Mesopotamia

Geography of Mesopotamia In present day Iraq (Middle East) Mountains to the north, desert to the south, Mediterranean to the west and Persian Gulf to the east

The Fertile Crescent The two rivers, the Tigris and Euphrates, flood from the melting of the snow covered mountains and deposit nutrient rich soil. The shape of this “fertile” agricultural area is shaped like a “crescent”. It’s location, between the Med. Sea and the Persian Gulf, the desert and mountains, was ideal path for trade between Asia and Europe and Africa.

Terms A “theocracy” is when the ruler is also the religious leader. Cuneiform was one of the earliest forms of writing, using shapes. It allowed for early history, stories, and tales to be saved. Hammurabi – leader of Babylon (empire of Mesopotamia) – created a legal “Code of Hammurabi” that all people had to live by – for example, an eye for an eye.