1. The First Civilizations:

2. The Fertile Crescent:

3. Land Between Two Rivers  In what is now Iraq, two rivers offered fertile soil, good for farming.  The land between the Tigris & Euphrates rivers is known as the Fertile Crescent, this is where the first human civilizations began to flourish.  The Greeks called this area Mesopotamia, or land “between the rivers”. Page 37  In what is now Iraq, two rivers offered fertile soil, good for farming.  The land between the Tigris & Euphrates rivers is known as the Fertile Crescent, this is where the first human civilizations began to flourish.  The Greeks called this area Mesopotamia, or land “between the rivers”. Page 37

4. Rivers of Life  The Tigris & Euphrates often overflowed, when snow on mountains to the north melted--providing silt to fertilize the soil-- but these floods were unpredictable.  Large-scale farming worked, only after irrigation and drainage ditches made it possible to control the floods.  The ability to grow large amounts of food made the emergence of civilization in Mesopotamia possible. Pages 37-38  The Tigris & Euphrates often overflowed, when snow on mountains to the north melted--providing silt to fertilize the soil-- but these floods were unpredictable.  Large-scale farming worked, only after irrigation and drainage ditches made it possible to control the floods.  The ability to grow large amounts of food made the emergence of civilization in Mesopotamia possible. Pages 37-38

6. Peoples of Mesopotamia Mesopotamia was not a united kingdom, people or culture, but included three different areas: Assyria Akkad Sumer Sumerians were the first Mesopotamian people to flourish. Page 38

7. City-States of Mesopotamia  Nobody knows where the Sumerians came from, but by 3000 B.C. many independent cities popped up around southern Mesopotamia, including:  Ur  Eridu  Uruk  Each Sumerian city was its own separate kingdom, with unique laws and traditions.  City-States were the basic unit of Sumerian civilization Page 38  Nobody knows where the Sumerians came from, but by 3000 B.C. many independent cities popped up around southern Mesopotamia, including:  Ur  Eridu  Uruk  Each Sumerian city was its own separate kingdom, with unique laws and traditions.  City-States were the basic unit of Sumerian civilization Page 38

8. Right: The lands of Mesopotamia as they were in 2500 B.C.; including Akkad, Sumer and Assyria (Assur) Left: The Fertile Crescent with red lines indicating the boarders of today’s nations of Iraq, Jordan, Israel, Syria, Lebanon, Turkey and Iran

9. The Sumerians

10. Sumerian Cities  Cities in Sumer were surrounded by walls  Walls and buildings were built of sun-dried bricks and mud  Sumerian contributions to architecture include arches and domes. Page 39  Cities in Sumer were surrounded by walls  Walls and buildings were built of sun-dried bricks and mud  Sumerian contributions to architecture include arches and domes. Page 39

11. Sumerian Religion Page 39  Sumerians were polytheistic, meaning they believed in many gods and goddesses  Sumerian cities were believed to belong to the favorite god of the people living there  Temples, were the most prominent buildings in these cities, and were placed atop massive towers called a ziggurat  Sumerians were polytheistic, meaning they believed in many gods and goddesses  Sumerian cities were believed to belong to the favorite god of the people living there  Temples, were the most prominent buildings in these cities, and were placed atop massive towers called a ziggurat

12. Religion & Government  Sumerians not only believed cities belonged to a god, but the gods were thought to govern city-states by divine authority--this form of rule is known as theocracy  Sumerians believed their kings’ authority came straight from the gods  Rich people built elaborate temples and houses for the city priests and priestesses Page 39  Sumerians not only believed cities belonged to a god, but the gods were thought to govern city-states by divine authority--this form of rule is known as theocracy  Sumerians believed their kings’ authority came straight from the gods  Rich people built elaborate temples and houses for the city priests and priestesses Page 39

13. Sumerian Economy & Society Page 40  Sumerian economies were based mostly on farming, but trade and industry were also important.  Sumerian traded their metal work, woolen textiles, food stuffs and pottery in exchange for timber, copper and tin.  Society was divided into three groups: nobles, commoners and slaves Page 40  Sumerian economies were based mostly on farming, but trade and industry were also important.  Sumerian traded their metal work, woolen textiles, food stuffs and pottery in exchange for timber, copper and tin.  Society was divided into three groups: nobles, commoners and slaves

14. World Changer: The Written Word Around 3000 B.C. the Sumerians created a system of writing Cuneiform, was a style of writing words, using a reed stylus to leave impressions on wet clay tablets left in the sun to dry The dry tablets lasted a very long time Around 3000 B.C. the Sumerians created a system of writing Cuneiform, was a style of writing words, using a reed stylus to leave impressions on wet clay tablets left in the sun to dry The dry tablets lasted a very long time