Download Mesopotamia

Mesopotamia: The
Geography of
Ancient
Mesopotamia
c. 3500 – 1200 BC/BCE
Students analyze the
geographic, political,
economic, social, and
religious structures of the
civilizations of Mesopotamia.
Historical Map of
Mesopotamia
Fertile Crescent
Identify the Tigris and Euphrates
Rivers, and Persian Gulf.
Identify Caspian Sea and Black
Sea, Dead Sea, and Sea of Galilee.
Vocabulary
Mesopotamia
floodplain
silt
arid
drought
irrigation
surplus
The Tigris and Euphrates Rivers
flooded and the
Mesopotamian farmers learned
how to irrigate to become
successful farmers.
The region of Mesopotamia
is known as the “fertile
crescent.” The rivers
provided water and a
means of travel.
*the floods were
unpredictable
* the source of the
rivers was in the
mountains of what
is today Turkey and
Kurdistan.
In ancient times, it was easier to
travel by boat than to travel on
land. There were few roads
and boats could carry heavy
loads and be moved
downstream by river currents.
Farmers learned how to take steps to control the water
supply of early Mesopotamia. The silt left from the flooding
of the rivers was deposited on the land and made the
land fertile. In this arid land, the farmers were able to
grow a surplus of crops. Irrigation allowed the early
people of Mesopotamia to survive and trade for other
Items that they needed and wanted.
Mesopotamia was a land of few
resources. Homes were built out
of reeds and dried mud and straw
bricks. Mesopotamians had to use
their surplus farm products to trade
for items they needed and wanted.
Walled Cities
Because of few natural barriers, the
Mesopotamians were often
conquered of attacked by other
groups of people. So they built brick
walls around their towns and villages.
The walls were sometimes as much as
25 feet thick. The walls had guard
towers and were often surrounded by
an open ditch or a water-filled moat.
Because of their SURPLUS of crops, the Mesopotamians were
able to specialize their jobs. Not everyone had to be a farmer!
Mesopotamians traded for:
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Gold
Ivory
Ebony
Precious Stones
Wood
Stone
Copper
Tin
In return they traded:
• Grain
• Dates
• Other farm products
1.
•
•
•
•
Explain the importance of:
Mesopotamia
silt
arid
Drought
2. The rivers of Mesopotamia were important because….
3. Mesopotamians watered their crops by …..
4. Because of the lack of resources….
5. What did the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers provide for ancient
Mesopotamians?
6. How did the Mesopotamian farmers obtain the right amount
of water for their crops? By building an irrigation system to
carry water from the rivers to the fields.
7. How did the lack of natural resources affect Mesopotamians?
Through trade, they were able to trade for stone, wood, and metal
With their surplus of grain they grew.