Why did ancient civilizations develop in river valleys?

River Valley Civilizations – 3500 to 500 B.C. Cradle of civilizations and made major contributions to social, political, and economical progress Valleys offered rich soils and irrigation waters for agriculture and protection from nomadic peoples

Mesopotamia

Fertile Crescent A strip of rich, well watered land in the Middle East. Called fertile because its soil can be made to produce a good food supply.

Fertile Crescent served as a crossroads for ideas and people.

People settled in a river valley in this area and called it “Mesopotamia”. This means “land between the rivers”. Between Tigris and Euphrates. Considered to be earliest civilization.

Located in present day Iraq.

Rivers caused unpredictable flooding. Area suffered from flooding and droughts.

Trade was at the center of life in Mesopotamia. They bartered (traded one kind of product for another) for goods.

Peoples of Mesopotamia

Sumerians Lived in Sumer. Had cities of more than 10,000 people. Each city was the center of a city state (self-governing city and land surrounding it). Ur & Uruk.

People in the cities spoke the same language and shared customs and beliefs. However, no central government. City states acted as separate nations.

Sumerians came up with a number system. Developed the wagon wheel and the potter’s wheel.

Religion Sumerians were polytheistic. (believed in many gods) Built temples called ziggurats to honor the gods and goddesses they worshipped.

Believed their highest duty was to keep the gods happy. To gain favor they prayed and offered sacrifices. Believed in an afterlife.

Writing Sumerians developed a system of writing called cuneiform. The word cuneiform means “wedge-shaped”. Began as a way to keep track of business deals.