Influences of Geographic Environment

The protection of a water frontier--Pile villages of ancient times--Modern pile dwellings--Their geographic distribution--River-dwellers in old and popular lands--Man's encroachment upon the sea by reclamation of land--The struggle with the water--Mound villages in river flood-plains--Social and political gain by control of the water--A factor in early civilization of arid lands--The economy of the water--Fisheries--Factors in maritime expansion--Fisheries as nurseries of seamen--Anthropo-geographic importance of navigation.

CHAPTER XI.

THE ANTHROPO-GEOGRAPHY OF RIVERS

Rivers as intermediaries between land and sea--Sea navigation merges into river navigation--Historical importance of seas and oceans influenced by their debouching streams--Lack of coast articulations supplied by rivers--River highways as basis of commercial preëminence--Importance of rivers in large countries--Rivers as highways of expansion--Determinants of routes in arid or semi-arid lands--Increa