BABYLONIAN ZIGGURAT

THE MANY PEOPLE OF MESOPOTAMIA: 1.Sumer ancient Sumer’s city-states (3000 B.C B.C.) 2. Babylonia Babylonian Empire ( 1800 B.C B.C.) 3.Assyria Assyrian Empire (1200 B.C B.C.)

1. What two rivers run through the Fertile Crescent? 2. What body of water do the two rivers flow into? 3. In what present day country is Mesopotamia located? Tigris & Euphrates Rivers Persian Gulf Iraq

*NOTES* ANCIENT MESOPOTAMIA (4000 B.C.) “land in between the rivers” Why was this a perfect place for the 1st civilization? 1.Fertile Crescent - large arc of fertile land in the Middle East 2.Tigris & Euphrates Rivers made it possible for farming 3. Cattle, pigs, goats & sheep were accessible

*NOTES* WHAT CHALLENGES DID PEOPLE FACE IN MESOPOTAMIA? 1. Unpredictable floods destroyed crops, homes & people 2. Some areas were marshy and unsuitable for farming 3. This land was vulnerable to attack and invasion

SUMERIAN WRITING Cuneiform Written on clay tablets created by pressing a pointed tool into a clay tablet

SUMERIAN ECONOMY Make, sell or barter (trade) goods Trade helped expand cities Development of money over time

SUMERIAN ECONOMY RICH government officials religious leaders traders POOR Farmers Craftsman (middle class)

The invention of Agriculture changed the way people lived. Agriculture (Farming) Growth of Cities Division of Labor (Specialization) Trade Writing and Mathematics

THE MANY PEOPLE OF MESOPOTAMIA: Cheat Sheet 1.Sumer : Known for written language 2.Babylonia: Known for creating Laws (Hammurabi’s Code) 3.Assyria: Known for being strong warriors

AIM: How did geography encourage the rise of civilization in Mesopotamia? DO NOW: (1)I am a group of people working together to create an organized society _________________ (2)I am the geographic feature where early people settled _______________ (3)I am two features of a civilization that helps to bring people together ____________ & ______________ civilization River valleys Writing system roads