Why is Mesopotamia considered the cradle of mankind?

Mesopotamia is considered the cradle of mankind because it is the first place that saw development of villages and rules to govern people. Mesopotamia was the land between the rivers Tigris and Euphrates.

Agricultural practices, such as growing of crops and irrigation, were first practiced in Mesopotamia. Owing to these developments, people began building houses and settling down. Villages first sprung from this region and rules were made to govern the people of the region. Mesopotamia grew to become a powerful empire because of its economic activities, which included trade with neighboring communities. It is also the first place to have rulers and other social classes.