Chapter 7, Lesson 1

 The elevation of the Plateau of Tibet is very high.  The area around the Himalayas and the Plateau of Tibet is called: “The Roof of the World.”  On this plateau, the Huang River begins its 3,000 mile journey across northern China.  The silt that the Huang River brings to the North China Plain is enough to make it one of the world’s largest deltas.

 Around 4,000 B.C., farming communities began developing along the banks of the Huang River.

 The Huang River curves around the Ordos Desert in northern China.  As it turns, it collects loess from the hills – a dusty yellow soil – this is how the Huang River gets its nickname: The Yellow River.

 The Huang River is the world’s muddiest river.  The loess is both good and bad –  It makes the land very fertile for farmers  But, it can also be carried away easily, and the soil that is left is poor

 The Huang River did not flood as predictably as the Nile River, in Egypt, did.  Chinese farmers had to control the river waters very carefully.  Levees, or dirt walls, were built to keep the water within the banks of the Huang River.

 Huang farmers grew many crops in the rich soil. Some of their staple crops were:  Rice, millet (a grain native to Asia), wheat, green onions, and ginger  They were also able to grow because of the climate, land elevation, and fertile soil:  Grapes, peaches, plums, and wild chesnuts

 As the population grew, farmers had to clear the land for people to live, but more importantly, to grow food.  Doing this began to cause erosion, which was a wearing away of the soil by wind or water.  As too much soil began to wear away, the farming villages were often faced with famine – long periods with no food.

 The Huang River Valley was one of the most suitable places in China for farming.  Much of China has difficult geography, such as the steppes in northern China – which are dry, treeless plains.  People in the steppe would herd animals instead of planting crops.