Geography of the Fertile Crescent – Mesopotamia



Geography of the Fertile Crescent – Mesopotamia

I. Mesopotamia is a region between the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers – The Fertile Crescent

a. Like Egypt Mesopotamia is a River Valley Civilization.

b. Its farmers also depended on river flooding for agriculture.

c. Mesopotamia is divided into a rugged plateau to the north and fertile plains to the south.

II. Like the Nile River, the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers flooded each year.

a. These flood waters provided water irrigation and silt – fertile soil, for growing crops.

b. Unlike the Nile, these rivers did not flood at the same time every year like the Nile.

1. The floods in Mesopotamia were often destructive and poorly timed.

III. Mesopotamia farmers used canal systems to control flooding.

a. By using canals and irrigation ditches, Mesopotamia farmers made their land productive.

b. Mesopotamia like Egypt had an agriculturally based economy – This was the Fertile Crescent.

c. These farmers grew wheat, barley, beans, onions, and spice plants.

1. They also grew date palm, apple and pomegranate trees because of the plentiful amount of water.

2. Shepherds herded sheep, goats, and cattle which they used for wool, milk, leather goods, and meat.

Sumer and Babylon

I. Mesopotamian people had common religious beliefs and a common cultural heritage, but the city-states tried to remain independent of each other.

a) For over 1,00 years, Sumerian life centered around the city-states of southern Mesopotamia. These city-states also governed the surrounding villages.

b) Through early writings we learn of the Great King and Mythical Hero Gilgamesh.

1) Responsible for the concept of walled cities.

2) Also in the Gilgamesh myth we see the great flood mentioned – Noah’s Arch.

II. Sargon, the king of Kish, was the Sumerian ruler who unified ALL the city-states under one ruler.

a) Sargon rose to power about 2,300 B.C. and his rule became a new period in Mesopotamian history.

b) Sargon expanded his empire to the Northern most end of the Fertile Crescent (present day Syria).

c) He traded with the Phoenicians along the Mediterranean coast. The Phoenicians received farm products and in return gave Mesopotamia wine and timber.

d) Sargon’s rule lasted 56 years, but ended with his death.

III. With Sargon’s death, Mesopotamian city-states went back to their independent ways, which lasted for 500 years.

a) About 1800 B.C>, Hammurabi conquered the city-states of Sumer and began the Babylonian Empire.

IV. Hammurabi was able to conquer the Sumerian cities by cutting off their water supplies.

a) The rise of Hammurabi made Babylon one of the world’s richest and most powerful cities in ancient times.

b) Hammurabi was known for his Code of Laws. This was one of the first written code of laws man has found.

c) Like Sargon, Hammurabi’s city-state empire began to crumble after his death.

V. In 689 B.C., Asyranians from Nineveh destroyed Babylon.

a) About 60 years later, Babylon re-established itself as “New Babylon”.

b) The “New Babylon” soon became the world’s largest city, famous for its “Hanging Gardens”.

VI. The Mesopotamians invented many useful items.

a) The first wheel, which was used on farm charts and later, chariots.

b) They also invented a form of writing called Cuneiform.

c) Cuneiform writing allowed Mesopotamian ruler to keep tax records and communicate long distances within the empire – just like hieroglyphics.

The Beginnings of Judaism

I. Although Mesopotamian’s religious beliefs were polytheistic, believing in more than one god, it was here the monotheism begins, the belief of one god, with the start of Judaism.

a) The Bible states that God came to Abraham and told him to go to Canaan and he and his people would become a great nation.

b) Abraham did what god asked of him and his people were given the land of Canaan. This was the beginning of Judaism.

II. After a prosperous (good), beginning, a drought struck and the Hebrews moved to Egypt for a better life.

a) While in Egypt, the Hebrews were enslaved by the Pharaoh.

b) Moses led the Hebrews from Egypt to Mt. Sinai.

c) While at Mt Sinai. God gave Moses the 10 Commandments and the Torah- the Jewish Bible.

1) These 10 Commandments and the Torah told the Hebrews how to follow God’s law and how to live their lives.

III. Monotheism is the belief of one God.

a) This set the Hebrews a part from the other religions of their time. Most religions were polytheistic believing in more than one god.

b) The scared writings of the Torah tell the Hebrews god’s law and how to live their lives.

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