How has geography influenced the development of civilizations?

Answer 1

This is an ENORMOUS question!! There are countless ways specific civilizations have been shaped by geography. But I'll try to focus on some of the key ones related to what we know of the BEGINNINGS of "civilization", esp. what happened in Mesopotamia and Egypt in about the 4th millennium B.C.

The most important geographic factor for these two ancient civilizations was a major navigable river (the Nile and the Euphrates). This body of water enabled more efficient travel and transportation of people and goods than could be done by land -- which made increased TRADE possible, as well as larger political units (since you could more easily travel... from one part to another).

These rivers ALSO produced fertile flood plains, capable of sustaining larger populations with relatively less labor than subsistence farming. This not only led to population growth but made it possible to free more people up from the basic work of providing food to survive. Other endeavors could more easily be pursued -- including artistic, building (fancier houses, palaces, temples, etc) and technological efforts.

Larger populations and larger projects (from farming to building...) encouraged the growth of 'bureaucracy' (not to mention 'ruling classes') as well as of systems of RECORD keeping (beginning with simple things like tracking number of sheep an who they belonged to), out of which WRITING systems emerged. Of course, writing was quickly employed for many other practical and artistic purposes, not to mention improved communication.

Another geographic factor -- Mesopotamia's principle 'writing materials' ended up being reeds and clay (which they baked), that is, what was available to them. As an unintended result they left numerous records in clay tablets that survive to this day (and which, beginning in the 19th century, began to open up the ancient history of Mesopotamia to the modern world).

Back to the rivers -- these again made it possible to more easily trade with OTHER regions, not to mention MILITARY expeditions to expand the area of control (beginning of kingdoms). Trade (or conquest) brought them NEW materials, esp. those not available locally, to use in their building, dress, etc. (precious stones, trees, etc), and ALSO enabled them to spread their culture and influence. (This was increased by spreading their writing system and its various forms and uses. Thus, in the mid 2nd millennium BC the Semitic language of Southern Mesopotamia [which academics now call "Akkadian" after the first great city-state, Akkad] became the written lingua franca of the Near East.)