The weakness of the Byzantine Empire was a major contributor to the expansion of Ottoman rule. Another reason for the success of the Ottomans is tied to religion. The subjects of the Ottoman Empire were devout Muslims and they believed they were on a mission to expand Islam.
According to the Canadian Museum of History, one of the primary ways geography affected early civilizations was in determining the location of settlements.<span> Since early humans needed access to water and fertile ground for agriculture, cities tended to spring up along rivers and flood plains. In addition, geographic features such as mountains frequently served as barriers and provided natural borders between civilizations</span>
They dug trenches to protect themselves from shrapnel and bullets.
The answer is Mesoamérica, around 1000 BCE.
