Notes

The two most important rivers in Mesopotamia were the Euphrates and the Tigris River because they shaped the life of the people who lived there. The region of ancient Mesopotamia is referred to as the "Fertile Crescent." Fertile refers to the rich soil that is found in this region. It got the name Crescent because of the shape of Mesopotamia looks similar to a crescent moon. Mesopotamia means, "the land between the rivers." The two rivers that are on either side of Mesopotamia are the Euphrates and the Tigris. Today, the Fertile Crescent includes the countries of Iraq, Iran, Turkey, Syria, Lebanon, Jordan, and Israel. The Tigris and Euphrates Rivers helped farmers by providing silt and water. This was important because both made the land suitable for crops and helped them grow. Silt made the soil more rich and fertile, and the water helped by giving nutrients to the crops. These two resources helped in the hot, dry weather. The farmers in early Mesopotamia relied on the rivers. The problem with the rivers was that they were unpredictable. This meant that it could flood at anytime. This was a problem because the rivers didn't always flood when the farmers really needed water. They never knew when it would flood, so they couldn't prepare. The farmers got the river water to the land by using a system called irrigation. Irrigation is a system that uses ditches, canals, and dams that can store and move water from one place to another. This also helps by preventing damage, such as floods, that could destroy their crops and shelters. The civilization of Mesopotamia turned to agriculture for survival, so they got their food by raising animals and growing crops. This is called domestication. These three examples explain how the Euphrates and Tigris Rivers shaped the life and why they were so important to the people in Mesopotamia.