Mesopotamia and the Fertile Crescent - Problems Part #1

What does 'Mesopotamia' mean?

• Land of rolling hills and low plains

• Land between the rivers

• Land with abundant food supply

• Land with difficult environment

Identify the two main rivers in the Fertile Crescent.

• Nile River and Amazon River

• Tigris River and Euphrates River

• Yangtze River and Yellow River

• Mississippi River and Missouri River

All of the following were CHALLENGES the MESOPOTAMIANS FACED EXCEPT:

• food shortages when increased population moved to the foothills

• uncontrolled water supply

• attacks by neighboring communities

• agriculture and land for farming

Why did people in ancient Sumer move from the foothills

of the Zargos Mountains to the plains?

• They were escaping attacks

• they were searching for more water

• they needed more fertile land to grow crops/food for the people

• they were trying to avoid floods

What was a major problem faced by ancient Sumer farmers?

• Floods due to excessive rainfall

• Droughts due to lack of rainfall

• Unpredictable water supply from flooding

• No access to rivers for irrigation

How did Sumerian farmers control the water supply for their fields?

• By building dams along the river

• By digging canals to shape the paths of water

• By constructing reservoirs to store water

• All of the above

What did ancient Sumerian farmers first do to prevent flooding?

• Built levees along the river

• Dug canals to redirect water

• Constructed dams to block water

• Created reservoirs to store excess water

What challenges did Sumerian farmers face while raising crops?

• Too much water and excessive heat

• Too little water and strong winds

• Excessive rainfall and lack of fertile soil

• Unpredictable water supply and dry soil

What technique did Mesopotamians use to control the water supply?

• Relied on rainfall for irrigation

• Built more reservoirs for water storage

• Used windmills to pump water from the rivers

• Constructed levees and canals for water management