Geography of the Fertile Crescent Nile Aim: How did a civilization begin to grow in Mesopotamia? Do Now: Take out homework (paragraph) What does Mesopotamia mean? Name the two rivers of Mesopotamia. What do the two rivers flow into? Crescent Moon

Geography of the Fertile Crescent Nile Aim: How did Mesopotamia’s two rivers affect life in the region? Do Now: What does crescent mean? What does fertile soil mean? What countries are in the Fertile Crescent? Crescent Moon

Fertile Crescent Fertile – capable of producing agriculture Crescent – shape that looks like a quarter moon Tigris and Euphrates Rivers Tigris Euphrates

Mesopotamia Mesopotamia – the region between the Tigris and Euphrates “land between the two rivers” Rivers start in Taurus mountains End in Persian Gulf Plateau – an area of elevated flatland

Flood Depended on silt like Egyptians Yearly floods did not come at same time each year Many times came right before harvest

North and South Mesopotamia North – enough rainfall for farming Very mountainous, few areas of fertile soil South – rarely received rainfall Droughts – long periods of dry weather

Farming River is low in planting season River is high (flood) in harvest season Built water-control and irrigation systems

Farming Wheat and barley Shepherds cared for sheep and goats Cattle – work animals, milk, leather, meat

Homework Paragraph – How is the geography Mesopotamia similar and different from ancient Egypt?