Mesopotamia

Setting the Stage- -Two rivers flow from the mountains of what is now Turkey, down through Syria and Iraq, and finally to the Persian Gulf. ---Over six thousand years ago, the waters of these rivers provided the life blood that allowed the formation of farming settlements. These grew into villages and then cities.

Geography of the Fertile Crescent -A desert climate dominates the landscape between the Persian Gulf and the Mediterranean Sea in Southwest Asia. Yet within this dry region lies an arc of land that provided some of the best farming in Southwest Asia. -The regions curved shape and the richness of its soil led to scholars naming it the Fertile Crescent. Mesopotamia means “the land between two rivers” in Greek.

Geography of the Fertile Crescent The two rivers framing Mesopotamia are the Tigris and the Euphrates. They flow southwest towards the Persian Gulf and flood every year. Silt is the rich, black mud left by the flood waters. This silt is what made the soil rich. Harvests of crops were big and allowed for a surplus of food to be stored and sold, eventually leading to the growth of Mesopotamia.

Environmental Challenges -People first started to settle Mesopotamia in 4500 BCE. By 3300 BCE, the Sumerians arrived on the scene. Good soil was the reason the advantage that attracted these settlers. However, there were three distinct disadvantages to their new environment. Flooding- combined with periods of little or no rain. No natural barriers for protection- defenceless Natural resources were limited- Building materials were scarce

Solving Problems Through Organization (Solutions)- Over a long period of time, the people of Sumer created solutions to these problems. To provide water, they dug irrigation canals from the rivers to their fields For defence, they built city walls out of mud bricks They traded their grain, cloth, and crafted tools with people- In exchange, they received raw materials such as wood, stone and metal