1. Social Studies
Essential UNIT Question: How did geography influence the development of the Eastern hemisphere?

2. DO-NOW: Make sure Homework # 14 is in portfolio;
Update Table of Contents;

3. Focus Question:
How did the geography of the Fertile Crescent lead to great change?

4. The Land Between Two Rivers:
The Tigris and Euphrates Rivers flow through what is today modern Iraq, Syria, Jordan and Turkey;
The “Fertile Crescent” region, which also included Egypt, is so called because it was once full of rich soil that was perfect for the development of agriculture;
Fertile means “able to bring forth life”;
Hence, food = Life!
Crescent means “shaped like a fingernail” Look at a map of the region; it’s shaped like a crescent. (Have you heard of the French word croissant? Yummy!)
This region is also known as “Mesopotamia” or land between two rivers.

5. The Land Between Two Rivers

6. Yummy!

7. Agricultural Technology:
The Sumerian people, as they came to be called, changed the geography around them;
The two rivers deposited “silt” which is loose soil carried by water; it makes farming possible in this region of the world;
They created “canals” and “levees” to protect their crops from flooding in the fall season;
The rivers provided “irrigation”, which is an artificial water source for crops.

8. Canals & Levees = Irrigation

9. Successful Farmers:
In the springtime, farmers had to deal with the threat of “drought”, which means a severe absence of rain.
Irrigation made it possible to keep crops healthy;
Many farmers overdeveloped the land, which led to “erosion”, which is the breaking down of soil by wind or water. Over time, this turned the region into a dry desert.

10. Activity:
Using the VENN diagram and your notes, please compare the Old Stone Age with the New Stone Age!

11. Today I Learned . . .