How Geology Shapped the Ancient World

The Ancient World, wild and savage, yet calm and sophisticated. But how can one world be both? Well, there could only be one answer: geography. In the Ancient world the lives and fate of the many were decided based on where they lived, and what that area had to offer. Some areas prosperous, yet constantly at war, like the Ancient Mesopotamians; or culturally rich, yet isolated, like the Ancient Chinese. And again all of these traits boil down to one cause: geography. So by what we have discerned so far it's obvious that we have no choice to dig further into the ancient mysteries of our past.

The stone ages: the very root of our beginning, where tools are created, animals domesticated; and possibly the most important advancement in human history: the agricultural revolution. In the Old Stone Age, which ended roughly 10,000 years ago, the earliest humans began to develop early tools, this allowed hunting animals easier. Because these early humans had not yet developed systematic agriculture, they relied on hunting and gathering for sustenance, allowing them to move more freely throughout the land. And did they, unconsciously, use it to their advantage. Without having to rely on a yearly crop, the early humans moved more freely, spreading from their place of origin in South Africa to as far away as South America. At the time of their migration there were no huge natural barriers to keep them confined. Once in Europe they got stuck for about 50,000 years adjusting to their new surroundings and harsher climate, where they had to develop the skill of making fire if they wished to survive the harsh European winters. After their 50,000 year break the began to migrate again. With their new talent of fire they were able to make it through the European Mountains farther north, south toward Australia, west into Asia, and eventually through modern day Alaska and into Canada and the United States. After their long perilous journeys through the world, they had finally just about reached every corner of earth. That's when, about 8,000 years ago, they got their big break. The developed systematic agriculture, and mastered the art of domesticating animals. Here is where the true roots of civilization began. Now that people could grow crops and stay in one place for an allotted amount of time; they began to want protection and rules to protect their crops. This is when and why civilization began, and so came the birth of Ancient Mesopotamia.(Doc 1)

Ancient Mesopotamia; a befuddled mess of war and prosperity, total opposites of each other. Yet they survived for quite some time. They some many issues for one reason: no natural barriers. Although the land was rich with nutrients and easy to farm in. It was completely flat with no natural barriers to keep the people separate from each other. So the people of Babylon, Summer, and Assyria, were constantly with war with each other, fighting for land and power. This was