The fertile plains near the Nile helped the civilization grow
1862, was the first significant Union victory of the American Civil War (1861-65). In an effort to gain control of rivers and supply lines west of the Appalachians, the bulk of his troops to nearby Fort Donelson before surrendering to Union forces. off Confederate access to two key waterways for the remainder of the war.
Just compare a river map of West Africa to a map of West African kingdoms.
You can clearly see that all of these kingdoms form around the Niger River.
More support to this: None of these other rivers are even in Africa: The Thames is in England, the Indus is in Pakistan, and the Euphrates runs through the Middle East.
