Rivers played a major factor in the survival of early civilizations. They were responsible for providing sources such as water, irrigation for farmland cultivation, and made trade possible with other people through water transportation. These early civilizations grew up in river valleys where they were located next to a river. They were able to thrive as early societies with their own upbringing of culture, beliefs, religion, traditions, and political system through the positive impact that came along growing next a river. The first civilizations that came to live in the river valleys were Mesopotamia which grew up between both the Tigris river and Euphrates river, Egypt grew along the Nile river, and China grew up along the Yellow river