2. Tigris and EuphratesTigris and Euphrates  One of the earliest cultural hearths.  Culture hearth – a center in which cultures develop and from which they are spread.  Rivers formed natural boundary around Mesopotamia.  Natural boundary – a boundary created by a physical feature, such as a mountain, river, or strait.

3. Mesopotamia  Alluvial soil led to agriculture and this led to permanent settlements.  Why?

4. Empires  Sumerian Civilization – cuneiform, math, code of law  Cuneiform – system of writing using wedge-shaped symbols that were pressed into clay tablets.  Babylon  Persian Empire – Iran, qanats  Qanats – an underground canal first built by Persians.  Ottoman Empire

5. Modern HistoryModern History  Turkey – European or Asian?  Member of NATO, applying for EU membership  Iraq – independent state in 1932  Much tormoil  Iran – remnant of Persian empire.  1979 secular government overthrown

6. Discovery of OilDiscovery of Oil  Oil discovered near the Persian Gulf in 1908.  What are some ways that the discovery of oil might impact a region?

7. Populations  Turks  Iranians  Arabs  Kurds  Mostly Islamic

8. Economics  Iran and Iraq oil exports  Members of OPEC  Gives considerable influence over global affairs