The second stop on the migration trail. Ancient Mesopotamia, E02 The second stop on the migration trail.

Geography of Mesopotamia The “Land Between Two Rivers” The meaning of the word, “Mesopotamia” Tigris Euphrates

Key terms Floodplain: The land where the water overflows periodically and fresh dirt is dropped. Semiarid: a climate that is hot and dry but you can still grow crops. Drought: A period of no rain or snow fall to have enough water for farming.

Floodplain

Semiarid climate

Drought

The First Civilization Key terms Civilization: sophisticated groups City State: a country that is the size of a city

More key terms Ziggurat: a religious temple that looks like a pyramid Polytheism: a belief in many gods

Five Traits of Civilization Advance cities Specialized workers-priest, king, artisans City of Ur

Five Traits of Civilization Complex institutions-temples, army, schools Record keeping-writing

Five Traits of Civilization Advance Technology-irrigation, bronze tools

Life in Sumer So how’s life? Social classes: grouping of people for various reasons Kings & priest: they were a link to their gods Upper class: owned land, rich merchants, officials Lower class: farmers/artisan. All these are free people Slaves: prisoners of war, the very poor , paying off a debt - Women had rights

Social classes Slaves King & Priests Merchants & Traders

The Standard or Flag of Ur

Sumerian Science & Technology Writing called pictographs The wheel The plow Writing called cuneiform Scribes

Mathematics Based on a 60 number system So that could be why we have: 60 minutes to an hour 60 seconds to a minute A circle has 360 degrees