Geography Of Mesopotamia

1. Geography of Geography of
MesopotamiaMesopotamia
What are the necessary geographic What are the necessary geographic
characteristics to sustain life?characteristics to sustain life?
Why did civilization originate in Why did civilization originate in
Mesopotamia?Mesopotamia?
How did Mesopotamia’s unique geography How did Mesopotamia’s unique geography
shape its culture?shape its culture?

2. 3 things all early peoples need to 3 things all early peoples need to
survivesurvive
Warm ClimateWarm Climate
Source of waterSource of water
Fertile Soil Fertile Soil

3. Case Study: Geography of SumerCase Study: Geography of Sumer
Warm year Warm year
roundround
Between Between
Tigris and Tigris and
Euphrates Euphrates
Rivers (ample Rivers (ample
water)water)
Fertile soil Fertile soil
thanks to silt thanks to silt
from the from the
riversrivers

4. What’s so special about rivers?What’s so special about rivers?
Melting snow and mountain rain swelled rivers, Melting snow and mountain rain swelled rivers,
carrying soil to plainscarrying soil to plains
Overflow into Overflow into floodplainfloodplain – flat land bordering banks – flat land bordering banks
Deposited fine soil, or Deposited fine soil, or siltsilt, making land fertile and , making land fertile and
good for cropsgood for crops
In a semiarid climate (with less than 10 inches of annual rainfall) In a semiarid climate (with less than 10 inches of annual rainfall)
rivers were essential for crops and drinking waterrivers were essential for crops and drinking water

5. Natural Resources in Natural Resources in
MesopotamiaMesopotamia

6. What other resources did What other resources did
Mesopotamians have?Mesopotamians have?
Not many...Not many...
Few trees for woodFew trees for wood
Little rainfallLittle rainfall
But you don't need many But you don't need many
resources if you have the 3 resources if you have the 3
basic needsbasic needs
Warm ClimateWarm Climate
Fertile SoilFertile Soil
Source of waterSource of water

7. How did Mesopotamians cope with How did Mesopotamians cope with
lack of resources?lack of resources?
Mesopotamians traded their surplus grain for Mesopotamians traded their surplus grain for
stone, wood, and metalstone, wood, and metal
SurplusSurplus means more than they need for themselves means more than they need for themselves

8. How did Mesopotamians cope How did Mesopotamians cope
with lack of resources?with lack of resources?
Mud houses Mud houses
Lacked building materials- used mud bricksLacked building materials- used mud bricks
The building below is a ziggurat- a religious temple that served as The building below is a ziggurat- a religious temple that served as
the center for Mesopotamian culturethe center for Mesopotamian culture

9. How did Mesopotamians cope How did Mesopotamians cope
with lack of resources?with lack of resources?
Lacked natural barriersLacked natural barriers
Built walls around city-Built walls around city-
states for protectionstates for protection
Ensured they had Ensured they had
smaller settlements smaller settlements
called city-statescalled city-states

10. AdvancementsAdvancements from Lack from Lack
Irrigation systems were developed to deal with Irrigation systems were developed to deal with
little rainfall in the arealittle rainfall in the area
Irrigation systems are systems of canals which bring Irrigation systems are systems of canals which bring
water from rivers to cropswater from rivers to crops

11. AdvancementsAdvancements from Lack from Lack
Resources were scarce Resources were scarce
so central organization so central organization
was needed to ensure was needed to ensure
people worked people worked
togethertogether
Mesopotamia laid the Mesopotamia laid the
groundwork for groundwork for
governmentsgovernments
Hammurabi's Code Hammurabi's Code was was
the first code of lawthe first code of law

12. Presentation SummaryPresentation Summary
The Tigris and Euphrates Rivers made the soil The Tigris and Euphrates Rivers made the soil
of Mesopotamia good for growing crops.of Mesopotamia good for growing crops.
Mesopotamia had few resources. They used Mesopotamia had few resources. They used
what they had available to them and traded what they had available to them and traded
surplus crops to get other things they needed.surplus crops to get other things they needed.
From their lack of resources came From their lack of resources came
advancements, like irrigation and government.advancements, like irrigation and government.

13. Why it Matters NowWhy it Matters Now
Mesopotamians had to Mesopotamians had to
overcome a lack of overcome a lack of
resources and adapt to resources and adapt to
their physical their physical
environment.environment.
 Today people still work Today people still work
to overcome shortages of to overcome shortages of
food, water and resources. food, water and resources.
Example: Jordan RiverExample: Jordan River

14. Link to Modern GeographyLink to Modern Geography