3 1 Notes Geography of the Fertile Crescent
- Slides: 10
3. 1 Notes Geography of the Fertile Crescent
Land Between Two Rivers • People settled where crops would grow. • In Southwest Asia, the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers formed a region known as Mesopotamia.
Land Between Two Rivers • In Greek, Mesopotamia means “between the rivers”. • Mesopotamia is part of the larger area called the Fertile Crescent.
Rise of Civilization • Hunter-gatherer groups settled in Mesopotamia more than 12, 000 years. • Every year, the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers brought silt which made the land ideal for farming.
Rise of Civilization • The first farm settlements formed in Mesopotamia as early as 7, 000 BC. • Plentiful food led to population growth and villages formed. These early villages developed into the world’s first civilization.
Farming and Cities • Although Mesopotamia had fertile soil, farming wasn’t easy. • Its water level depended on rains from the in Asia Minor. • When great amounts of rain fell, flooding destroyed crops, livestock, and homes.
Controlling Water • To solve their water issues, Mesopotamians used irrigation. • They dug canals which connected to a network of ditches. • They also built up river banks to control the flood waters.
Food Surpluses • Irrigation increased the amount of food farmers were able to grow and create a food surplus. • Food surpluses meant that not everyone had to farm leading to division of labor. This also meant that people were available to work on large projects. • Eventually, settlements would grow into cities.
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