The Historical Geography of Mesopotamia Essay -- History Iraq Papers H

The Historical Geography of Mesopotamia Mesopotamia is a historical region in southwest Asia where the worlds earliest purification developed. The name comes from a Greek word meaning between rivers, referring to the land between the Tigris and Euphrates rivers, north or northwest of the bottleneck at Baghdad. It is known as Al-Jazirah, or The Island, to the Arabs (3). South of this lies Babylonia. However, in the broader sense, the name Mesopotamia has come to be used for the area bounded on the northeast by the Zagros Mountains, and on the southwest by the edge of the Arabian Plateau, and stretching from the Persian Gulf in the southeast to the Anti-Taurus Mountains in the northwest (5). Only from the latitude of Baghdad do the Euphrates and Tigris truly render twin rivers, the rafidan of the Arabs, which have constantly changed their courses passim the ages. This region was the center of a culture whose influence extended throughout the Middle East and even the comfort of the known world. This paper will focus on the importance of geography in raising this small region to such a level of noble importance in the history of the world. Explanation of the Applicable National Standards for Geography The National Standards for Geography are being employed into school education programs throughout the United States. The source for the standards is Geography for Life in which they are published. The book suggests the essential knowledge, shills and perspectives that students should master by grades 4,8,and 12. One of these such standards is knows and understands the physical and human characteristics of places. This is precise important to the extent that people cannot fully understand a place unless they first ... ...peoples. The geography of this area certainly played a central use in the importance and influence of these lands. Geography has had a heavy hand in the culture and history of Mesopotamia, as it does in all areas of the world. Works Cited 1. racy Crescent Civilizations. http//killeenroos.com/1/mesodata.htm (4-27-99) 2. Fertile Crescent Home Page. http//www.leb.net/fchp/FC-MNFM.HTML (4-27-99) 3. Kramer, Samuel Noah. The Sumerians. Chicago The University of Chicago Press, 1963. 4. Mallowan, M.E.L. Early Mesopotamia and Iran. New York McGraw-Hill Book Company, 1965. 5. Mesopotamia. Encyclopaedia Britannica Macropaedia. 15th ed. 1997. 6. Oates, David. Studies in the Ancient level of Northern Iraq. London Oxford UniversityPress, 1963. 7. Oppenheim, A. Leo. Ancient Mesopotamia. Chicago The University of Chicago Press, 1964.