The Fertile Crescent Unit 3 Mesopotamia: Land Between Two Rivers Section 1 Jordan Cotten 6th Grade Social Studies

Vocabulary Section 1 Scribe Myth _________ = professional writers _________ = city with its own traditions and its own government and laws; both a city and a separate independent state _________ = the belief in many gods _________ = a traditional story; in some cultures, a legend that explains people’s beliefs City-state Polytheism Myth

Geography of the Fertile Crescent Mesopotamia part of larger region: Fertile Crescent Called Mesopotamia from Greek words meaning: “between the rivers” Tigris and Euphrates Rivers Fertile land

Tigris and Euphrates Rivers Advantages Rich soil Supplied fish Supplied tall, strong reeds used to make boats Supplied clay Disadvantages Flooded crops, homes, businesses, animals Floods did not always happen at same time each year

First Cities in Mesopotamia Farming succeeded Led to surpluses Encouraged building of cities 3500 B.C. region of Sumer had numerous cities

Activity Make a t-chart On left side list resources and Geographic features On right side describe how these features and/or resources led to the growth of cities

It should look like this: How did these Resources and/or Geographic Features Lead to the Growth of Cities? List of Resources and Geographic Features in Mesopotamia You should have at least 2 listed You need to give a full explanation of how the two items listed led to a growth in cities in Mesopotamia

Independent Cities Form City-states began forming along the Tigris and Euphrates rivers Each city had its own: god/goddess government king

Sumeria in Mesopotamia Boys went to school from age 8 to age 20 to learn to be scribes Scribes were very powerful… they could read and write Very busy city life Markets to sell/buy goods Crowded Developed in 2900 B.C.

Sumerian Religion Center of Sumerian city was a Ziggurat, or main temple to the gods of the city At the top of the Ziggurat was a temple Sumerians believed that the gods descended to the Earth using the ziggurat as a ladder Worshipped many gods Polytheism (poly = many; theism = gods)

Myths Stories about gods Explained people beliefs Warned that gods would punish people who angered them Promised rewards to people who served gods well

Epic of Gilgamesh

Fall of Sumeria City-states fought each other over land over use of river water Constant warfare made armies tired and city-states vulnerable Northern rival, Babylonia conquered Sumeria in 1759 B.C.

ON TO BABYLONIA AND ASSYRIA…