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Grade 7 Ancient Civilizations Write to 3 Texts RH7 Ancient Sumaria

Today you will research the process by floods provide food in Mesopotamia. You will read
2 articles and analyze an illustration. As you read, you will collect information to write an
essay about how flood waters in ancient Mesopotamia contributed to agriculture in the
Fertile Crescent.
Directions: Read the following article and answer the questions that follow.

Floods in the Fertile Crescent

1

What would it have been like to live in Mesopotamia, one of the earliest human
civilizations? Almost 6,000 years ago, a complex society grew in present-day Iraq and Syria,
between the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers.
The word Mesopotamia means land
between the rivers. Mesopotamia was
the center of the Fertile Crescent, an area
known for its rich, moist soil. This fertile
land produced abundant crops. Over
time, the people of the region were able
to produce enough crops to feed
themselves and trade the extra food they
produced. Mesopotamia grew in size and
power, helped along by the trade of its
rich agricultural resources.
2

The weather in Mesopotamia was known for extremes: much of the year experienced hot
and dry weather, broken up by a yearly flood cycle. Though the floods were destructive, this
important civilization could not have existed without the unique environment of the region,
specifically the yearly flood cycle.
3

Mesopotamia owed its prosperity in large part to the flooding of the Tigris and Euphrates
Rivers in the spring. Rain was not always plentiful in the region. The only consistent source of
freshwater came from the floods. The Mesopotamians relied on the water brought by the floods for
drinking, for their livestock, and for watering their crops. The floods also brought fish and
waterfowl to the Fertile Crescent, which were sources of food for the Mesopotamians.
4

The floods in Mesopotamia improved the soil in the area, allowing for more widespread
agriculture. Most of the soil in the region was salty and sandy and not suitable for farming. The
floods brought silt, which made the soil fertile. The silt from the floods contained nutrients and
minerals that helped crops to thrive. Fertile soil meant larger crop yields, which in turn meant more
crops available to trade. As farming became increasingly profitable, farming settlements grew into
villages, which then grew into cities. The new cities created a demand for new types of goods and
services. Thus, Mesopotamias economic growth depended, in large part, on the silt1 brought by the
1

Silt fertile soil that is leftover from a flood

GRADE 7 SOCIAL STUDIES UNIT 2 WRITE TO 3 TEXTS RH7 STUDENT COPY SY2015-2016

floods.
5

Although the floods were important for the soil, they could also be quite devastating. In the
spring, when melted snow from nearby mountains flowed into the Tigris and Euphrates and the
rivers overflowed their banks, the crops that were ready for harvest could be destroyed. Often, the
floods ruined an entire harvest. Livestock, including cows, pigs, and sheep, were often drowned by
the floodwaters. In winter, when heavy rains could cause the rivers to overflow, newly planted crops
would be washed away. Even though the rivers were vital to trade and transportation, if the people
lost their crops, they had nothing to trade. It was quite a gamble to live near these sometimesdangerous rivers.
6

The rivers were not just destructive to crops and livestock. People could also see their homes
damaged or even washed away by the raging floodwaters. There were few natural resources in
Mesopotamia with which to build homes, so the loss of a home was incredibly costly. Because there
were not many trees in the area, people often constructed homes out of bricks formed from mud.
This material was readily available but required a lot of work and time to form into houses. If a
farmer needed to rebuild his house, that meant he had less time to focus on the more important work
of farming.
7

The Mesopotamians could not stop the floods, but they did develop ways to help control the
floodwaters. In this way, the Mesopotamians controlled their environment, instead of being
controlled by it. This resulted in the creation of one of the most important advances in civilization:
irrigation. The Mesopotamians figured out a way to preserve their land, its fertility, and their yearly
harvests by taking control of the floodwaters. Over the course of many years, they developed levees2
and reservoir basins to hold water. These kept the floodwaters from drowning the crops. They also
developed a canal system that took the water from the basins to irrigation ditches. The irrigation
ditches distributed the water to the fields for watering the crops. These systems also provided fresh
water for livestock. Without the yearly floods and the need to control the water, the Mesopotamians
would not have developed irrigation systems. These irrigation systems made them more successful
at farmingyet another reason why the floods were important to this civilization.
8

