Mesopotamia
a brief history
About 10,000 a land between the Tigris and the Euphrates started. This place is called Mesopotamia.. Mesopotamia was started by settlements on the edges of the Tigris and the Euphrates rivers. Sumer was where the first towns of Mesopotamia developed. Gilgamesh was the ruler of this town and was a very great one at that. Sumer lasted from 3100 BC to 2500 BC. There were many different dynasties throughout the Mesopotamian period. In 2400 BC the first signs of cuneiform were made. Mesopotamia ended in 500 BC because of a lack of crops and vital foods.
GEOGRAPHY
Mesopotamia is located in between the Tigris and the Euphrates river, and is made up of different geographical regions. Northern Mesopotamia is made up of hills and plains where as southern Mesopotamia is made up of marshy areas and wide barren plains.
-Mesopotamia is also known as the Fertile Crescent
-Fertile Crescent is about 300 miles long and 150 miles wide
-Southern Mesopotamia could reach up to 110 degrees Fahrenheit
-Fertile Crescent is about 300 miles long and 150 miles wide
-Southern Mesopotamia could reach up to 110 degrees Fahrenheit
Economy
-Natural wild life and crops kept the people fed
-Economy based on wheat and grains
-Irrigation increased food supply
-Farmers grew grain, fruit, vegetables, and barn yard animals
-Fruits grown included grapes, figs, melons, and apples
-Vegetables grown included eggplant, onions, radishes, beans, and lettuce
-Used spears, fish nets, slingshots, and arrows to hunt
-Did not have coins to pay taxes with
-Taxes mostly paid with livestock, the boat trade, and fishing or even labor
-Economy based on wheat and grains
-Irrigation increased food supply
-Farmers grew grain, fruit, vegetables, and barn yard animals
-Fruits grown included grapes, figs, melons, and apples
-Vegetables grown included eggplant, onions, radishes, beans, and lettuce
-Used spears, fish nets, slingshots, and arrows to hunt
-Did not have coins to pay taxes with
-Taxes mostly paid with livestock, the boat trade, and fishing or even labor
Social Structure
UPPER CLASS
-Men and women wore jewelry
-Men wore skirts and had long hair and curly mustaches
-Women wore dresses, one off the shoulder
-Women had long hair, usually braided
-Priests were very powerful
-Priests shaved their heads
-Everyone wore cloaks made out of sheep wool
LOWER CLASS
-People were paid for work
-They wore jewelry, yet not made of gold
-No law said they couldn't move up in social structure
SLAVES
-Slaves worked for the king
-Slaves were bought and sold
-Typically, slaves were bought for an amount less than a donkey
-Men and women wore jewelry
-Men wore skirts and had long hair and curly mustaches
-Women wore dresses, one off the shoulder
-Women had long hair, usually braided
-Priests were very powerful
-Priests shaved their heads
-Everyone wore cloaks made out of sheep wool
LOWER CLASS
-People were paid for work
-They wore jewelry, yet not made of gold
-No law said they couldn't move up in social structure
SLAVES
-Slaves worked for the king
-Slaves were bought and sold
-Typically, slaves were bought for an amount less than a donkey
Government
-Created a monarchy government
-Kings ruled the people
-Assembly also ruled the people
-King had to ask assembly to do certain things
-Sumerian laws were not written, but people knew them
-Sumerians were expected to behave well
-Kings ruled the people
-Assembly also ruled the people
-King had to ask assembly to do certain things
-Sumerian laws were not written, but people knew them
-Sumerians were expected to behave well
Beliefs/Religion
-Mesopotamians believed that earth was a flat disk enclosed by a heaven
-Believed sea was surrounding Earth, top, bottom, and sides
-Believed the universe was born of these waters
-God ate abundances of food daily
-Believed sea was surrounding Earth, top, bottom, and sides
-Believed the universe was born of these waters
-God ate abundances of food daily
Advancements/Achievements
-Most important invention was writing created by Sumerians
-Invented the wheel
-Used for pottery around 3500 BC
-Used for chariots around 3200 BC
-Used base 60 number system
-Divided time into 60 seconds per minute and 60 minutes per hour
-Use addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division
-Astronomers studied stars, planets, and the moon
-Mesopotamians created the first calender (12 months)
-First to use a pottery wheel
-Used irrigation to get water to their crops
-Used bronze metals for weapons
-Babylonians made advances in medicine
-Invented the wheel
-Used for pottery around 3500 BC
-Used for chariots around 3200 BC
-Used base 60 number system
-Divided time into 60 seconds per minute and 60 minutes per hour
-Use addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division
-Astronomers studied stars, planets, and the moon
-Mesopotamians created the first calender (12 months)
-First to use a pottery wheel
-Used irrigation to get water to their crops
-Used bronze metals for weapons
-Babylonians made advances in medicine
Architecture
-The rich lived in large houses
-The poor lived in small houses
-No one lived in huts
-Some larger homes were 3 stories
-Most homes were around the Ziggurat
-Ziggurats were made of mud-brick
-The poor lived in small houses
-No one lived in huts
-Some larger homes were 3 stories
-Most homes were around the Ziggurat
-Ziggurats were made of mud-brick