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). H

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 wheeled cart replaced the sledge as a means of transportation. In it's simplest form, the wheel was a solid wooden disk mounted on a round axle, to which it was secured by wooden pins. Eventually sections were carved out of the disk to reduce the weight, and radial spokes were devised by about 2000 B.C.E. This was another one of Mesopotamia's developments that was influenced by its climate and geography. The wheel was devised as a more efficient way to do agricultural work. It was an invaluable mechanical means for the controlling the flow and direction of power and force, and also led to the efficient use of animal power for agricultural work. The development of the wheeled carts aided the Sumerians immeasurably in irrigation as well as other urban building projects. Because the wheel was used mostly to relieve the tremendous workload associated with agriculture and irrigation we can say that it was an economic development caused by Mesopotamia's climate and geography..

Because the growing season was so short it was essential to start planting at the exact time, this is where the Lunar Calendar came into play. As people began to settle after the Cultural Revolution, cities began to appear. As a way of conducting such a large population, a body of law was formed. This body of law was called the Code of Hammurabi, after its establisher. The law was harsh but it did focus on the protection of women and children. For these reasons, I conclude that these developments were influenced by Mesopotamia's climate and geography

Mesopotamia is the area from which the earliest forms of writing can be traced. These systems of writing date back to the third millennium B.C.E. In Sumer, a place in Mesopotamia, writing developed in three stages over the course of a millennium. First, writing

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