Civilization in Mesopotamia Lesson 1 Why do people today try new ways of doing things?

Civilization in MesopotamiaLesson 1

Why do people today try new ways of doing things?

Fertile Crescent

• Location – southwestern Asia• Starts on the eastern shore of the

Mediterranean Sea goes to Persian Gulf

• Shaped like a quarter moon that curves around the Syrian Desert

• In present day Iraq and Syria• Rich farm land attracted new

settlers to the area between the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers

• Region was called Mesopotamia – “the land between the rivers”

Where is Mesopotamia located?

SUMEROne of the earliest cities that formed a

civilization

Architecture and ReligiousBeliefs

A ziggurat was the largest building in Sumerian society.

Made of mud-brick and stood as tall as seven stories high.

The top section was a shrine for the city’s special god.

A ziggurat was at the center of each city-state.

Describe a ziggurat.

• The Ancient Sumerians believed that by pleasing the Gods, they would have good harvest.

Enlil: the god of winds, storm, and rain

Ea: the god of the waters and wisdom

Who were the gods the Sumerians prayed to?

THE ROLE of GOVERNMENT

• With large numbers of people living and working together, order is needed.

• Sumer had 12 independent city-states.

Each city-state was run by a group of leaders with one chief leader.

In times of peril(war) leaders have difficulty agreeing, so a monarchy was formed.

• MONO – means one

Describe the government of the Sumerians.

ECONOMICSAND THE SUMERIAN CITY-STATE OF URUK

• Uruk’s population grew to 60,000.• Success was because of

agriculture / surplus• Gave more free time, which led to

different jobs craft workers, clay, pottery, stone, metal

• A complex division of labor developed

• Trade begins and some people became merchants

What led to a complex division of labor?

DIVISION IN SOICETY

Nobles – kings, priests, and important leaders and their families UPPER CLASS

Merchants, Craft workers, and Managers – artists,carpenters, potters, bricklayers, doctors & scribes MIDDLE CLASS

Laborers and Slaves – unskilled workers LOWER CLASS

What were the divisions of Sumerian society?

NEW INNOVATIONS

• Dikes and canals - invented to prevent the rivers from flooding.

• Wheel – made possible other inventions

• Wheeled cart – domesticated animals could pull heavy loads.

• Iqu – acre (measured land)• Quart – used to measure grain• Cuneiform – wedge shaped

writing

What were some new technologies and innovations of the ancient Sumerians?