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Social Studies 7: Chapter 4 Land Between Rivers Farming 3 4 Civilization develops only when people have 10 plenty of food. Only farmers can produce plenty of 19 food. The people who settled in Mesopotamia took 27 full advantage of a fertile land and hot climate. They 37 developed their farming methods and farming 43 technology. They created an abundance of food 50 never seen before. 53 A Fertile Valley Plants and Animals Mesopotamia was part of the area known as the 56 59 68 Fertile Crescent. This arc of land stretched from the 77 northern end of the Persian Gulf to the Nile River 87 valley in Egypt. The Fertile Crescent was an ideal 96 place for farming. Along the rivers, the land was rich 106 in edible plants, especially fruit, wheat, and barley. 114 Fish and birds were plentiful. Pigs, sheep, and goats 123 lived in the wild. Over time, people learned to 132 domesticate, or tame, the animals and wild plants so 141 that they would have a steady supply of food. 150 Rivers 151 Mesopotamia is the ancient name for the plain, or 160 large flat area that stretches between the Tigris River 169 on the east and the Euphrates River on the west. 179 These rivers begin in mountains to the north and 188 flow through the valley towards the Persian Gulf. In 197 ancient times, the silt (fine sand) carried downstream 205 by the rivers built up along the riverbeds. This 214 created excellent, fertile soil. 218 Marshy Area 220 Near the gulf, the rivers split into smaller 228 streams, creating a marshy area called a delta. 236 Besides attracting plenty of wildlife for hunting and 244 fishing, the marshy swamps provided reeds that 251 made excellent materials for building houses. 257 A Hot, Dry Climate The Good and the Bad 261 266 The early farmers of Mesopotamia found the hot, 274 dry climate of the region to be both a blessing and a 286 curse. It provided the heat that many plants need to 296 thrive but not the rainfall. In spring, fields flooded 305 after the snow melted in the mountains. When the 314 water was gone, in late summer, the fields and crops 324 baked in the hot sun. 329