
• Plains are ideal because they are flat and near water, which is beneficial for crops/survival.

Vegetation

• Vegetation is plant life, including trees, bushes, flowers, grass, and reeds.
• Mild weather and regular rainfall are good for vegetation.
• Fresh water supports the growth of vegetation, and sunlight does too.
• Deserts are not ideal for vegetation because too much heat could kill plants, and deserts do not have much water.
• Plants were a source of food, even wild plants for crops.
• Products from plants include baskets, tools, medicine, rope, and paper.
• Trees provided shade and flowers added beauty.
• Trees give shade, fruit, and medicine.
• Grass is needed for baskets and ropes.
• Bushes give fruit and medicine.

Environmental Factors and Ancient Egypt and Kush

• Egyptians and Kushites clustered around the Nile.
• The Nile River is one of the most important features of ancient Egypt/Kush.
• When the Nile River overflowed, it left silt.
• Silt serves for small rocks for farming.
• The Nile River serves as a freshwater source.
• More fish and animals are attracted to the Nile River.
• The Nile River consisted of flat areas, making the land good to farm.
• The Mediterranean Sea has seafood for consumption.
• The Sea provided a waterway for boats to travel.
• The Libyan/Nubian deserts served as a natural barrier.
• Invaders were unable to cross the deserts.
• The Egyptians had the Nile, allowing for abundance of crops and animals.
• The Nile River had fresh water which was essential to the establishment of ancient Egypt.
• The Nile provided good soil/fertilization.
• The Nile went through narrow valleys.
• The environment surrounding the Nile had fish, and birds.
• The Nile provided flooding and irrigation to surrounding lands.
• Wildlife commonly found in ancient Egypt included fish, ducks, geese, hippos, crocodiles, giraffes, and ostriches.
• Most animals ate fish, ducks, and geese.
• The topography and vegetation impacted settlement and daily life by encouraging farming.
• Crops grew on the banks of the Nile River.
• Reeds were harvested for baskets and roofs of houses.
• Papyrus was collected to create rope and paper.
• Two deserts that border the Nile River include the Libyan Desert on the east and the Nubian Desert on the west.

Canaan Settlement

• The topography and climate of Canaan significantly impacted the settlement and daily life.
• The climate in Canaan was hot and dry, which discouraged plant life.
• The topography consisted of hilly land, dry soil, small forests, and grasslands.