Great Rivers That Shaped History

Throughout history, Earth’s great rivers have lived at the heart of human life. As sources of food, and arteries of transport, trade, irrigation, travel, religious ritual, and more, rivers have not only shaped the landscapes through which they flow, they have also shaped civilization. In the 24 lectures of Great Rivers That Shaped History, you’ll explore the major rivers of our planet, and the civilizations that thrived on them, as you travel the Middle East’s Nile, Tigris, and Jordan; Asia’s Ganges, Mekong, Yellow, and Yangtze; trace the history and lore of Europe’s Danube, Rhine, Loire, Volga, and other waterways; chart the vast river system of the Amazon, known as “the lungs of the planet”; glimpse Africa’s Niger, Zambezi, and Congo; and, in North America, follow the exploration and development of the Mackenzie, the Yukon, the Hudson, the Columbia, the iconic Mississippi, and others. In the enthralling presentation of Professor Patrick N. Allitt of Emory University, you’ll travel deeply into these natural wonders that have profoundly influenced human life.