Transcript The Cradle of Civilization

The Cradle of Civilization
“The land between to Rivers”
Rivers support the growth of
civilization
The Tigris River
Early people settle where they could grow crops
Crops usually grew well near rivers
The Land between the Rivers
• The Tigris and Euphrates rivers are the two
most important characteristics of
Mesopotamia
• Mesopotamia is part of a larger region called
the Fertile Crescent.
The Rise of Civilization
• Hunter-gatherers first settled in
Mesopotamia around 10,000BC
• Over time they learned how to plant crops
and produce their own food
• The rivers flooded every year and left silt on
the banks of the rivers
• Silt, a mixture of pebbles and dirt, made the
land fertile for farming
How farming lead to civilization
•
First, people began to farm.
•
•
As time passed they learned better techniques
such as the use of the plough, irrigation
systems that included canals.
This lead to a surplus of food, extra food.
How farming lead to civilization
•
Second, having a surplus of food, people
were able to concentrate on other things
beside producing food.
•
With more time on their hands people began do
other jobs
How farming lead to civilization
•
Finally, Doing jobs based on abilities rather
than necessities is called division of labor
•
Doing different jobs meant more needs could be
meet and societies could accomplish more
So there you have
it…farming leads to
civilizations
Irrigation and Civilization
Early
settlements in
Mesopotamia
were located
near rivers.
Water was not
controlled, and
flooding was a
major problem.
Later, people
built canals to
protect houses
from flooding
and move water
to their fields.
With
irrigation, the
people of
Mesopotamia
were able to
grow more food.
Food surpluses
allowed some
people to stop
farming and
concentrate on
other jobs, like
making clay
pots or tools.