The Noria was used to transfer water to an irrigation canal (Doc.3) which was powered by fast flowing streams (Doc 2). The Noria did not require man power, therefore this machine was beneficial because it never got tired, it continuously displaced water. Other water raising machines were the shaduf and the saqiya. The saqiya was powered by animals, so the power was greater than man, but still, the animals would soon tire. Irrigation was also used as transportation (Doc.6).
When talking about geography, religion, and political views, there were more differences than similarities within these two civilizations. Ancient Egypt and Mesopotamia shared one key similarity in their geography; access to a major source of freshwater. For Egypt, it was the Nile River and for Mesopotamia, it was the Tigris and Euphrates River. Luckily, they were both gifted with fertile soil thanks to the rivers. Also, both rivers flooded.
They traded with other cultures because of simple human need and desire for things they lack and cannot provide in their homelands. An example of the agriculture that went on in Mesopotamia is their complex irrigation systems (which controlled the flooding to the crops) and China’s agricultural endeavors included creating the wheelbarrow (which allowed heavier and greater loads to be transported great distances). Another similarity between Mesopotamia and China, economically, is that they both create a staple to base their societies’ agricultures off of. This occurred because each civilization had their own appropriate agricultural geographies. In Mesopotamia, wheat was the primary staple food and in China it was rice.
Themes in US and World History Task # 1 Nina Valentin 1. Without the seasonal flooding of the Nile, hunter gatherers in the Predynastic period would never have settled into agricultural villages which would lead to the development of Egyptian culture (history.com). In Ancient Egyptian the majority of the population where farmers. The peasant population depended on the cyclical flooding of the Nile to fertilize the surrounding land for cultivation. Since the majority of the population was based in small farming villages along the Nile, agriculture was the basis for their economy (history.com).
This large population created a developing society that created their own methods for accounting, writing, record keeping, government and much other advancement that was unknown to the ancient world. The society had huge developments in anatomy and architecture that still influence society today. ("HowStuffWorks "The Nile's Impact on Ancient Egypt"", n.d., p. 1) The Nile River also served as the main source of transportation. This encouraged travel and enabled trade and communication with outlying areas. The process of diffusion of the Eqyptian religion between early human societies is still apparent today.
The mills, powered by water wheels, were used to produce the bread the colonists ate. The mills would crush grain between heavy stones and mill it into a fine powder, which was then used to make the bread. This method was very important in the Middle Colonies because bread was the colonists’ main food source. It was also an excellent way for the colonies to make money. The Middle Colonies had very strong economic activity.
Irrigation from the two rivers made it possible for the early settlers to farm and had abundant crops for trade. Furthermore, the supply of water from the two rivers were used for grazing areas for cattle and sheep. As a result, Mesopotamian had a lot of food variety they can choose from and permitted others to look for different jobs; for example, making clay pots and tools. Thus, new jobs developed and buildings and dams were built (Britannica, 2011) Part B The development of the chariot provides as a great example of diffusion throughout the continents. Chariots was invented in Mesopotamia to carry a driver and an archer for war.
The Nile: How it Shaped Ancient Egypt By: Jules Orrukem What would you do if you were thirsty? You would take a drink from your water bottle, right? However, what if you lived in Ancient Egypt? They didn’t have water bottles and couldn’t just turn on the tap. Ancient Egyptians did not have the technology we have today to perform simple tasks we consider easy, such as transporting heavy blocks for building.
Animal husbandry was becoming widely used. This was just the beginning of the change, and many important players were able to create other innovations for the farm that would change the ways farms would work: The Seed Drill - Source • Jethro Tull (1674 - 1741) Jethro Tull was a key player in introducing and popularizing root vegetables. His major contributions to the Agricultural Revolution, however, were his two inventions: the seed drill and horse hoe (Gernhard). The seed drill was an innovation that allowed seeds to be easily planted deep into the earth instead of on top where the majority were washed away or otherwise lost. The machine was pulled by horses and consisted of rotating drills or runners that would plant seeds at a set depth (Seed Drill).
Mesopotamia is an example of an early river civilization because rivers were a big factor in the way that the earliest societies came about. Mesopotamians had to learn to adapt to the rivers and were creative enough to invent technology to help control the flow of water to irrigate crops which was essential for successful farming. Mesopotamia’s location near the two rivers is also beneficial because the soil becomes greatly deposited with mud and clay which allows for the development of building materials to make homes, residences, and marketplaces, etc. The Tigris and Euphrates rivers also supplies most of the civilizations drinking water. The civilization has “tilled the soil, built houses, and constructed irrigation systems, draining marshes, and digging canals, dikes, and ditches” (Ancient Civilizations, n.d.).