1. Geography of Mesopotamia

2. Mesopotamia is not a country today
Mesopotamia is not a country today. Today it is made up primarily of the country known as Iraq.
Ancient Mesopotamia was located between the Tigris and Euphrates River.
Mesopotamia

3. Fertile Crescent is a region in western Asia which is crescent shaped and looks like a crescent moon

4. It covers present day countries of Iraq, Syria, Lebanon, and Israel.
Fertile Crescent

5. Tigris and Euphrates Rivers
Mesopotamia is known as land between two rivers.
This is the land between the Tigris and Euphrates River.
The Tigris River ran along the northern border of Mesopotamia and the Euphrates River ran along the southern border of Mesopotamia.
Tigris and Euphrates Rivers

6. Soil and Silt The land of Mesopotamia was mountainous and rocky.
Only fertile soil was along each river.
When the rivers would flood, they would leave a residue called silt.
Silt was very fertile and helped crops grow.
Soil and Silt

7. The growing season depended on when the flooding season occurred.
Floods were unpredictable and often did not come during planting season. They often came when the crops were ready to be harvested.
Flooding

8. Farmers protected their crops by creating irrigation canals and artificial lakes.
Irrigation Methods

9. Farmers grew barley, wheat, beans, onions, lettuce, cucumbers, spice plants, date, palm, apple, and pomegranate trees.
Crops

10. Sheep were raised for milk and wool
Sheep were raised for milk and wool. Cattle were raised for milk, leather, meat, and work animals.
Sheep and cattle lived in the north on an unfertile plateau.
Sheep and Cattle