Final answer:
Cultural hearths developed due to the availability of fresh water, presence of natural resources, and conducive physical geography for agriculture, which supported the growth of early human settlements.
Step-by-step explanation:
The cultural hearths developed for several reasons, all related to the location and environment of the settlements. One major reason is the availability and control of fresh water, which is crucial for growing food crops and sustaining a settled way of life. Another factor is the presence of natural resources such as oil and natural gas, which can drive economic growth and trade.
A third reason is that the physical geography of these areas allowed for the development of agriculture and domestication of animals, providing stable food sources and enabling the growth of human settlements. These factors combined to make the Middle East, specifically regions like Mesopotamia and the Fertile Crescent in Asia, and upper and lower Egypt in Africa areas of early human settlement and cultural development.