Transcript P.O.D.
Mesopotamia and
the Fertile Crescent
Geography of the
Fertile Crescent
Word Wall Words
Fertile Crescent
irrigation
surplus
division of labor
civilization
silt
Tigris
Euphrates
Mesopotamia
Rivers Support the Growth of
Civilization
People settle where crops grow – land around
rivers
Mesopotamia – “between two rivers”
– In Southwest Asia
– Between Tigris and Euphrates Rivers
– Part of the Fertile Crescent, an area that is fertile
land extending from the Persian Gulf to the
Mediterranean Sea
First settlements appeared c. 7000 BCE
– Grew barley, wheat and other grains
– Had livestock, birds and fish
Farming and Cities
Farming in Mesopotamia wasn’t easy
– Little rain
– Flooding due to heavy rains in Asia Minor
Created irrigation to control water
– Storage basins and canals
Experienced food surpluses which led to
division of labor
As population and diversity of jobs grew,
Mesopotamians developed cities.
Cities were the political, religious, cultural,
and economic centers of civilization.
Cause and Effect
Water levels
get too
high.
Mesopotamians enjoy
many foods.