Geography_and_the_Development_of_Human_Society

Geography and the Development/Diffusion of Human Society Introduction History is often filled with discussions of great battles and conquests, vast migrations of people and animals, even tremendous climatic events. Less often discussed, but of equal importance, is the role that geography has to play in history, and particularly how geography and certain geographical features can influence the development, or lack thereof, of human civilizations and societies. The following discussion will attempt to cast light on the subject of geography and its effect on the development and diffusion of human society. A first look at how geography has affected the growth and expansion of the United States will be followed by discussion on geography’s effect on an ancient civilization; in particular, how the Nile River affected the development of ancient Egyptian society. Ultimately, a look at how cultural diffusion plays a role in the growth of civilizations will be examined. Old Man River When discussing geographical influences on the development and expansion of the United States, the proverbial ‘gorilla in the room’, the one feature that has had the most profound effect on our nation’s growth, is the Mississippi River. This river is the largest river in North America; stretching thousands of miles, from its headwaters in Minnesota to the Gulf of Mexico in Louisiana. The Mississippi River drains all or part of 31 of the 48 contiguous U.S. states. Even prior to the formation of the United States, the Mississippi River valley had served as home for numerous Native American tribes, including the Sioux, Cheyenne, and Chickasaw. However, as the young United States began to suffer growing pains, the Mississippi River began to dominate our nation’s growth. Early explorers viewed the Mississippi River as both a challenge to be overcome and as a pathway into the mysteries of the undiscovered country (Weiser, 2013). Later, some saw the Mississippi River as a pathway for trade goods and supplies, and the river has continued to grow throughout the history of the United States as a major transportation route for American commerce. Its importance as America’s ‘first super-highway’ led to its being vital to the interests of both Union and Confederate forces during the Civil War (National Park Service, 2001). There’s Gold in Them There Hills! The Mississippi River, big and powerful as it is, can only claim influence over U.S. development and expansion east of the Rocky Mountains. In the far west, it was the discovery of large deposits of gold that affected the spread of the United States most greatly. The lure of gold pulled people from nearly every corner of the globe to northern California, seeking the overnight prosperity that a lucky strike would provide. Indeed, prior to the beginning of the gold rush in 1849, California’s population was an estimated 25,000 people. A special census conducted just three years later, in 1852, showed that the population had increased nearly 900% to 223,856 (Udall, p. 125) The gold rush also provided a stimulus to the development and expansion of the nation’s commercial and industrial power and influence. With the rapid growth of San Francisco, the United States gained a powerful new port city to take advantage of trade among the Pacific Ocean nations. The boom in commerce also spurred development of the railroads and would eventually lead to the first transcontinental railway (Udall, p. 127) Meanwhile, In Ancient Egypt . . . Geographical influences on the development of a society are not limited to the New World, however. The rise of ancient civilizations can be attributed to environmental and geographic factors in many ways. Perhaps the most well-known of these factors is the Nile River and its effect on ancient Egyptian civilization. This great river was truly the life-blood of ancient Egyptian society and, as Orlin (2010) stated in Life and Thought in the Ancient near East: . . . the ancient Egyptian lived permanently at the mercy of a benevolent river whose regime was gentle, for the most part, and whose regular and predictable rhythms of flood and recession set the stage for Egypt’s economic, political, and social life for millennia. (pg. 39) The Nile played a role in nearly all aspects of Egyptian life. The Egyptian calendar was based around the annual flooding of the Nile. These annual floods deposited rich silt on the farmlands, helping to ensure plentiful harvests and continued prosperity through the trade of surplus crops. Egyptian technology evolved as a direct result of learning to control the flood waters through a vast system of levees, irrigation canals and other methods of taming the river. In addition to the ready supply of fish and fresh water, the Nile also provided an avenue of transportation throughout the nation. The Nile river valley, flowing between large deserts on either side, provided shelter to the Egyptian civilization from outside invaders for much of its history. Additionally, the river delta, being vast and difficult to traverse, provided a safety barrier from sea-faring civilizations, as well as an opportunity for the Egyptians to cautiously explore the Mediterranean world and develop their ocean-going technology (Orlin, 2010). Better Columns Through Diffusion Diffusion is the process by which various aspects of one civilization or society spread to another civilization or society, and it can occur in various ways. When two peoples live in close proximity to each other, direct contact between the two can lead to a mingling of the cultures. At other times, diffusion can occur when one civilization defeats another in war. After the hostilities have ended, the two cultures often begin to adopt cultural practices from each other. The ancient Egyptian civilization, like many others throughout history, was the both the beneficiary of, and the contributor to, cultural diffusion as it interacted with various societies in the ancient world; either through trade, conquest of its neighbors, or defeat at the hands of its enemies. Columns at the Great Hypostyle Hall at Karnak (University of Memphis, 2013) Columns at the Great Hypostyle Hall at Karnak (University of Memphis, 2013) Many examples of diffusion can be traced from various ancient societies back to their origins in ancient Egypt, but one example, perhaps of the lesser-known variety, may prove of some interest. While many people in today’s modern world think of the stone architectural column, so often seen around our modern monuments and temples, as a Greek or Roman invention, it is actually of Egyptian origin. Dramatic examples of the architectural column can be found in the ruins of the Great Hypostyle Hall of the Temple of Karnak in Egypt, built during the reign of the Pharaoh Seti I, around 1250 BCE (University of Memphis, 2013). When the ancient Greeks began to emerge from their “dark age” of cultural regression (1200 – 700 BCE), they made contact with the Egyptians and eventually established a trade colony, known as Naucratis, within Egypt, around 570 BCE. During these periods of trade, the Greeks would have no doubt been impressed by the massive stone constructions they saw in Egypt’s temples and sanctuaries; constructions that had already been in place for hundreds of years. These Greek merchants would have brought back the concept and technical knowledge of the architectural column for use in their own temples. (Prior to this time, ancient Greek temples typically were surrounded by wooden structures known as “peripteros”.) Doric Order Columns Doric Order Columns Indeed, it is around this time that we begin to see Greek temples and sanctuaries begin to be surrounded by stone colonnades (van den Dungen, 2010). Thus we can see that, while the Greeks may have embellished and formalized the design of the architectural column, resulting in the modern Doric, Ionic and Corinthian designs, the column was a concept that diffused from ancient Egypt. Conclusion Human destiny has been shaped by a myriad of factors. But perhaps humanity is ultimately guided by the decisions we make for ourselves. As we grow and develop culturally, we choose to adopt those innovations and technologies which we deem will make our societies better, be they innovations of our own making or ones borrowed from our neighbors. Indeed, as we have discussed above, even our choices as to where we will grow our civilization, that is, where we call “home”, can profoundly affect our future. References National Park Service. (March 2001). Nile of the New World: Historical Overview. Retrieved from http://www.cr.nps.gov/delta/civil_war/overview.htm Orlin, Louis L. (2010). Life and Thought in the Ancient near East. Ann Arbor, MI: University of Michigan Press Udall, Stewart L. (2003). Forgotten Founders: Rethinking the History of the Old West. Covelo, CA: Island Press. University of Memphis (2013). The Karnak Great Hypostyle Hall Project. Retrieved from http://www.memphis.edu/hypostyle/ Van den Dungen, Wilm. (2010). The impact of Ancient Egypt on Greek Philosophy against Hellenocentrism, against Afrocentrism, in defence [sic] of the Greek Miracle (Section 1.2.3). Retrieved from http://www.sofiatopia.org/maat/hermes1.htm Weiser, Kathy (editor). (January 2013). The Mississippi River and Expansion of America. Retrieved from http://www.legendsofamerica.com/ah-mississippiriver.html