Final answer:
Early humans settled in areas with abundant natural resources, particularly fresh water and fertile land, which facilitated the emergence of permanent settlements and agriculture. The Fertile Crescent in the Middle East was a key region where such early human societies flourished. These factors continue to influence modern human settlements and demonstrate the lasting impact of geography on human development.
Step-by-step explanation:
Early humans typically settled in areas where the geography favored their survival. This meant regions with plentiful resources such as fresh water, fertile land, a moderate climate, and abundant wildlife. Such environments facilitated the shift from nomadic lifestyles to more permanent settlements where agriculture could flourish. These settlements gave rise to the first cultural hearths, particularly in the fertile region known as the Fertile Crescent in the Middle East.
The availability of fresh water and other natural resources led to the development of agriculture, allowing early humans to stop migrating and establish stable communities. Impacts of these early settlements are visible even today, as modern civilizations have continued to flourish around rivers and fertile lands where ancient humans once lived.
Living in an age of global climate change, we can appreciate how climate has always been a determinant in human settlement and movement. The end of the last ice age, for example, opened new migration pathways and allowed early humans to inhabit new continents such as the Americas. This pattern of human migration is integral to understanding not just past human behavior but also our current challenges and adaptations to the environment.