1. The First River Valley Civilization
Mesopotamia
The First River Valley Civilization

2. 4 River Civilizations

3. Mesopotamia (3500 BC- 1600 BC) Mesopotamia = “Land between two rivers”
Tigris and Euphrates Rivers
Flooding = fertile soil
Sumerians arrived and begin irrigation
1A 2A 16AB

4. 16ABC

6. Geography

7. The Fertile Crescent

8. Fertile Crescent
16ABC

9. Agriculture Irrigation= water diverted to the land
Farming and settlement flourished
Food supply increased
allowed for activates other than farming
Potters, weavers, metal workers, warriors, priests 1A

11. Religion Polytheistic = believing in many gods 2,000 gods
World’s oldest faiths
Sumerian rulers = priests
Theocracy = society governed by religious leaders
2AB

12. Religion Ziggurats = stepped-pyramid temple Temple to please the gods
Center of each city
2AB

14. 16ABC

15. Achievements Sumerians the wheel and sailboat
Tools and weapons of copper and bronze
12-month calendar
2AB 16B 27A

16. Achievements Cuneiform = world’s earliest writing system
Symbol writing on clay tablets
The elite could read and write in cuneiform
Priests and scribes
2B 16B 27A

17. Sumerian Society Pyramid
Kings and Priests
Wealthy merchants
Ordinary Sumerian people
Slaves

18. King Hammurabi 1792-1750 BC Babylonian Empire reaches its peak
number system based on “60”
Code of Hammurabi = a written, uniform code of law
Ensure justice and protect the weak
stable and predictable
Judiciary system as part of govt
1A 2A 20B