Explanation: The Nile in Egypt was the center of Egyptian civilization, and is a remarkably stable river in most matters. Nonetheless, as early societies lived on very narrow margins for survival, the Nile was rigorously honored by Egyptians to ‘ensure’ its continued stability.

The Yellow River in China, likewise, was central in the foundation of Chinese civilization. It, however, is most certainly not a stable or predictable river, having numerous instances in Chinese history where its tempestuous behavior endangered or even toppled dynasties - or any number of times the Yellow River just straight-up decided to change course because it fucking felt like it.

The mississippi is artificially kept to its current course, and if left to its own devices, would soon shift to joining with a totally different river, leaving the lower mississippi almost totally dry.

There’s also civil war era shipwrecks in the middle of cornfields because the river has arbitrarily changed course.

A lengthy megadrought ended the Old Kingdom and it took ancient Egyptian society more than a century to recover.

The Nile flooding wasn’t the danger, the Nile not flooding was the danger.

This is Nile slander, but it’s true. Damn you, history!