Download Mesopotamia`s Geography

Warm Up
• Based on your inferences from the maps you
studied on Wednesday and Thursday, what do
you know about Mesopotamia so far?
Fertile Crescent
Tigris and Euphrates River
Great farming/agriculture
Mountains/Desert Barriers
Water sources for trade
Flooding/ Silt
Sumer
Mesopotamia's
Geography
Learning Target
• I can evaluate how the geography in
Mesopotamia led to permanent settlement.
Vocabulary
•
•
•
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• Topography
Fertile Crescent
• Silt
Irrigation Canals
• Flooding
• Tributary
• Tigris River
Euphrates River
Hammurabi Laws
• Sumer.
Set up the following on page 36
Location
Mesopotamia
Silt and Soil
Flooding
Irrigation
How did the geography in Mesopotamia lead to permanent settlement?
Make sure to include Fertile Crescent, Tigris and Euphrates River, flooding, silt,
irrigation canals.
Mesopotamia
8,000 BC
Start with a story: imagine you are a
farmer living near Southwest Asia.
The yearly flood which makes farming
possible has not come. Now the village
is fighting for it’s life…!
Let’s connect!
• Think of a time when you’ve seen pictures about
a flood on TV or in the Newspapers. Floods cause
destruction by washing away objects in their
path. Do you think a flood can also have good
consequences?
Before & Now..
• You have learned that…
– As people became better farmers, they settled
in large villages. Some settlements
developed complex villages with NEW ways
of life also known as CIVILIZATIONS!
• Today you will learn…
– How the geography of Mesopotamia
influenced where people settled and HOW
they lived!
The Land between Two Rivers…
• The word “Mesopotamia” means the land
between two rivers.
– Mesopotamia is between the:
• Tigris River
• Euphrates River
Where in the world are we???
Let’s ZOOM in!
Asia
Africa
Tiny bit closer….
The Tigris and Euphrates River
The Tigris & Euphrates River
• Located in Southwest Asia
• Provide Water
• Good for travel
– Easier to move by boat in Ancient times
The Tigris & Euphrates River
• Fertile Soil
– Every year it would rain and melt the snow in the
mountains, this caused the river to overflow!
How does the snowmelt in
Colorado affect other states?
What would happen if Colorado
decide to create a dame to save
the water for Colorado residents
only?
• As the water flowed down the mountains it
picked up soil.
• When the rivers reached the plains water
overflowed onto the FLOOD PLAIN.
• A flood plain is flat land bordering the banks.
• The fine soil picked up by the overflowed river
created SILT
– Silt was fertile which means it was great for
growing crops!
Irrigation
6,000 BCE
Floods and Droughts!
• A long period when too little rain falls is called a
drought.
• Mesopotamia was ARID (dry)
• Drought is BAD because during a drought the
Tigris & Euphrates water level would drop making
it hard for famers to water their crops!
• IF CROPS FAIL…the people Starve!
Irrigation
As early as 6000BCE Mesopotamian farmers took steps to
control water
 they built walls to control water during floods
 they built canals to carry water from rivers to the fields
This system of watering dry land is called IRRIGATION!
The downside to Irrigation Canals…
• Water from Tigris and Euphrates was muddy
and silt often clogged the canals
• Keeping canals clean was a big challenge for
farmers
What are the downsides of this great
land Mesopotamia?
• Lack of natural resources
• No forests for wood so they couldn’t build
advanced homes
• Limited protection- not surrounded by
mountains or other natural barriers
– Built brick walls
• BUT… they did trade because they had a
SURPLUS of crops! This lead to a very diverse
society.
Silt and Soil
Flooding
Irrigation
How did the geography in Mesopotamia lead to
permanent settlement?
Make sure to include Fertile Crescent, Tigris and
Euphrates River, flooding, silt, irrigation canals.
Complete the following question on
the bottom of page 36