THE ROMAN FORUM The Roman forum was located at the center of Ancient Rome. It was a gathering place where public events were held. Soon the forum grew to also include merchant shops, temples and government buildings. The forum became the religious, economic, and government center for Rome. Based on the information, how did the forum contribute to Roman civilization?

The Chinese civilization began along the Yellow River basin around 1700 BCE and soon spread along other rivers in China. Yellow River floods enriched the surrounding soils, allowing farmers to produce surplus crops and domesticate animals. Yellow River floods often destroyed early settlements and ruined crop production for years. How did geography affect the development of Chinese civilization?

[Baghdad straddled] the banks of the [River] Tigris . . . The water exits, both on the north and the south, were, like the city gates, guarded night and day by relays of soldiers stationed in the watch towers on both sides of the river. Every household was plentifully supplied with water "at all seasons" by the numerous aqueducts which intersected the town . . . ' - 'A Short History of the Saracens', by Syed Ameer Ali, 1899 Based on the excerpt, how did the city's location on a river influence its development?