MESOPOTAMIA Detail: BIG PICTURE: Where was Mesopotamia located? How was life in Mesopotamia similar to Egypt? Why could Mesopotamia be called “the land between the rivers”? BIG PICTURE: What were the inventions of the Mesopotamians? Why were they important?

I. Egypt’s North-Eastern Neighbor A. Sumerians in Mesopotamia lived in a crescent (boomerang) shaped region stretching from the Persian Gulf to the Mediterranean Sea. It held an excellent source of farmland, no natural barriers, and became known as the Fertile Crescent. This area became the “cradle of civilization”. B. Important to this area were the Tigris and Euphrates rivers, occasionally flooding the land between them and enriching the soil with silt (just like the Nile, Egypt). C. The Sumer Civilization (Sumerians) was the first to inhabit the Fertile Crescent. i. Made up of city-states (groups of cities who had independent governments) the Sumerians were: a. Polytheistic (believed in many Gods, like the Egyptians) b. Traded along their two rivers c. Made many inventions

II. Inventions of Sumerians A. Sumerians developed… i. Irrigations systems, such as levees and canals ii. The first wheeled vehicles. iii. Cuneiform (wedge shaped writing, made by pressing a pen-like wedge into clay in many patterns)

Map of Fertile Crescent and Mesopotamia For homework complete the map using page 38 of your textbook at home!

They Might Be Giants: The Mesopotamians

Sumerian: Religion

Sumerian: Government

Sumerian: Social Structure

Sumerian: Economy

Sumerian: Contributions

*Both had one hereditary ruler (power passed on from father to son) EGYPT SUMER Geography: *used one river (Nile) Geography: *used two rivers (Tigris & Euphrates) DIFFERENCES SIMILARITIES DIFFERENCES Religion: *both were polytheistic, believing in many gods who had human qualities. Unity: *city-states (separate governments fought each other) Unity: *One united country Religion: *used pyramids *mummified people *had “priest carvings” (hieroglyphics) Government: *Both had one hereditary ruler (power passed on from father to son) Religion: *Gods closely linked to nature *used ziggurats *City-state had chief god (kept city-state safe) Social Structure: *Both had the ruling family, officials, and priests on top; middle class of merchants and artisans; large lower class of peasant farmers. Contributions: *Had advanced surgery and medicine *Embalming *Advanced mathematics *Accurate 365-day calendar *Hieroglyphics Contributions: *First wheeled vehicles *Irrigation systems (dikes, canals for protection and water storage) *Cuneiform (early writing) *Algebra & Geometry Economy: *Both grew wealthy from trade, even traded with each other (Egypt and Sumer)

Life in Sumer Religion Government Social Structure Economy (include meaning of polytheistic, city-state religion, define ziggurat) Government Social Structure (include city-state, responsibility of ruler) (include class system with examples) Life in Sumer Economy Contributions (include examples of trade) (include four contributions made by Sumerians)