Mesopotamia

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Tigris and Euphrates rivers

Mesopotamia means “land between the rivers” in Greek. They were used for irrigation. Irrigation is used for planting crops and the Hanging Gardens of Babylon. Without irrigation all the crops would die and the Hanging Gardens would die. The Sumerians would probably die off to.

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Mesopotamia

Mesopotamia (from the Greek, meaning 'between two rivers’) was an ancient region in the eastern Mediterranean bounded in the northeast by the Zagros Mountains and in the southeast by the Arabian Plateau, corresponding to today’s Iraq, mostly, but also parts of modern-day Iran, Syria and Turkey. The 'two rivers' of the name referred to the Tigris and the Euphrates rivers and the land was known as 'Al-Jazirah' (the island) by the Arabs referencing what Egyptologist J.H. Breasted would later call the Fertile Crescent, where Mesopotamian civilization began.

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Early Valley Dwellers

For thousands of years, clues to Mesopotamia's history lay buried among its ruins and piles of rubble. In the 1800s, archaeologists began to dig up many buildings and artifacts. These finds revealed much about early Mesopotamia.

Taming The Rivers

Early Mesopotamian farmers used water from the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers to water their fields. Howeve farmers could not always rely on the rivers for their needs. Little or no rain fell in the summer. As a result, the rivers were often low.

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3 The farmers did not have enough water to plant crops in the fall.Early Mesopotamian farmers used water from the Tigris and Euphrates Rivs to water their fields. However, the farmers could not always rely on the rivers for their needs. Little or no rain fell in the summer. As a result, the rivers were often low. The farmers did not have enough water to plant crops in the fall.

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Taming The Rivers

Early Mesopotamian farmers used water from the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers to water their fields. However, the farmers could not always rely on the rivers for their needs. Little or no rain fell in the summer. As a result, the rivers were often low. The farmers did not have enough water to plant crops in the fall.Early Mesopotamian farmers used water from the Tigris and Euphrates Rivs to water their fields. However, the farmers could not always rely on the rivers for their needs. Little or no rain fell in the summer. As a result, the rivers were

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Early Mesopotamian farmers used water from the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers to water their fields. However, the farmers could not always rely on the rivers for their needs. Little or no rain fell in the summer. As a result, the rivers were often low. The farmers did not have enough water to plant crops in the fall.Early Mesopotamian farmers used water from the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers to water their fields. However, the farmers could not always rely on the rivers for their

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A City Arises

The eighteen recorded Sumerian cities of southern Mesopotamia remained concentrated along the branches and irrigation canals of the Euphrates in a narrow strip of land extending from south of present-day Baghdad to the marshes bordering the Gulf. This region was divided between people of two language groups: in the south, Sumerian-speakers, in the north, Semitic speakers, or Akkadians.Each Sumerian city was the centre of a small city-state, consisting of the city itself and its surrounding territory – farmlands, gardens and orchards in the irrigated land near the city, grazing land for herds of cattle and flocks of sheep and goats on the arid land further out, between the cities. .The city was surrounded by a wall. A large Sumerian city held between 30,000 and 40,000 inhabitants

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Cuneiform

The Mesopotamians used a thing called cuneiform to write. They came up with the alphabet. They had a school just for writing! It was called Scribe School. In order to be a scribe you had to Scribe School. Only wealthy people could send their kids to Scribe School. So most scribes were wealthy people. By going to Scribe School you can become the king’s personal scribe. Scribes keep all of the city-state records.

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Gods, Priests, And Kings

The Sumerian people worshipped many gods, a type of belief known as polytheism . These multiple gods played different roles in Sumerian life. The Sumerians thought that some gods had power over parts of nature, such as the rain or the wind. They also believed that some gods guided the things that people did, such as plowing or brick-making. They honored whatever god would help their activity.

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Social Groups

People in Sumer were divided into social classes. Generally, people remained in the social class into which they were born. Kings, priests, warriors, and government officials belonged to the upper class. The middle class consisted of merchants, farmers, fishers, and artisans. The middle class was Sumer's largest social group. Enslaved people made up Sumer's lowest class. Most of these workers had been captured in war. Also, criminals and people who could not pay their debts often were enslaved. Enslaved men and women worked for the upper class.

