Michael McEntee Accient History and Civilization Ms. Mohamed Period 1

Mesopotamia means “ the land between the rivers.”

 Mesopotamia lies between the Tigris River and the Euphrates River. Small cities appeared as early as 3500 B.C.E. in the southern part of the land. This area was called Sumer. These small cities had their own rulers. They also had their own farmland to provide food for themselves. They had strong walls made of sunbaked bricks that surrounded the cities.

 The people of Mesopotamia believed in many Gods. The Gods represented places and power in Mesopotamia. The priests played and important part in Mesopotamia. The people built many temples in the cities.  An was the god of heavens and was the primary god of Mesopotamia.

While in Mesopotamia you will stay in houses that are made of packed mud. Having the houses made of packed mud will keep you warm in the winter and cool in the summer. The opening of the houses are high so you will have to use ladders to get into the houses. There are may rooms in the houses. Your whole family will be together.

 While in Mesopotamia you will dress like the Sumerians. Some Sumerians wear animal skins to protect themselves from certain types of weather. Some Sumerians have learned to pound wool and goat hair to make into fabric. They used wool to make all types of clothing. The women have also learned how to use dyes to make the fabric different colors. They also use jewels to add to the clothing.

When you visit Mesopotamia you will eat a lot of grain. The main crop is barley. You will eat 2 meals a day while in Mesopotamia. There is plenty of water since you are by the rivers. There is also a lot of fishing to be done. There is also fruits and vegetables. The Sumerians also grow spices. The Sumerians used the crops that they grew for trade to get products that they were unable to get for themselves.

 During your stay in Mesopotamia you will be able to see the inventions that have been invented. One of the major inventions is the plough. The plough was used to harvest the crops that were planted. The people of Mesopotamia also created the wheel. The wheel was used on the chariot for transportation. The Sumerians were very smart and creative. A lot of the ways we live our lives today have come the people of Mesopotamia.

If you have any spare time while visiting Mesopotamia there are a number of activities that you can enjoy. You can go hunting, boxing and wrestling were very popular. There are also some board games that you can play. Backgammon was introduced during this time. There were also some toys like toy guns, boomerangs, throw sticks and rattles that the kids played with.

 Thank you for visiting Mesopotamia. I hope you will enjoy your time here. There is a lot of history here. Michael Mcentee Period 1 Ms. Mohamed