Final answer:
The Yellow River basin in China required significant organization in farming due to the need to manage loess soil, control frequent flooding, and optimize the use of limited rainfall for successful agricultural operations. The Yellow River's fertile soil and complex environmental challenges were central to early Chinese agricultural society.
Step-by-step explanation:
People had to work with great organization to be successful at farming along the Yellow River basin. The Yellow River is known for its extensive agricultural operations, supported by dams, canals, and irrigation projects that were essential for farming the crops such as wheat, corn, and soybeans. Due to the soil being loess, which is highly fertile but also prone to being moved by wind and water, as well as the limited rainfall, the areas along the Yellow River required careful management to prevent floods and take advantage of the rich sediments for agriculture. These challenges necessitated a high degree of organization in farming to ensure successful harvests and mitigate the impact of natural disasters like flooding and drought.
Additionally, settlements such as Pengtoushan and Bashidang in the Yangtze River valley show early evidence of organized farming, including the cultivation of wild rice and the construction of ditches and moats for water management. While the Yangtze River basin was also crucial for agriculture, the Yellow River basin's constant need for management against floods and droughts made it particularly demanding in terms of organized farming efforts.