Final answer:
The Middle East is termed the Fertile Crescent due to its curved shape on the map resembling a crescent and its rich agricultural history. This area was among the first to develop agriculture and support early civilization with its ideal climate, domestication of staple crops and animals, and engineering feats such as innovative irrigation systems.
Step-by-step explanation:
The Middle East became known as the "Fertile Crescent" due to the region's unique shape on the map and its historically significant agricultural productivity. This crescent-shaped area spans from the Persian Gulf through ancient Mesopotamia and up towards the eastern Mediterranean. As one of the cradles of civilization, it was here that humans first started to shift from a nomadic lifestyle of hunting and gathering to a settled agricultural society. The region boasted a variety of staple crops such as wheat and barley, which grew naturally, and also featured the early domestication of animals like goats, sheep, and cows.
The climate of the Fertile Crescent was considerably more temperate and fertile than it is today, creating optimal conditions for the development of large-scale farming. This transition allowed for the establishment of famous cities, including Ur, Babylon, and Nineveh due to the ability to control water through extensive irrigation systems and the development of grain storage which led to increased stability, the specialization of labor, and thus, the growth of early civilizations. The domestication of wheat around 10,000 BCE in the Fertile Crescent marked one of the earliest instances of agricultural practice, which eventually supported the rise of Neolithic cities.