Yellow and Yangtze

HIS236: The Yellow and Yangtze Rivers

The Yellow River was the “cradle of Chinese civilization.” The Yangtze River is the artery of China’s wealth. Both of them originate from the Tibetan plateau and meander over three thousand miles across China until they finally meet the Pacific Ocean. Seventy million people’s livelihoods are being sustained between these two rivers and their 31 main tributaries as well as 17 major tributary lakes. The Yellow and Yangtze tale, running from 5000 B.C. to 2000 A.D., is a microcosm of the history of the Chinese environment. Their past and present crisis are also prime reference points to comprehend China’s coming water crisis. In this class, we will make maps on top of learning history, and pickup digital tools like ArcGIS to translate our book knowledge into visual guides.