Mesopotamia’s Civilization

• Civilizations are complex societies with cities, governments, art, religion, class divisions, and a writing system.

• Rivers were used for travel, trade, and made good farming conditions.

Mesopotamia’s Civilization

• Governments were formed because someone had to make plans and decisions for the common good.

Mesopotamia’s Civilization

• Mesopotamia is a flat plain bounded by the Tigris and Euphrates rivers.

• Floods in Mesopotamia were frequent and unpredictable.

• Farmers learned to control the rivers with dams and channels.

• They also used the rivers to irrigate, or water, their crops.

Mesopotamia’s Civilization

• Many cities formed in a southern region of Mesopotamia known as Sumer.

• Sumerian cities were city-states, with their own governments.

• Sumerian cities often fought each other.

• To protect themselves, the city-states built walls around themselves.

Mesopotamia’s Civilization

• Sumerians believed

in many gods

• Each city-state had a ziggurat, or grand temple, to honor the gods.

Mesopotamia’s Civilization

• Most Sumerians were farmers, but some were artisans, or skilled workers

• Others were merchants and traders• Sumerian city-states had three classes: - The upper class consisted of kings, priests,

and government officials. - The middle class consisted of artisans,

merchants, fishers, and farmers - The lower class consisted of slaves.

Summary Discussion Question

• What effect did irrigation have on the people of Mesopotamia?

Summary Discussion Answer

• Irrigation allowed farmers to grow plenty of food. More food meant more people could be fed, so the population grew.

W.I.O

• WIO: Draw a concept map of a Sumerian city-state (Location, Gov, Relationship, Protection)

• *Gifted and Pre-AP WIO: Draw a concept map of a Sumerian city-state (Location, Gov, Relationship, Protection). Develop your own city state with at least five topics. Use descriptions that help your reader visualize the area.

A Skilled People

• Mesopotamia has been called the cradle of civilization because of the influence of Sumerian ideas on other areas.

• Writing helps people keep records and pass on ideas

• Sumerians developed a writing system called cuneiform.

• Only a few people, called scribes, learned to write.

A Skilled People

A Skilled People

• The Sumerians also produced the oldest known story, the Epic of Gilgamesh.

• The Sumerians also invented new technology such as the wagon wheel, the sailboat, and the plow

• The Sumerians developed many mathematical ideas, including geometry, a number system based on 60, and a 12-month calendar.