Mesopotamian+Civilization

__Mesopotamian Civilization__ Draw a river:

What are three advantages of living next to a river?

1. 2. 3.

When water was available**, rich soil** was left behind, which enabled farmers to grow food and even a **surplus** (more than they needed). Since this region is **lacking** in large **stones** for building, precious metals, and timber, many people **bartered** their agricultural products with others from outlying areas. They would trade their tools, wheat and barley for copper, tin, and timber. Now that there were fewer worries about meeting their basic needs, people in the river valleys had time to develop other interests. This included new ways of writing, calendars to tell time, and a class structure. **Religions** also developed, and a **polytheistic** faith in which many different gods controlled the sun, water, and grains. The main temple to please the gods was the **ziggurat**. At the top was a shrine in which only priests and priestesses could enter. These ziggurats were the main feature of each city state. These clusters of people had their own **separate government**, **kings**, and **warriors**. The **kings** were generally **war heroes**, since many city states often went to war withother to **control** more **territory** and to gain glory. For protection, each city state surrounded itself with a **wall**, which was often made out of river mud (since there was a short supply of stone and wood). Draw a miniature diagram of a city state. Include homes, a ziggurat, a palace, mud-brick homes, and a protective wall:

Generally, a person stayed in the class they were born. There were **three** main classes: the upper class, the middle class, and the lower class. List who you think comprised the **upper class**:________________________________________________ List who you think comprised the **middle class**:_______________________________________________ List who you think comprised the **lower class**:________________________________________________ Which **group** do you think had the **most people** in it and why? How do you think a person became a **slave**? The Sumerians’ ideas and inventions left an indelible mark on world history, and Mesopotamia (a.k.a. “The Fertile Crescent” or “The Land Between Two Rivers”) has been called //the cradle of civilization//. One of the many inventions was a system of **writing**. The writing was developed for a need to help people keep **records** and keep track of business deals and other events. Only a few people, mostly boys from wealthy families, learned how to write. After **many years** of training, they became **scribes**, or record keepers, and often moved on to become judges or political leaders. Thus, there was also a hierarchy or class that developed regarding those who were **literate** and those who were **illiterate.** Some other advances in science in math which developed included: the wagon wheel, the plow, the sailboat, base 60 number system, 360 degree circle, 12 month lunar calendar, woven fabrics, bronze metal intricate metal work. Select 2 items to draw and do so in the space below:
 * 2.