Natural Features

How do natural features such as rivers, lakes and mountains help unite people or keep them isolated from each other?

- Natural features of the land can do so much for a civilization, either make it or break it. Natural resources can unite people because when people need resources they will try to use them to their benefit. So they can sometimes unite at the source of what they need. Yet saying that, when people need something and there is not enough of everyone, conflict can be made. Though sometimes when there is a problem that needs to be resolved people, through trying to solve a problem, are united. However, similar to the idea of uniting at a source, sometimes people react differently. Instead of uniting people it can split them apart, fighting can be created and sides can be taken because some people might have different views on how something should be done. Sometimes these features can isolate people but this isolation can actually be beneficial. An example of this is a desert, the desert may actually cut off the people from connection but it can also help them from evading civilizations. While people try to attack a city that is surrounded by desert it is not really a wise choice since the desert is quite hard to cross. Yet being surrounded by desert can also be bad for the inhabitants in the city because it can be hard to transport water and trading is cut off.

Another way natural features can unite people or isolate them from each other is that there is a difference when you have a civilization that is near a river rather than when you have one near a mountains. A civilization that is near a river is going to unite people more because of the fact that trade will be easier along a river, and since a river is a good resource there will probably be a few plentiful cities to trade with. An example of this is ancient Egypt in which the river Nile played a big part in trade and the communication of Egypt with other cities. Yet when you have a civilization that is near, or between mountains, communication and trade is not going to be as easy. The civilization is going to be very cut off from trade and uniting with people is going to be very hard. Natural features can be very influential on the actions of people, be them good or bad.