Unit 3 - Mesopotamia

Geography: How does Geography effect settlement of people?

Warm-Up

• 1. make a new cover page and table of contents page– Unit 3 - Mesopotamia

• 2. glue in notes• 3. copy questions onto next clean page

1. What geographic features made Mesopotamia the site of the world’s first civilization?2. What were the effects of settlement in

Mesopotamia?

Geography of the Fertile Crescent

Main Ideas: 1. The rivers of Southwest Asia

supported the growth of civilization.2. New farming techniques led to the

growth of cities.The Big Idea: The valleys of the Tigris

and Euphrates rivers were the site of the world’s first civilizations.

The Land Between The Rivers• The Tigris and Euphrates rivers are the most important physical

features of the region known as Mesopotamia.• Mesopotamia means “between the rivers” in Greek• The region called Mesopotamia lies between Asia Minor and the

Persian Gulf.• The region is part of a larger area called the Fertile Crescent, a

large arc of rich, or fertile, farm land.The Fertile Crescent extends from the Persian Gulf to the

Mediterranean Sea.Mesopotamia was made of two parts.Northern Mesopotamia was a plateau bordered on the north and

east by mountains.Southern Mesopotamia was a flat plain. The Tigris and Euphrates

rivers flowed down from the hills into this low-lying plain.

The Rise of Civilizationo Hunter-gatherer groups first settled in Mesopotamia

more than 12, 000 years ago.o Every year floods on the Tigris and Euphrates rivers

brought silt, a mixture of rich soil and tiny rocks to the land.

o The fertile silt made the land ideal for farming.o The first farm settlements formed in Mesopotamia as

early as 7000 B.C. Farmers grew wheat, barley, and other types of grain. Plentiful food led to population growth and villages

formed. Eventually, these early villages developed into the

world’s first civilization.

Farming and CitiesAlthough Mesopotamia had fertile soil, farming

wasn’t easy there, because the region had little rain.This meant the water levels in the Tigris and

Euphrates rivers depended on how much rain fell in eastern Asia Minor where the two rivers began.

Too much rain caused flooding. Flooding destroyed crops, killed livestock, and washed away homes.

When water levels were too low, crops dried up. Farmers knew they needed a way to control the rivers’ flow.

Controlling Water

• To solve their problems with water, Mesopotamians used irrigation, a way of supplying water to an area of land.

• To irrigate their land, they dug out large storage basins to hold water supplies.

• Then they dug canals, human made water ways, that connected these basins to a network of ditches.

• These ditches brought water to the fields.• To protect their fields from flooding, farmers built up

the banks of the Tigris and Euphrates rivers.• These built up banks held back flood waters even

when rivers where high.

Food Surpluses and Division of Labor• Irrigation increased the amount of food farmers could grow.• Farmers could produce a surplus, or more than they needed.• Some people became free to do other jobs.• New occupations developed, some people became crafters,

religious leaders, and government workers. • This type of arrangement in which each worker specializes in a

particular task or job is called a division of labor. • Having people available to work on different jobs meant that

society could accomplish more.• Large projects, such as, constructing buildings and digging

irrigation systems, required specialized workers, managers, and organization.

• To complete these projects, the Mesopotamians needed structure and rules provided by laws and government.

The Appearance of Cities• Mesopotamian settlements grew in size and

complexity. • They gradually developed into cities between

4000-3000 BC. • Despite the growth of cities, society in

Mesopotamia was still based on agriculture.• Most people still worked in farming jobs.• Cities were becoming important places. • People traded goods there, and cities

provided leaders with power bases.

Discuss

1. What geographic features made Mesopotamia the site of the world’s first civilization?

2. What were the effects of settlement in Mesopotamia?

• How did geography shape the development of ancient civilizations?

• What conclusions can be drawn based on patterns of settlement?

• How did ancient societies use technology to change their environment?

Independent• Cause-and-Effect Posters

• Briefly brainstorm the causes of settlement in the Fertile Crescent and the results of this settlement. Now that you have some ideas….complete the

activity below.

• Create a poster using illustrations to show the causes-and-effects of settlement in the Fertile Crescent. Include a minimum of three causes and effects

– Example: You would draw the below items.• Cause 1: Water levels in rivers get to low. • Effect 1: Mesopotamians enjoy many food.

• Include vocabulary from the lesson into your poster in either a visual or word/phrase.

Independent• Cause-and-Effect Advertisement

• Briefly brainstorm the causes of settlement in the Fertile Crescent and the results of this settlement. Now that you have some

ideas….complete the activity below.

• Create an advertisement poster to entice people to move to Mesopotamia. Why would people want to move to Mesopotamia? Include a minimum of three reasons why people would wish to move.

• Include vocabulary from the lesson into your advertisement in either a visual or word/phrase.

Independent• Cause-and-Effect Treaty

• Briefly brainstorm the causes of settlement in the Fertile Crescent and the results of this settlement. Focus on the importance of irrigation in the region. Now that you

have some ideas….complete the activity below.

• Create an “Irrigation Treaty” that clearly explains the following:– Why different villages must cooperate to maintain the irrigation system?

Include a minimum of three reasons.– Two specific actions that all villages will take to maintain the system.

A Treaty is a document which two or more groups of people agree upon ending a disagreement. Treaties need to be as fair as possible to prevent future problems.

Include vocabulary from the lesson into your treaty in either a visual or word/phrase.