1. On your Desk – Cornell Notes- Packet page 2 – A highlighter & a Pencil
18 October 2016 Objective – Determine how Mesopotamia fits elements of a civilization.
On your Desk – Cornell Notes- Packet page 2 – A highlighter & a Pencil
Bellringer: Write down your homework!
Mesopotamian Rap 
Is Mesopotamia a Civilization?
Interactive Story
Fill in Packet page 3
HW: None (if you read Section 3.1)

2. Vocabulary Word
Memory Helper
Sumerians
The World’s First Civilization
Silt
“Flood, Flood, Flood! Evaporation! Silt!”
Surplus
More than is needed
City-state
(2 students)
Dad: Go to your room!
Child: You can’t tell me what to do!
Stable Food Supply
I have a surplus of food!
Division of Labor
(3 Students)
1. “I’m a farmer!”,
2. “I work in government,”
3. “I’m a slave…that stinks!”
System of Government
“I’m the King of the World! Bow to me!”
Social Hierarchy
(sung to the Farmer in the Dell)
“The kings are at the top, the priests are under them, skilled workers and scribes are next, with farmers and slaves at the bottom”
Highly Developed Culture
(said very snotty )“I have a lot of culture!”
Polytheism
“Bless you sun! Bless you moon! Bless you air!”
Cuneiform
Wedged symbols

3. Evidence
Stable Food Supply
Division of Labor

4. Evidence System of Government Social Hierarchy Highly Developed
Evidence
System of
Government
Social Hierarchy
Highly Developed
Culture

5. Is Mesopotamia a Civilization?

6. Stable Food Supply
Irrigation increased the amount of food farmers were able to grow
Farmers could create a surplus of food
Foods included: fish, meat, barley and dates

7. Division of Labor
Since there was a surplus of food, not everyone had to be a farmer
Each worker could specialize in a particular job
People could become
Crafters
Religious leaders
Government workers

8. System of Government
Organized into city-states (city & countryside around it)
King is in control

9. Skilled Workers/Scribes
Social Hierarchy
King
Priests
Skilled Workers/Scribes
Merchants & Traders
Farmers & Laborers
(Working Class)
Slaves

10. Highly Developed Culture
Writing – Cuneiform
Works of literature – poems & stories
Invented the wheel and plow
Statues of gods
Gold jewelry
People sang, danced & played musical instruments