In the Past, Where did Humans Tend to Settle and Why?

Humans need food, water and shelter, so they must live in places where these things are present. They also need the right climate and topography.

Deserts have no food, no water, no shelter and are horribly hot during the day and very cold at night. If they can help it, people will not settle there

In the far North and far South, it is absolutely freezing.

However, Eskimos live there. They don't really have a choice, I guess. But if you think about it, they always have stayed there. Their generation is adapted to it. If a random African turned up in the Arctic, chances are they would not survive for very long because they are not used to the climate and food. But Eskimos? They can do it. Why? Simply because they always have done.

But if you take a tribe of people in the Middle East, year -2000, they will not set up camp just anywhere. They will settle down near water. This has huge benefits: To drink, to bathe in, to cool one down. And very importantly, land near water is usually very fertile land. If things are not already growing there, you can plant them, provided you have seeds.

It is also great if the place has trees or long grass. Without them, you can't make huts. These are vital if you want shelter. Which you definitely do if you value your chances of survival. You also can't make fires, which you need badly.

Not too far from a plain where animals are is also good. Humans eat a lot of meat. If you have water and long grass near you, there is a good chance of it.

So humans tended to settle in places where there was water, plants and animals. They then made civilisations, which developed into the big cities of today.