For the four major agricultural hearths, name a primary crop historically associated with each.

• A. Fertile Crescent – millet; Nile – rice; Indus – barley; Huang He – wheat.
• B. Fertile Crescent – wheat; Nile – barley; Indus – wheat; Huang He – millet.
• C. Fertile Crescent – rice; Nile – millet; Indus – rice; Huang He – sorghum.
• D. Fertile Crescent – wheat; Nile – barley and wheat; Indus – wheat; Huang He – millet.

Answer: (D)

These hearths show how early farming centered on a few staple cereals. For the Fertile Crescent, wheat stands out as a primary crop first domesticated there, with barley also important, so wheat is a correct match. In the Nile Valley, ancient agriculture relied on both wheat and barley as staples, so naming both reflects the historical crops. The Indus Valley also relied on wheat as a major cultivated cereal. In the Huang He (Yellow River) region, millet was a key early crop in northern China, before rice became dominant elsewhere. The other options misplace crops or omit a major Nile staple, making this pairing the most accurate overall.