It is easy to see why the ancient Mesopotamians were of two minds about the flooding
although it could be beneficial, it also caused much destruction. The floods improved the soil but
could destroy homes and crops. The waters could cause massive losses, but they also led to the
development of irrigation systems.
-Discovery Edcuation Techbook

Levee a raised structure (pile of dirt) along a body of water to prevent flooding

GRADE 7 SOCIAL STUDIES UNIT 2 WRITE TO 3 TEXTS RH7 STUDENT COPY SY2015-2016

1. Part A: What does the word devastating mean as it is used in paragraph 5?

A. Damaging
B. Renewing
C. Encouraging
D. Comforting

2. Part B: Which details from the article supports the answer to part A?
A. melted snow from nearby mountains flowed into the Tigris and Euphrates
B. heavy rains could cause the banks to overflow
C. the crops that were ready for harvest could be destroyed.
D. Even though the rivers were vital to trade and transportation...

3. Part A: According to paragraph 7, which of the following is not a key step in the process
of irrigation?
A. The Mesopotamians created levees and reservoirs to hold water.
B. The Mesopotamians built canal systems to take water to irrigation ditches.
C. The Mesopotamians were the first to use flood waters to their advantage.
D. The Mesopotamians dug irrigation ditches to provide water to fields.

4. Part A: Which of the following is the central idea of the article?

A. Yearly floods were important to the regions economy.
B. Yearly floods were both negative and positive occurrences in Mesopotamia.
C. Yearly floods were extremely dangerous to people in Mesopotamia.
D. Yearly floods enriched the soil in Mesopotamia.

5. Part B: Which of the following details from the text supports the answer to part A?
A. although it could be beneficial, it also caused much destruction. (paragraph8)
B. Mesopotamia grew in size and power, helped along by the trade of its rich
agricultural resources. (paragraph1)
C. People could also see their homes damaged or even washed away by the raging
floodwaters. (paragraph5)
D. The silt from the floods contained nutrients and minerals that helped crops to
thrive. (paragraph4)

GRADE 7 SOCIAL STUDIES UNIT 2 WRITE TO 3 TEXTS RH7 STUDENT COPY SY2015-2016

Directions: Analyze the illustration that appears below then answer the questions that
follow.

Irrigation in Ancient Mesopotamia

6. Part A: Using the information provided in the illustration above what is the best definition
for reservoir?
A. A small dirt ditch
B. An area of dry land
C. A large body of water
D. A field of crops
7. Part B: Which detail from the illustration BEST supports your answer to part A?
A. The boat
B. The labels
C. The illustration
D. All of the above
8. Part A: According to the illustration, what were used to stop water flow?
A. Canals, Ditches and Reservoirs
B. Dams, Canals and Gates
C. Gates, Dams and Levees
D. Farmland, Canals and Ditches
9. Part B: What information on the illustration best supports your answer for Part A?
A. The dry land is a border between the man-made levee and the farmland.
B. The levees, Dams and Gates are man-made structures that manage water flow.
C. Water flows from the river through the canal to the reservoir for storage.
D. Men used animals to help plow the fields.

GRADE 7 SOCIAL STUDIES UNIT 2 WRITE TO 3 TEXTS RH7 STUDENT COPY SY2015-2016

Directions read the excerpt Controlling Floods from Geography of Mesopotamia and
answer the questions that follow.

Controlling the Floods

1

Think about the area where you live. Are there mountains or rivers? Is there an ocean?
How do you use the water, trees, or other natural resources there? When the Mesopotamians
first settled in the valley between the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers, they were unable to farm
successfully. Without consistent water, it was impossible to grow enough crops to feed large
cities. They needed to harness the water that was in the rivers, and they did it through irrigation
systems.
2

The flooding of the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers every spring brought both benefits and
drawbacks. The floodwaters brought fertile silt to the land. But even with this rich soil, it was
difficult to farm. Mesopotamians could not predict when the floods would occur or how high the
floodwaters would reach. The flow was so unpredictable that it sometimes washed away crops
or caused the river to change course.

