Matthew Kee

8/23/14
3rd period
Geography is harnessed as a habitat for civilizations to adapt and
settle in. Ranging from the creation of nature deities to the main mode of
transportation, geography determines the culture and way of life for each
civilization. Both Early China and Mesopotamia benefited from their
respective rivers through agriculture and means of transport. However,
Mesopotamia was able to trade and interact with other civilizations which
allowed them to obtain multiple resources whereas China was isolated, due
to the large mountain ranges in the southwest and stretches of desert in the
west to north of China, allowing them focus heavily on divination and
resources given in their land.
On an agricultural standpoint, both river civilizations flourished in
staple crops and transportation after learning to tame the rivers with canals.
By 3000 B.C.E. the Mesopotamians created canals to transport water to the
fields. This allowed a steady flow of water to nourish the soil which would be
used to grow Barley, their staple crop. Furthermore, the Mesopotamians
were able to use the river to trade goods with surrounding civilizations such
as the Egyptians and civilizations in Lebanon. The Chinese also used the

canals to their advantage. Rice fields had to be surrounded by water

channels at specific times in order for the crop to ripen. Because the
mountain range blocked transportation by foot, the Chinese were able to use
the river in order to travel from west to the east. The Euphrates and Tigris
River allowed the Mesopotamians to harvest their barley just as the Chinese
used the Yellow River to cultivate their rice patties.
Looking at the geography economically and culturally, the mountains
hindered the Chinese as they were very limited to trade with other
civilizations. Because of this, the Chinese focused on producing materials
with the resources available such as silk and bronze. Furthermore, the
Chinese invested heavily on philosophy like Daoism, Legalism, and
Confucianism. Since the Mesopotamians did not have this issue, they were
able to trade with nearby civilizations to obtain resources not found in their
land. Using the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers, the Mesopotamians traded with
Egypt and Anatolia for precious metals such as silver and gold. The
Mesopotamians also created the language Cuneiform in order to formally
organize used for business transactions between the other civilizations. The
language allowed a central language for marketing purposes. The
Mesopotamians converged with other civilizations allowing a language for
trade to be developed whereas China remained an isolated nation causing
them to create controversial philosophies.

Even though the culture and agriculture would soon change as China
took on a new dynasty leading into new cultures and Mesopotamians falling
into Dark Ages as their irrigation ruined the fields with salt, both maintained
their original agricultural structures by using the river to their advantages.
However, the Mesopotamians would continue to prosper awhile longer as the
Hittites, Assyrians, and Babylonians cultivated the civilization to Babylon.
China, on the other hand, would continue down their unique dynasty system
until their isolation was no more.