Chapter 19 Geography of Ancient China

Of all the countries in the world, China has the

• largest area

• worst weather

• most people

• longest river

Because rice requires warm, wet weather, where did the ancient Chinese develop rice fields?

• Tibet-Qinghai Plateau

• Northeastern Plain

• Taklimakan Desert

• Chang-Jiang Basins

In Inner China, which natural events enriched the soil?

• thunderstorms

• hurricanes

• floods

• earthquakes

Why is the Tibet-Qinghai Plateau called the “Roof of the World”?

• it's very high above sea level

• it has mountains on every side

• it covers a very large area

• it's the source of several rivers

Why did ancient people on the Tibet-Qinghai Plateau herd yaks rather than grow crops?

• they liked yaks better

• the region was too wet for crops

• yaks could be sold in the markets

• the region was too cold for crops

What made the Taklimakan Desert one of the most dangerous deserts in the world?

• bandits and nomadic tribes

• wild animals near the rivers

• flash floods after thunderstorms

• sandstorms and shifting dunes

How did the natural vegetation of the Northeastern Plain affect the lives of ancient settlers there?

• Prairie grass provided food for horses and sheep

• Dense woods supported hunting and gathering.

• Varieties of plant life encouraged raising crops.

• Fruit trees attracted settlement around oases.

Why is the North China Plain sometimes called the “Land of the Yellow Earth”?

• Millet is an important grain on farms in the region.

• Limestone silt from the Gobi Desert covers the soil.

• One of the world's muddiest rivers runs through the region.

• It's surrounded by mountains

In ancient times, what limited settlement in the Chang Jiang Basins?

• Herds had to be moved from place to place

• Rainforest vegetation may have limited the space for farming.

• Lack of natural barriers brought attacks from the south.

• Crops did not grow well in the harsh climate.

Later in Chinese history, which of these geographical features made governing China as a unified state most difficult?

• its long rivers

• its broad plains

• its large size

• its crops