1. Fertile Crescent

2. I. The Land Between the Rivers
One of the world’s first farming communities developed in the Fertile Crescent in Asia.
Land lies between the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers
Greeks called it Mesopotamia
Present-day – Southwest Asia known as the Middle East
Tigris and Euphrates Rivers flow southeast emptying into the Persian Gulf
Area’s climate – usually hot and dry, and rains are unpredictable
The rivers were important because they were the only source of water for drinking, farming, and washing.
Prayed to gods for rain and good crops

3. Map Skill:
Location: Into what body of water do the Tigris and Euphrates flow?
Persian Gulf

4. How did the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers affect the people of Mesopotamia?
Drinking
Farming
Washing
Travel
Trade

5. II. Life in Mesopotamia Learned how to direct water Used irrigation
Built canals and dams which were used to collect water in ponds for storage
Built levees to prevent flooding
Some of the first laws dealt with sharing water.
Used simple tools to farm – wooden plows and hoes
Grew – wheat, barley, dates, onions, and other crops

6. Used geography to their advantage
Farmed
Caught fish in the rivers
Rivers provided mud for building houses
Used valuable resource of wood to make plows and furniture
Invented the potter’s wheel – used for pottery

7. A. Animals Go To Work Animals were used for food and other goods.
Sheep – supplied meat and wool for clothing
Cattle – used for meat and skin made leather
Trained to carry goods and pull plows

8. B. Trade and Crafts
Rich soil, hard work, and new irrigation techniques helped to produce a surplus of crops
Surplus led to trade.
Travel to other villages
Allowed specialization in crafts, making baskets, cloth, and pottery
Villages became centers of trading and crafting.

9. How did geography affect the way people lived in Mesopotamia?
Irrigate crops
Build levees
Brought fish
Brought mud and reeves for building homes

10. Let’s Become a Farmer
Geography Challenge

11. III. Civilizations in Sumer
By 3,000 B.C. villages turned into large cities.
The region near the Persian Gulf became known as Sumer.
Developed city-states
Had own government
Strict social class systems – certain groups of people held the same positions in society

12. Kings, priests, government officials Farmers, traders, Craftspeople slaves

13. A. Religion in Sumer
Practiced polytheism - the belief in many gods and goddesses
Father of the gods – An
Inanna - goddess of love and war
Important god - Enki - god of water
ziggurat or “mountain of god” - main building in each Sumerian city
A temple stood at the top of each ziggurat
Sumerian believed priests could communicate with the gods and goddesses.

14. B. Sumerian Empire
Sumer’s most powerful city-states tried to gain control of the area for years.
2300 B.C - Sargon - king of the city-state of Akkad succeeded
Created the first empire in World history
Ruled for 56 years

15. C. Sumerian Inventions Made discoveries
Writing- cuneiform or wedge-shaped marks
Could record laws and important events
Marks were pressed into wet clay tablets and then the tablets were baked in the sun until dry.
Edubbas or “tablet houses” – schools
Wealthy boys went to school
Studied math, music, etc.
Official record-keepers were scribes

16. Other inventions Irrigation Pottery Wagon wheel Sailboat measurement
Calendar
Time

17. How did Sumerian inventions affect life in Mesopotamia?
Improved life in Sumer
Made it possible to keep accurate records
Measure time
Improve transportation