• Trade routes linking West Africa and North Africa required the shipment of goods across the hot, dry Sahara Desert. It was difficult for the traders to carry these goods along these trade routes. • Domesticated camels were brought to the Sahara. The camels could go for long stretches without drinking, survive extreme temperatures, and haul heavy loads. How did the camels affect the transport of goods across the Sahara Desert?

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?

Accounts of the Routes of the Jewish Merchants to the East, 847: 'These merchants . . . journey from west to east, from east to west, partly on land, partly by sea. . . . On their return they carry back musk, aloes, camphor, cinnamon, and other products of the Eastern countries . . . where they again embark on the Western Sea.' - 'Book of Ways' by Ibn Khordadhbeh, 847, translated by Joseph Jacobs, 1919 How did the Jewish merchants' trade routes affect people living in Asia and Europe?