1. Geography of the Fertile Crescent
Chapter 2
Geography of the Fertile Crescent

2. Tigris and Euphrates Rivers
These 1)rivers have several smaller rivers which feed into the system.
The area is known as 2)Mesopotamia.
As part of the larger 3)Fertile Crescent, it saw the earliest 4)urban civilization.
It is often called the “5)Cradle of Civilization".

3. Irrigation in Mesopotamia
The 6)irrigation systems of Mesopotamia were different from ones in modern day
They had some major components:
7)Canals
8)Gated ditches
9)Levees
10)Gates

4. Irrigation in Mesopotamia
This invention had two main purposes –
To 11)protect Mesopotamia from the threat of 12)flooding
Provide 13)water into areas that were not close to the rivers 14)edge.

5. Benefits of Irrigation
(15)Surplus (having more than you need) of food
Division of Labor provided for:
(16)Quicker work
(17)Better work
(18)Specialized Work
(19)Structure and Rules

6. Mind Map Your Topic is Irrigation Use all 6 bubbles
Make sure to use less than 4 words or a picture.

7. Sumer
The word means “20)land of the civilized lords" or “21)native land"
Located in the region of southern 22)Mesopotamia(mod ern Iraq)
It was first settled between 23)4500 and BC
They drained the marshes for 24)agriculture

8. Sumer Developed 25)trade Established industries including: 26)Weaving
27)Leatherwork
28)Metalwork
29)Masonry
30)Pottery

9. Mind Map Your Topic is Sumer Use all 6 bubbles
Make sure to use less than 4 words or a picture.
Brain Pop-Sumerians

10. Growth of the City State
The Sumer people were 31)farmers
Around 32)2000 BC people moved into 33)cities.
Combining the rural and 34)urban centers we see the rise of 35)city states.

11. Gilgamesh The fifth king of (36)Uruk
According to the Sumerian king list he reigned for (37)126 years
The (38)Epic of Gilgamesh is the oldest written story on Earth.
It was originally written on 12 (39)clay tablets

12. Gilgamesh
It is about the (40)adventures of the historical King of (41)Uruk
These stories were the first written (42)mythology.
Video

13. Mind Map Your Topic is Gilgamesh Use all 4 bubbles
Make sure to use less than 4 words or a picture.

14. Sumerian Religions They practiced 43)polytheism (many gods)
They worshipped a god named 44)An as their primary god.
The 45)gods each had associations with different 46)cities
Their religious 47)importance often changed according to how power the 48)cities were.

15. Sumerian Religions
The 49)gods were said to have created human beings from 50)clay.
They often expressed their 51)anger and frustration through 52)earthquakes and storms.
The 53)religion seemed to imply that humanity was at the 54)mercy of the gods.

16. Ziggurats
The 55)ziggurats were not places for public worship or 56)ceremonies.
They were believed to be 57)dwelling places for the gods.
Only 58)priests were permitted inside.
It was their 59)responsibility to care for the gods and attend to their 60)needs
As a result the 61)priests were very powerful members of 62)Sumerian society.

17. Mind Map Your Topic is Sumerian Religion Use all 6 bubbles
Make sure to use less than 4 words or a picture.