9. River valley High Cultures
The rise of High Cultures
A high culture or a civilization is a developed community in which people live in cities and
practice different professions. The first high cultures developed writing, technology and
science. The first civilizations were born in river valleys in around 3000 BC. The first of
those was the Mesopotamian high culture, which was located where Iraq is now. It was
created along the banks of the rivers Euphrates and Tigris. Shortly after the birth of
Mesopotamia, high cultures were also born in Egypt, China and India.
Seeds planted into dry soil did not produce a good harvest, and dryness also impoverished
the land of its nutrients, which meant crops could not be planted on the same land very
often. High cultures were formed because farming became more efficient through the
invention of different watering techniques. River valleys created a good environment for
farming, because the river provided a great water supply, and the soil was full of nutrients.
Humans also learnt how to build channels to direct water to the fields, which meant they no
longer needed to carry heavy containers. Dams, lifts, levers and drains were also invented
in order to facilitate the directing of water from one place to the other. Thanks to consistent
watering, harvests became increasingly plentiful. This meant there was an excess of crops,
which in turn meant humans had enough food to start storing it. Stored food was sold to
those who needed it, or saved for a tougher time. Rivers also made trading goods easier, as
people could travel along the river instead of taking long, winding roads.
A map of ancient Mesopotamian cities. When you find the name of a city in the text, you
should come back to find it on the map!
The rise of High Cultures
A high culture or a civilization is a developed community in which people live in cities and
practice different professions. The first high cultures developed writing, technology and
science. The first civilizations were born in river valleys in around 3000 BC. The first of
those was the Mesopotamian high culture, which was located where Iraq is now. It was
created along the banks of the rivers Euphrates and Tigris. Shortly after the birth of
Mesopotamia, high cultures were also born in Egypt, China and India.
Seeds planted into dry soil did not produce a good harvest, and dryness also impoverished
the land of its nutrients, which meant crops could not be planted on the same land very
often. High cultures were formed because farming became more efficient through the
invention of different watering techniques. River valleys created a good environment for
farming, because the river provided a great water supply, and the soil was full of nutrients.
Humans also learnt how to build channels to direct water to the fields, which meant they no
longer needed to carry heavy containers. Dams, lifts, levers and drains were also invented
in order to facilitate the directing of water from one place to the other. Thanks to consistent
watering, harvests became increasingly plentiful. This meant there was an excess of crops,
which in turn meant humans had enough food to start storing it. Stored food was sold to
those who needed it, or saved for a tougher time. Rivers also made trading goods easier, as
people could travel along the river instead of taking long, winding roads.
A map of ancient Mesopotamian cities. When you find the name of a city in the text, you
should come back to find it on the map!