The Mesopotamians developed new technologies to control the flooding rivers and
bring water to crops. They built tall embankments, called levees or dikes. These walls of earth
prevented the water from flooding over the banks of the rivers. The Mesopotamians also built
a system of canals and ditches that would drain off the high water, helping to prevent flooding.
These innovations helped to protect both crop fields and villages from flood damage.

GRADE 7 SOCIAL STUDIES UNIT 2 WRITE TO 3 TEXTS RH7 STUDENT COPY SY2015-2016

The Mesopotamians also used canals and ditches as the sources for the irrigation
systems that watered their crops. They constructed dams and gates that allowed them to raise
or lower the water levels in the canals and ditches. The use of dams enabled Mesopotamians
to provide more water for the crops when it was needed and keep water out when it was not
needed. These innovations, combined with the rich soils deposited by the floodwaters, meant
that the Mesopotamians were able to grow an abundance of food and expand their settlements
without the threat of flood.

10. Part A: What does the word technologies mean as it is used in paragraph 3 of the
article?
A. schools
B. inventions
C. professionals
D. industries

11. Part B: Which phrase or sentence from the article supports the answer to Part A?
A. to control the flooding rivers and bring water to crops.
B. These walls of earth prevented the water from flooding over the banks of the
rivers.
C. These innovations helped to protect both crop fields and villages from flood
damage.
D. The floodwaters brought fertile silt to the land.

12. Part A: Which of the following is the central idea of paragraph 4?

A. The silt from flood waters and the Mesopotamian ability to control the floods with
an irrigation system allowed for successful agriculture and the rise of civilization
in the region.
B. Canals and ditches carried water to the crops in a system called irrigation and
allowed the Mesopotamian cities to grow.
C. The innovative use of dams helped Mesopotamians bring in water when their
crops needed it and keep water out when their crops didnt need water.
D. Yearly flooding of the rivers provided the people of the region with everything
they needed to thrive; therefore, the Mesopotamian civilization grew.

GRADE 7 SOCIAL STUDIES UNIT 2 WRITE TO 3 TEXTS RH7 STUDENT COPY SY2015-2016

13. Part B: Which of the following statements from the text supports the answer to part A?
A. The Mesopotamians also used canals and ditches as the sources for the irrigation
systems that watered their crops.
B. They constructed dams and gates that allowed them to raise or lower the water
levels in the canals and ditches.
C. The use of dams enabled Mesopotamians to provide more water for the crops
when it was needed and keep water out when it was not needed.
D. These innovations, combined with the rich soils deposited by the floodwaters,
meant that the Mesopotamians were able to grow an abundance of food and
expand their settlements without the threat of flood.

14. Part A: According to the article, which of the following is not a key step in the irrigation
process of ancient Mesopotamia?
A. Constructing Dams and Gates to control water flow
B. Building tall embankments called Levees
C. Using Canals and ditches to divert water
D. River flooding to bring fertile soil in which to plant the crops

15. Part A: Which of the following statements from the article support the answer to part A?
A. The floodwaters brought fertile silt to the land.
B. They built tall embankments, called levees or dikes.
C. The Mesopotamians also used canals and ditches as the sources for the irrigation
systems that watered their crops.
D. They constructed dams and gates that allowed them to raise or lower the water
levels
Constructed Response:
You have learned about the floods in the Fertile Crescent by reading Floods in the Fertile
Crescent and Controlling the Floods and analyzing the illustration Irrigation in
Mesopotamia.
In an essay, explain the key steps in how the Mesopotamians ability to control the floods led
to the first successful civilization. Be sure to support your ideas with evidence from all 3
texts.

GRADE 7 SOCIAL STUDIES UNIT 2 WRITE TO 3 TEXTS RH7 STUDENT COPY SY2015-2016