6th Grade Social Studies Unit 2

What is a physical feature?

A physical feature is a natural part of Earth’s surface, such as mountains, rivers, deserts, or plains.

List 3 river valley civilizations and describe how people used, adapted, and modified their environment.

Mesopotamia: Used the Tigris and Euphrates rivers for irrigation; built canals and levees to control flooding.

Egypt: Used the Nile River for farming, travel, and trade; built irrigation systems and used annual floods to grow crops.

Indus Valley: Used the Indus River for fertile soil and trade; built advanced drainage and city systems to manage water.

One advantage and one disadvantage of living by a river?

Advantage: Fertile soil and easy access to water for crops and transportation.

Disadvantage: Flooding could destroy homes and crops.

How did civilizations adapt to mountains vs. river valleys?

Mountains: Built terraces for farming, raised animals like goats, and were isolated from trade

River Valleys: Built irrigation systems, farmed fertile land, and traded easily with others.

How do physical features encourage or prevent trade? Give examples.

Rivers and seas encouraged trade by allowing transportation (e.g., the Nile or Mediterranean Sea).

Mountains and deserts prevented trade by making travel difficult (e.g., Himalayas or Sahara Desert).

Which physical feature had the most impact on civilization and why?

Rivers had the most impact because they provided water, fertile soil, and easy routes for trade and travel.

What was the Agricultural Revolution and its effects?

The Agricultural Revolution was when people began farming and domesticating animals instead of hunting and gathering.

Effects: Created food surpluses, permanent settlements, and population growth.

Physical features of Mesopotamia?

Tigris and Euphrates Rivers, fertile crescent, deserts.

Physical features of Egypt?

Nile River, Sahara Desert, Nile Delta.

Physical features of China?

Huang He (Yellow River), Yangtze River, mountains.

Physical features of Indus Valley?

Indus River, Himalayas, plains.

How can human-environment interaction help a civilization emerge?

People learned to farm near rivers, which created food surpluses and allowed villages to grow (e.g., Egypt along the Nile).

How can human-environment interaction help a civilization expand?

Building roads, irrigation systems, or boats helped civilizations trade and conquer new areas (e.g., Mesopotamian canals, Roman roads).

According to the Land Bridge Theory, where did the first Americans come from?

Asia.

Which adaptation helped influence farming in ancient civilizations?

Irrigation systems for watering crops.

What happened after people settled and created a food surplus?

Populations grew, new jobs formed, and cities developed.