Irrigation

The Mesopotamians developed irrigation systems in 6,000 B.C. to provide water for their crops. 

 The systems were made up of canals, ditches, levees, and gates. 

 The canals were dug into nearby rivers and distributed water to the farmers' fields. The canals also carried silt and nutrients, which helped the farmers grow enough crops to feed thousands of people. 

The Mesopotamians also used their irrigation systems to redirect water from the rivers during flood season. This saved many crops. 

The Mesopotamians' irrigation systems varied in depth and design. The earliest systems involved siphoning water directly from the Tigris-Euphrates river system using small canals and shadufs. The shadufs were crane-like water lifts that existed in Mesopotamia since around 3000 BCE. 

The development of irrigation systems in Mesopotamia was a major step towards civilization and modernization.