The Land Between Two Rivers The first civilizations rose between two rivers called the Tigris and the Euphrates. Those rivers are located in present day Turkey into the Persian Gulf. This was also called the Fertile Crescent. Sumerians migrated to the Mesopotamia thousands of years ago. The land they settled on, was called Sumer.

Pros and Cons to farming in Mesopotamia Fertile soil Floods provided lots of water After floods it left rich soil Floods could harm farmers Most of region was dessert During the summer the ground baked rock hard With no rain for months plants withered and died ProsCons

Agricultural techniques Irrigation: -Using irrigation they could keep their crops from dying in the summer. -The Sumerians dug many miles of irrigation to carry water from rivers to fields. This allowed them to plant far from rivers.

Agricultural techniques Plow: -Sumerians Prepared the ground using the plow. -Easier to drop seeds the furrow the plow made than into small holes. -loosened the ground so roots could grow quicker. -Sumerians attached the oxen to plows to make it even more useful.

Bibliography Howley,Andrew “Lesson in Sustainability and Solidarity From Ancient Mesopotamia” National Geographic Society April November 19, 2014http://voices.nationalgeographic.com Mrs. Gilmore, Mesopotamian Farmer WordPress and Oxygen November 6, 2013 November 19, 14 “Ancient Mesopotamian Irrigation System” WordPress Themes Book November 19, “Mesopotamia Farming Plow” Disqus November 19, 2014“Mesopotamia Farming Plow”