Mesopotamia was one of the first places where humans started practicing settled agriculture, and the earliest known writing system, cuneiform, originated there as well. It is a historic region of modern-day Iraq within the Tigris-Euphrates river system. Home to the ancient civilizations of Sumer, Assyria, and Babylonia, the word "Mesopotamia" means "between rivers" in Greek. Use these classroom resources to help your students develop a better understanding of the cradle of civilization.