1. Mesopotamia
“Between the Rivers”

2. Location: Mesopotamia
Built along the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers in what is now Iraq and Syria
Began around 4500 BC and is the first civilization EVER!
Also known as the fertile crescent.

3. Region

4. Awesome Farmers
Created Irrigation Systems and Dikes to control flooding and to water their crops.
Crops consisted of grain products such as wheat and barley.
They created a 12-month calendar to predict when to plant and harvest and also to predict flooding.
Allowed them to settle.

5. Farming

6. Inventions

7. Government controlled by religion.
Theocracy- Government in which the King is also the religious leader.
The priest-kings had absolute power.
City-state- made up of the city and lands around it. (Like Hays County)

8. Hierarchy

9. First Ever Writing System
Cuneiform
Created by the Sumerians.
Written with a wooden triangular shaped stick in the form of hundreds of different wedge shaped markings.
Allowed leaders to communicate from a distance and record history more efficiently.

10. Written Language

11. Sumerian Temple and surrounding city
City - States
Sumer
Located near the Persian Gulf.
The earliest city-state.
Sumerians created cuneiform style of writing.
Sumerian Temple and surrounding city

12. Society

13. City - States Akkad : War like tribe
Conquered several city-states and Sumer to create the first empire.
First group to try and conquer lands for power and dominance.

14. City - States LAW = CONTROL Babylon
Hammurabi was a king who created Hammurabi’s Code, to establish justice and fairness to the idea of law. This was the first written laws ever. ex: Eye for an Eye.
Babylonians also contributed the to the field of mathematics by developing a number system based on 60
60 minutes in an hour.
60 second minute
360 degree circle
LAW = CONTROL

15. City - States Phoenicia : Sailers Part of what is today Lebanon.
They were traders who spread many ideas and their culture.
Traded with Romans, Greeks and Africans, including Ancient Egyptians.
Well known for ship building and sailing.