MESOPOTAMIA is a part of an area called the FERTILE MESOPOTAMIA is a part of an area called the FERTILE

CRESCENT b/c of its rich soil & curved shapeCRESCENT b/c of its rich soil & curved shape

• Mesopotamia (Greek for land between two rivers) is an area that lies

between the Tigris & Euphrates Rivers

• Both rivers start in mountains of Turkey & flow SE through Iraq where they

meet up before emptying out into the Persian Gulf

• Rain/melting snow swell rivers & cause them to overflow onto the flat land

bordering rivers – this deposits silt, making land extremely fertile_

• Unlike the Nile, floods of the 2 rivers were unpredictable

• Farmers didn't know when to plant or how big each flood would be

• The area receives little rainfall & as a result, drought was common - lack of

rain lowered river levels & made irrigation more difficult

• Nevertheless, settlements formed in Mesopotamia in approx. 7000 BCE

• Farmers grew wheat/other grains - food surplus led to population growth

• Mesopotamia is considered the world’s 1st civilization (before Ancient Egypt,

India & China) and is referred to as the cradle of civilization

• Mesopotamia has few natural barriers so it was easy to invade

• Foreigners like the Egyptians often stole from/conquered the area

Most of Mesopotamia is located in what is now the country of _____________