MESOPOTAMIATHE

FERTILE

CRESCENT

How Does a Civilization Develop?

1) Advanced Cities - center of trade for a larger area than just itself

2) Specialized Workers

food surplus allowed for specialization

artisans- skilled workers who make goods by hand.

3) Complex Institutions

i.e. government, religion, and the economy

religious temples served as the government, religious, and economic center

(problems with something like this in America?)

4) Record Keeping

i.e. collecting taxes, passage of laws, when religious services occur

Sumerian scribes came up with cuneiform (wedge-shaped) beginning of written history.

5) Improved Technology

THE FERTILE CRESCENT• BY ABOUT 4000 B.C PEOPLE

BEGAN TO SETTLE IN A REGION CALLED THE FERTILE CRESENT

• TWO RIVERS FORMED A FERTILE AREA ALSO CALLED MESOPOTAMIA

• MESOPOTAMIA MEANS “THE LAND BETWEEN TWO RIVERS”

• THE 2 RIVERS ARE THE TIGRIS AND EUPHRATES

• THE MODERN COUNTRY OF IRAQ IS LOCATED IN THIS REGION

MSEOPOTAMIA FROM SPACE

The Ancient Fertile Crescent Area

The Middle East: “The Cradle of Civilization”

TWO RIVERS• THE TIGRIS RIVER

IS TO THE NORTH• THE EUPHRATES

RIVER IS TO THE SOUTH

• THE RIVER’S SOURCE IS IN THE TAURUS MTS.

• THE RIVERS EMPTY INTO THE PERSIAN GULF

• THEY FLOW TO THE SOUTHEAST

FLOODS• THE TIGRIS AND

EUPHRATES RIVERS WOULD FLOOD EVERY YEAR.

• THE FLOODWATERS LEFT BEHIND SOIL FOR THE FARMERS TO PLANT CROPS IN.

• THIS SOIL IS CALLED SILT

• FLOODS COULD ALSO WASH AWAY CROPS AND EVEN WHOLE VILLAGES!

IRRIGATION• IRRIGATION WAS USED

TO CONTROL THE FLOW OF WATER FOR FARMING.

• FARMERS NEEDED TO CONTROL THE FLOODING RIVERS

• THEY ALSO NEEDED TO SUPPLY THEIR CROPS WITH WATER DURING THE DRY GROWING SEASON

• IRRIGATION METHODS USED WERE: DIKES, CANALS, GATES, AND ARTIFICIAL LAKES

IRRGATION CANALS

PLOW

AGRICULTURE• THE MOST

IMPORTANT CROPS WERE WHEAT AND BARLEY

• OTHER CROPS INCLUDED: BEANS, ONIONS, LETTUCE, DATE PALMS, AND APPLES.

• CROPS WERE PLANTED ALONG CANAL BANKS

• ANIMALS RAISED OR DOMESTICATED INCLUDED SHEEP, CATTLE, AND GOATS

• CATTLE WERE USED FOR MILK, LEATHER, AND MEAT.

• SPRING WAS THE HARVEST TIME

THE FIRST CITIES

• FARMERS WERE SOON ABLE TO PRODUCE A SURPLUS OF FOOD

• THIS ALLOWED FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF CITIES

• A GOVERNMENT IS AN ORGANIZED SYSTEM WHERE A GROUP MAKES LAWS AND DECISIONS

• MOST CITIES FIRST DEVELOPED IN THE REGION OF SUMER

• EACH CITY STATE WAS SELF-GOVERNING, SO IT WAS CALLED A CITY-STATE

SUMER• THE CITY-STATES IN

SUMER HAD A MONARCHY STYLE OF GOVERNMENT

• IN A MONARCHY, ONE PERSON HAS THE POWER

• EACH CITY ALSO HAD A ZIGGURAT, A TEMPLE WITH A BUILDING AT ITS PEAK

• THE SUMERIANS BELIEVED IN MANY GODS

• THE BELIEF IN MANY GODS IS CALLED POLYTHEISM

• SOME OF THEIR GODS INCLUDED; ENLIL, AND EA

ZIGGURAT AT UR

ECONOMY AND SOCIETY

• SOME CITY-STATES LIKE URUK HAD UP TO 60,000 PEOPLE LIVING THERE

• AGRICULTURE MADE THIS POSSIBLE• A DIVISION OF LABOR FORMED• THIS MEANT THAT SOME PEOPLE HAD JOBS

OTHER THAN FARMING• SOME JOBS INCLUDED; CRAFTWORKERS,

MANAGERS, AND MERCHANTS

• THE DIVISION OF LABOR SOON LED TO DIFFERENT SOCIAL CLASSES

• THE HIGHEST SOCIAL CLASS BELONGED TO THE KING

• THE MIDDLE CLASS INCLUDED; MERCHANTS AND SCRIBES

• A SCRIBE IS A PERSON IN ANCIENT TIMES THAT CAN READ AND WRITE

• THE LOWEST CLASS HAD UNSKILLED WORKERS AND SLAVES

• THERE WAS ALSO A SOCIAL DIVISION BETWEEN MEN AND WOMEN.

INNOVATIONS• AN INNOVATION IS A NEW WAY

OF DOING THINGS

• A LAND INNOVATION WAS CALLED THE “IKU” OR “ACRE” TODAY

• MEASURING WHEAT AND BARLEY LED TO THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE QUART

• THE GREATEST INVENTION WAS THE DEVELOPMENT OF A SYSTEM OF WRITING.

• THIS SYSTEM OF WRITING WAS CALLED CUNEIFORM

• WRITING WAS DONE ON CLAY TABLETS

Hammurabi's Code

Mesopotamian Harp

Board Game from Ur

Metal Working Skills

Is Mesopotamia the 1st Civilization?

1) Advanced Cities?

2) Specialized Workers ?

3) Complex Institutions?

4) Record Keeping?

5) Improved Technology?