Rivers
The unpredictable annual event on the rivers that required Mesopotamians to develop irrigation and flood control
Seasonal Flooding
The essential farming technique, relying on canals, that allowed for large-scale agriculture in the dry plains.
irrigation
This river-side city, home to the god Ashur, was the capital of the first powerful empire in northern Mesopotamia.
Assur
The name for the vast, arid land stretching to the west, beyond the Euphrates River.
The Syrian Desert
The large body of water that the Tigris and Euphrates empty into
The Persian Gulf
The modern-day country that occupies the majority of the land that was ancient Mesopotamia.
Iraq
The name for the independent, self-governing urban center and its surrounding farmland, which was the primary political unit of Sumer.
A City-State
A lack of these natural physical features, like high mountains on all sides, often led to this frequent historical event in Mesopotamia
Invasion or Conflict