Mesopotamia is an ancient civilization that was located in modern day Iraq. It was home to many great political, economic, and cultural developments that were influenced by its climate and geography. Such developments include; agriculture, irrigation, Cuneiform, the wheel for transport, as well as; and a central body of law.
             Although the land was fertile, irrigation was essential. Because the Mesopotamian climate didn't have rain for almost eight months of the year and the flood stage was so late in the season, it was essential to prepare dikes and levees to protect the fields (www.dpi.state.wi.us/dpi/dltcl/badgerlink). Irrigation is the artificial watering of land to sustain plant growth by diverting water from it's source to the field, providing not too much nor too little moisture (www.nonline.com). Irrigation expands the amount of arable land and the production of food throughout the world.4 Whenever man irrigates, they do it to conform to the limitations of ecological circumstances. Although irrigation initially extended the life of the land, after a period of time the progressive salt accumulation of the irrigated land cuts down it's yield and it may be necessary to relocate the agricultural territories (www.sunone.com). However, the Old Babylonians found that they could extend the life of the salty soil through crop rotation, overcoming the harsh soil conditions and managing to grow different crops and agriculture (www.washingtonpost.com). Irrigation is one example of how the climate and geography led to a great economic development in Mesopotamia. Irrigation had allowed Mesopotamia to produce a number of crops, in surplus, which was used for trade and thus an economic development.
             Another Mesopotamian development, was the development of the wheel for transport. This occurred between 3500-3000 B.C.E. Wheeled vehicles are believed to have appeared after the invention of the potter's wheel, and the wheele...