1. Mesopotamian Religion ►L►L►L►Legend: a story retold from the past that is widely accepted as true. ►M►M►M►Mesopotamian gods were ANTHROPOMORPHIC (They looked like human beings) and since there were many of them, their religion was POLYTHEISTIC. (Many gods) ►E►E►E►Each of the four main city-states adopted one another’s gods and added their own, believing that they lived in the sky or on high mountains. They also believed that they came down to visit earth. ►T►T►T►To house them, high temples called ziggurats were built.

6. Social Organization the king The Priests The Scribes Merchants and Artisans The Common People The Slaves

7. ►P►P►P►Priests were influential because religion was key. They also ran the schools where scribes were trained. ►S►S►S►Scribes, usually sons of the wealthy, could read and write. ►M►M►M►Merchants & Artisans were traders and craft makers. ►C►C►C►Common People were farmers. ►S►S►S►Slaves were labourers with only one name and no rights. * if a slave was injured, the master received the compensation – not the slave *

8. Everyday Life The Family ► Fathers were the master and owner of everything. They could use their children to pay off debts. ► Women had more rights in Mesopotamia than anywhere else… they could even own land or run a business! ► Monogamy (having only one wife) was the norm, but some men would keep secondary wives (concubines) around the house. Education ► Wealthy boys would attend school from sunrise to sunset after the age of eight. ► Beatings were common.

9.  Read pages 58-61 and answer #1 and #4 on pg. 61.  Compare and contrast the lives, education, differences between classes, and building techniques, of ancient Mesopotamia (and the roles of men/women, the wealthy/common) to that of today (or the last couple generations here).

10. Mesopotamian Economy The first to use animals and build dams and canals to control the floods, agriculture was the key to Mesopotamian success. 1/3 of a farmers food went to the ziggurats to feed to gods. 1/3 went to the king. The final 1/3 was theirs, but they were taxed on the profits! Trade was conducted mostly by boats traveling up and down the Tigris and Euphrates rivers.

11. Literature (a stylus) Cuneiform was spread far and wide with the great traders who used it to keep records of sales and purchases. Mosaics were often used to tell a story as well. (see page 69) Relief carvings were also an important art form. ( A sculpture in which figures stand out from the surface on which they are cut. )

12. Relief carvings