Mesopotamia Student Notes I

Mesopotamia Timeline Sumer 3,500 BC – 2,300 BC Mesopotamia was ruled by four different empires Sumer 3,500 BC – 2,300 BC Akkad 2,300 BC – 1,900 BC Babylon 1,900 BC – 1,300 BC Assyria 1,300 BC – 612 BC The Sumerians moved to the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers about 3500BC, but we do not know where they came from. They were probably nomads who discovered the fertile land between the rivers. Many different civilizations developed in this small region.

Agriculture/Farming (Mesopotamia) Farmers used levees to control the rivers in order to prevent flood damage and irrigate their crops Farmers grew wheat, barley, dates, and other vegetables and fruit They raised goats, pigs, sheep and cattle The Fertile Crescent is a rich food-growing area in a part of the world where most of the land is too dry for farming. The Fertile Crescent is a crescent shaped region that extends from the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea to the Persian Gulf. The staple crops in Mesopotamia were wheat and barley, along with the date palm.

Agriculture/Farming (Mesopotamia) Irrigation created a surplus of food which led to the growth of cities Surplus refers to the extra crops or products they had The Fertile Crescent is a rich food-growing area in a part of the world where most of the land is too dry for farming. The Fertile Crescent is a crescent shaped region that extends from the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea to the Persian Gulf. The staple crops in Mesopotamia were wheat and barley, along with the date palm.

Agriculture/Farming (Mesopotamia) Surplus led to a successful system of trade The Fertile Crescent is a rich food-growing area in a part of the world where most of the land is too dry for farming. The Fertile Crescent is a crescent shaped region that extends from the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea to the Persian Gulf. The staple crops in Mesopotamia were wheat and barley, along with the date palm.

Economy Mesopotamia had very few resources such as metals, timber, and stone, so the Sumerians had to trade to get them

Economy At first, the Sumerians traded surplus barley for these goods They used a barter system to acquire the resources they needed

Language Mesopotamians were the first to use writing The system of writing was called cuneiform Cuneiform was wedge shaped symbols pressed into clay tablets Gilgamesh is an ancient poem written in Mesopotamia more than four thousand years ago. The poem tells of a great flood that covers the earth many years earlier, making it similar to the story of Noah in the Old Testament. Many Sumerian and Akkadian myths survive, the best known being the Gilgamesh Epic, describing the legendary exploits of a king of Uruk, fragments of which go back to the early second millennium

Language The Mesopotamians wrote many stories The most famous was the epic poem called Gilgamesh Gilgamesh was a priest-king who searched for a way to live forever Gilgamesh is an ancient poem written in Mesopotamia more than four thousand years ago. The poem tells of a great flood that covers the earth many years earlier, making it similar to the story of Noah in the Old Testament. Many Sumerian and Akkadian myths survive, the best known being the Gilgamesh Epic, describing the legendary exploits of a king of Uruk, fragments of which go back to the early second millennium

Language The Mesopotamians wrote many laws and tales The most famous epic poem called the Epic of Gilgamesh ________________________________________ Read part of Gilgamesh pg 59 in text What material did the people of Mesopotamia write? Clay

What challenges did the people of Mesopotamia face? (EXPLAIN WHY) Process: What challenges did the people of Mesopotamia face? (EXPLAIN WHY)