How did geography shape mankind?

How did geography shape mankind?

Mesopotamia and The Fertile Crescent

Mesopotamia and The Fertile Crescent

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MesopotamiaMesopotamia• “Mesopotamia” comes from Greek– “meso” = between– “potamoi” = rivers

• Left: Tigris-Euphrates river basin

• “Mesopotamia” comes from Greek– “meso” = between– “potamoi” = rivers

• Left: Tigris-Euphrates river basin

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• Mesopotamia was located between the Tigris and Euphrates rivers in the Bronze Age

• Called the “Cradle of Civilization”• First settled around 6000 BCE

• Mesopotamia was located between the Tigris and Euphrates rivers in the Bronze Age

• Called the “Cradle of Civilization”• First settled around 6000 BCE

Inventions from the Fertile Crescent

Inventions from the Fertile Crescent

• Writing• Trade• Secondary occupations

• The Calendar– The sundial

• Cities• Architecture

• Writing• Trade• Secondary occupations

• The Calendar– The sundial

• Cities• Architecture

• Mathematics– Times tables– Squares, square roots

– Quadratics– Fractions

• Laws• The Wheel• Irrigation• Temples

• Mathematics– Times tables– Squares, square roots

– Quadratics– Fractions

• Laws• The Wheel• Irrigation• Temples

Rich soil > Farming > Irrigation

Rich soil > Farming > Irrigation

• The fertile crescent was rich in nutrients for farming

• The rivers flooded often, meaning nutrient-rich silt constantly replenishes the soil

• This soil was excellent for farming• Mesopotamia invented levees to protect against flooding, which became complex irrigation systems

• The native plants in the area happened to be mostly edible

• The fertile crescent was rich in nutrients for farming

• The rivers flooded often, meaning nutrient-rich silt constantly replenishes the soil

• This soil was excellent for farming• Mesopotamia invented levees to protect against flooding, which became complex irrigation systems

• The native plants in the area happened to be mostly edible

Lack of natural resources > trade > writing > the wheel > taxes

Lack of natural resources > trade > writing > the wheel > taxes

• The fertile crescent was not very rich in natural resources like wood and metal

• This deficiency forced inhabitants to trade with others

• Writing was invented largely to record trades, like ancient stone receipts

• The wheel was invented to help people carry goods to trade from one place to another more easily

• Taxes were invented to collect money for the city from trade

• The fertile crescent was not very rich in natural resources like wood and metal

• This deficiency forced inhabitants to trade with others

• Writing was invented largely to record trades, like ancient stone receipts

• The wheel was invented to help people carry goods to trade from one place to another more easily

• Taxes were invented to collect money for the city from trade

Fertility > Cities > Law > Architecture

Fertility > Cities > Law > Architecture

• Before this point, people were mostly nomadic hunter-gatherers

• The discovery of the fertile crescent and its ideal growing climate meant people settled more

• Cities were created to house more people on a permanent basis

• Laws were established to keep order, e.g. Hammurabi’s Code

• Stronger structures were needed to hold up bigger buildings, e.g. arches

• Before this point, people were mostly nomadic hunter-gatherers

• The discovery of the fertile crescent and its ideal growing climate meant people settled more

• Cities were created to house more people on a permanent basis

• Laws were established to keep order, e.g. Hammurabi’s Code

• Stronger structures were needed to hold up bigger buildings, e.g. arches

More people > Cities > Secondary Sector Industry

> Wages

More people > Cities > Secondary Sector Industry

> Wages • Until now, most people were shepherds, hunters, gatherers, or farmers

• Cities meant jobs like soldiers, smiths, and authors

• Wages were paid in grain from farmers, a form of proto-socialism

• Until now, most people were shepherds, hunters, gatherers, or farmers

• Cities meant jobs like soldiers, smiths, and authors

• Wages were paid in grain from farmers, a form of proto-socialism

Trade > Math > The Calendar > The Sundial

Trade > Math > The Calendar > The Sundial

• Math was invented to assist in trades• The Mesopotamians used a base-60 system, inventing squares, roots, times tables, trigonometry, quadratic equations..

• Sound familiar? This is thought to be the reason there are 60 minutes in an hour, 24 hours in a day, and 360 degrees in a circle

• They also were the first to use a seven-day week, to keep track of which they invented the sundial

• Math was invented to assist in trades• The Mesopotamians used a base-60 system, inventing squares, roots, times tables, trigonometry, quadratic equations..

• Sound familiar? This is thought to be the reason there are 60 minutes in an hour, 24 hours in a day, and 360 degrees in a circle

• They also were the first to use a seven-day week, to keep track of which they invented the sundial

Unpredictable conditions > Flooding > Religions

Unpredictable conditions > Flooding > Religions

• The natural conditions of the fertile crescent were unpredictable and occasionally violent

• Flooding was especially dangerous• The people of Mesopotamia believed in many gods, and prayed to them to send rain and prevent disasters

• Pyramid-like temples called ziggurats• This is believed to be one of the world’s earliest religions, and the first temples

• The natural conditions of the fertile crescent were unpredictable and occasionally violent

• Flooding was especially dangerous• The people of Mesopotamia believed in many gods, and prayed to them to send rain and prevent disasters

• Pyramid-like temples called ziggurats• This is believed to be one of the world’s earliest religions, and the first temples

• Longtime irrigation may have deposited mineral salts over the fields, effectively killing them

• Overcrowding led to pollution and war• Modern-day damming of rivers by Turkey and Syria and draining of the river basin in 2003

• Longtime irrigation may have deposited mineral salts over the fields, effectively killing them

• Overcrowding led to pollution and war• Modern-day damming of rivers by Turkey and Syria and draining of the river basin in 2003

• Mesopotamia today is no longer very fertile

• The only land retaining its fertility is Egypt’s Nile River Valley

• Mesopotamia today is no longer very fertile

• The only land retaining its fertility is Egypt’s Nile River Valley

• The Cradle of Civilization is now situated in Eastern Iraq and Syria,

• Baghdad is located in the center

• Modern day Mesopotamia is a war zone

• The Cradle of Civilization is now situated in Eastern Iraq and Syria,

• Baghdad is located in the center

• Modern day Mesopotamia is a war zone

Baghdad

So why does it matter?So why does it matter?• The nutrient-rich soil, lack of natural resources, and unpredictable conditions led to a society somewhat similar to our own, almost 8000 years in the past

• Without these conditions in the Fertile Crescent, our civilization might be very different

• Of course eventually we would have developed trade, math, and religion

• They would have been radically different

• The nutrient-rich soil, lack of natural resources, and unpredictable conditions led to a society somewhat similar to our own, almost 8000 years in the past

• Without these conditions in the Fertile Crescent, our civilization might be very different

• Of course eventually we would have developed trade, math, and religion

• They would have been radically different