The most important environmental factor in early human settlement was water. Physical features like rivers, lakes, and inland seas were good sources of fresh water.
Water was important for many reasons. People needed fresh drinking water to live. They also bathed and washed things in fresh water. Bathing and washing helped prevent disease.
Water was a source of food. People caught fish from rivers, lakes, and seas. They hunted water birds and other animals that gathered near water.
In addition, farmers needed water to grow their crops. For this reason, farmers often settled near rivers. A river’s natural flooding could help irrigate their farms. Farmers could also dig canals or trenches to direct river water to their crops. For example, farmers in Mesopotamia dug canals for this purpose.
Water was also used for transportation. Cities and towns often used rivers as “highways.” People traveled in boats to visit relatives and trade goods. Towns near the sea could trade goods with countries far away.
