Question

70 chapter 3
long after catalhoyuk was settled, southwest asia was home to another group of people. they lived between two flowing rivers in a fertile land. because of the advances in government, culture, and technology that took place there, the region is often called a “cradle of civilization.”
the land between the rivers
as you have learned, the fertile crescent sweeps its way across southwest asia. in the west it bends down the coast of the mediterranean. in the east it follows the course of the tigris (ty - grus) river and the euphrates (yu - fray - teez) river and the merge and empty into the warm waters of the persian gulf. today this river valley lies mostly in the country of iraq. historians call this flat, fertile area mesopotamia (meh - suh - puh - tay - mee - uh), which means “land between the rivers.” the people who once lived there are known as mesopotamians.
the people of mesopotamia called the tigris “swift river” because it flowed fast. the euphrates flowed more slowly. it frequently changed course, leaving riverside
farming in the fertile crescent
farming began as early as 9800 b.c. in the fertile crescent. it eventually spread throughout mesopotamia. however, mesopotamia was far from perfect for agriculture. in addition to flooding, farmers had to deal with hot summers and unreliable rainfall. however, the region’s fertile soils promised plentiful crops, such as wheat, barley, and figs—if the people could come up with a way to control the water supply.
irrigation, or watering fields using human - made systems, was the answer. farmers in mesopotamian villages cooperated to dig and maintain irrigation canals that carried water from the rivers to the fields. farmers also stored rainwater for later use and built walls from mounds of earth to hold back floodwaters. the people developed important new technology, such as the ox - driven plow, a tool that broke up the hard - baked summer soil and prepared large areas for planting. these creative methods enabled farmers to use the rich soil to their advantage.
the result was a reliable and abundant agricultural surplus. the ample food fed the area’s growing population. because there was plentiful food, the people of mesopotamia could afford to develop art, architecture, and technology. the agricultural surpluses allowed a great civilization to develop.
historical thinking

1. reading check how did the tigris and euphrates rivers make the growth of civilization in mesopotamia possible?
2. interpret maps what forms the borders of mesopotamia?
3. identify main ideas what new methods and technology did farmers in mesopotamia use to take advantage of the fertile soil?

ancient mesopotamia 71

Explanation:

1. Fertile soil from floods, water for irrigation. 2. Borders defined by deserts, rivers. 3. Ox - driven plow, irrigation systems.

Answer:

1. The Tigris and Euphrates floods provided fertile soil and water for irrigation, enabling agriculture and civilization growth.
2. Mesopotamia was bordered by deserts (Syrian and Arabian) and rivers, which influenced its boundaries.
3. Farmers used an ox - driven plow and developed irrigation systems to utilize the fertile soil.