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Creative Inventions by the Sumerians

The people of Mesopotamia also made many useful inventions. For example, the Sumerians were the first people to use the wheel. The earliest wheels were solid wood circles made from carved boards that were clamped together. A Sumerian illustration from about 3500 b.c. shows a wheeled vehicle. They built the first carts, which were pulled by donkeys. They also introduced vehicles into military use with the development of the chariot.For river travel, Sumerians developed the sailboat. They invented a wooden plow to help them in the fields. Artisans made the potter's wheel, which helped to shape clay into bowls and jars. Sumerians were also the first to make bronze out of copper and tin.

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they used bronze to craft stronger tools, weapons, and jewelry.The Sumerians also studied mathematics and astronomy. They used geometry to measure the size of fields and to plan buildings. They created a place-value system of numbers based on 60. They also devised tables for calculating division and multiplication. The 60-minute hour, 60-second minute, and 360-degree circle we use today are ideas that came from the Sumerians. Sumerians watched the positions of the stars. It showed them the best times to plant crops and to hold religious ceremonies. They also made a 12-month calendar based on the cycles of the moon.

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For river travel, Sumerians developed the sailboat. They invented a wooden plow to help them in the fields. Artisans made the potter's wheel, which helped to shape clay into bowls and jars. Sumerians were also the first to make bronze out of copper and tin. They used bronze to craft stronger tools, weapons, and jewelry.The Sumerians also studied mathematics and astronomy. They used geometry to measure the size of fields and to plan buildings. They created a place-value system of numbers based on 60.

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They also devised tables for calculating division and multiplication. The 60-minute hour, 60-second minute, and 360-degree circle we use today are ideas that came from the Sumerians. Sumerians watched the positions of the stars. It showed them the best times to plant crops and to hold religious ceremonies. They also made a 12-month calendar based on the cycles of the moon.

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Who Was Hammurabi?

A people called the Amorites lived in the region west of Mesopotamia. In the 1800 b.c., they conquered Mesopotamia and built their own cities. Babylon was the grandest of these cities.

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It was located on the eastern bank of the Euphrates River in what is now Iraq. Around 1792 b.c., the Babylonian king, Hammurabi , began conquering cities controlled by the Amorites to the north and south. By adding these lands he created the Babylonian Empire. This new empire stretched north from the Persian Gulf through the Tigris-Euphrates valley and west to the Mediterranean Sea. Hammurabi was also the first Empire to write down the laws. He came up with Hammurabi’s code. For example: eye for an eye.

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Who Was Sargon?

The kingdom of Akkad (AKKad) developed in northern Mesopotamia. Sargon (SAHR • GAHN) was an ambitious leader who ruled the people of Akkad, known as Akkadians (uh • KAY • dee • uhnz). About 2340 b.c., Sargon moved his well-trained armies south. He conquered the remaining Sumerian city states one by one. Sargon united the conquered territory with Akkad and became known as the king of Sumer and Akkad. In doing so, he formed the world's first empire. Eventually, Sargon extended this empire to include all of the peoples of Mesopotamia. His Mesopotamian empire lasted for more than 200 years before invaders conquered it.

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Who was Nebuchadnezzar

Neberkenezer was the first Empire to come up with the Hanging Gardens of Babylon. His wife said she missed the green of the forest so to keep her happy, he built her the Hanging Gardens of Babylon. Today, they are considered one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World.

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The Fall of the Empire

After Nebuchadnezzar died, a series of weak kings ruled the Chaldean empire. Poor harvests and slow trade further weakened the empire. In 539b.c., the Persians recognized that the Chaldeans had lost their strength and leadership. The Persians took advantage and captured Babylon and made Mesopotamia part of their empire. However, they allowed their newly captured land to keep its distinct culture. The Persians wisely did not want to destroy all the Chaldeans had accomplished.

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