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Social Studies. Essential UNIT Question: How did geography influence the development of the Eastern hemisphere?. DO-NOW:. Make sure Homework # 14 is in portfolio; Update Table of Contents;. Focus Question:. How did the geography of the Fertile Crescent lead to great change?.
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Social Studies Essential UNIT Question: How did geography influence the development of the Eastern hemisphere?
DO-NOW: • Make sure Homework # 14 is in portfolio; • Update Table of Contents;
Focus Question: • How did the geography of the Fertile Crescent lead to great change?
The Land Between Two Rivers: • The Tigris and Euphrates Rivers flow through what is today modern Iraq, Syria, Jordan and Turkey; • The “Fertile Crescent” region, which also included Egypt, is so called because it was once full of rich soil that was perfect for the development of agriculture; • Fertile means “able to bring forth life”; • Hence, food = Life! • Crescent means “shaped like a fingernail” Look at a map of the region; it’s shaped like a crescent. (Have you heard of the French word croissant? Yummy!) • This region is also known as “Mesopotamia” or land between two rivers.
Agricultural Technology: • The Sumerian people, as they came to be called, changed the geography around them; • The two rivers deposited “silt” which is loose soil carried by water; it makes farming possible in this region of the world; • They created “canals” and “levees” to protect their crops from flooding in the fall season; • The rivers provided “irrigation”, which is an artificial water source for crops.
Successful Farmers: • In the springtime, farmers had to deal with the threat of “drought”, which means a severe absence of rain. • Irrigation made it possible to keep crops healthy; • Many farmers overdeveloped the land, which led to “erosion”, which is the breaking down of soil by wind or water. Over time, this turned the region into a dry desert.
Activity: • Using the VENN diagram and your notes, please compare the Old Stone Age with the New Stone Age!