Ancient
Mesopotamia
Ann Marie Dlott & Colleagues,
Shrewsbury Public Schools, MA
Geography
WHERE WAS MESOPOTAMIA?
Mesopotamia was approximately 300 miles
long and 150 miles wide. It was located between the Tigris and
Euphrates Rivers. These rivers flow into the Persian Gulf. The
word Mesopotamia means "The land between the rivers."
WHAT WAS MESOPOTAMIA LIKE?
CLIMATE
The climate for the region ranged
from seasons of cool to hot seasons with temperatures often over
110 degrees Fahrenheit. Mesopotamia experienced moderate rainfall.
ENVIRONMENT
Most of Mesopotamia was located in the
present day country of Iraq. The land of Mesopotamia was once
dominated by floods, but today is mostly desert. The seasonal
flooding was a challenge to the farmers of Mesopotamia. These
farmers learned to control the flooding to some degree. The fertile
land along the rivers produced such crops as wheat, barley, sesame,
flax, and various fruits and vegetables.
The land that was once marshes and channels
that provided food, protection, and life to the people there,
no longer exists.
