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Mesopotamia “Land Between the Rivers”

Mesopotamia “Land Between the Rivers”. Mrs. Walters 6 th Grade Social Studies. National Geographic for Kids – Mesopotamia. The Geography of Mesopotamia. Geography – the study of the Earth’s surface and the processes that shape it. Mesopotamia is known as the “ land between the rivers "

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Mesopotamia “Land Between the Rivers”

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  1. Mesopotamia“Land Between the Rivers” Mrs. Walters 6th Grade Social Studies National Geographic for Kids – Mesopotamia

  2. The Geography of Mesopotamia • Geography – the study of the Earth’s surface and the processes that shape it. • Mesopotamiais known asthe“land between the rivers" • Mesopotamia comes from the Greek words: • meso = middle and potamos = river or middle of the river(s) • Mesopotamia lies between the Tigris and Euphrates rivers. • Mesopotamia is part of the Fertile Crescent, a region in SW Asia that was the site of the world’s 1st civilizations.

  3. Fertile Crescent Tigris River Euphrates River

  4. The Geography of Mesopotamia • The Fertile Crescent is a hot & dry desert region that receives very little rainfall throughout the year. • Each year the Tigris and Euphrates River would flood, the flooding left fertile soil in the floodplain. • The first people began to settle near the water source of the Tigris and Euphrates rivers in the floodplains of the Fertile Crescent around 8000 B.C. • The region of the ancient Mesopotamia is now a part of what is known as modern day Iraq.

  5. Mesopotamia / Iraq

  6. Human-Environment Interactions • The people in the region learned to adapt/change their environment… • Problem: • Land to dry for farming • Control the Tigris & Euphrates rivers • Solution: • invention of irrigation • canals • dams & levees • EFFECT: Farming was successful and created a surplus of food. The food surplus led to the development of the 1st civilizations and the building of cities in Mesopotamia around 3500 B.C.

  7. Population Growth • Having a surplus of food, affected the size of families • Larger families brought rapid population growth • Scientist estimate 10,000 ago there were 5 million people (amount of people living in Minnesota today) • By 7000 years ago, they believe it was 20 million people

  8. Timeline Update 1st settlement in the Fertile Crescent / Farming Discovered 8000 B.C. 3500 B.C. 1st civilization in Fertile Crescent

  9. The 1st Cities • By 3500 B.C. Mesopotamia had a number of cities developing in the region of Sumer. This group of people to 1st inhabit the region were known as the Sumerians. • The Sumerians learned to control the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers, domesticate plants and animals, and built walled cities using mud and reeds from the rivers to make bricks and boats. Did not always happen same time every year and would cause death. • The Sumerians were the first to build cities and establish a civilization this part of the world. • The Sumerian cities were separated by long distances, which made it difficult to unite under a single ruler. • EFFECT = Development of city-states. (Sumer, Ur, Uruk) • BrainPop – Sumerians

  10. City-States • Formed along the Tigres and Euphrates Rivers • They each had their own form of government • The people worshiped different gods • The each eventually had their own kings • They all shared the same culture and language

  11. Public squares w/ merchants, marketplaces, outdoor stalls. In streets: musicians, acrobats, beggars, water sellers. For fee, scribes write/read letters. Houses face inner courtyards. Hot nights, people sleep outside on flat roofs. Oil lamps for lights. Sumerian Cities

  12. Sumerians Writing first began in Sumerian cities. The first schools were set up in Sumer over 4,000 years ago. Sumerian schools taught boys the new invention of writing. Those who graduated became professional writers called scribes. Scribes were the only people who could keep records for the kings and priests. Boys that wanted to be scribes had to attend school from the age of 8 to the age of 20. Remember, Sumer is the region where the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers meet.

  13. Sumerian Writing Scribes used a sharp point called a stylus to etch words into clay tablets. These tablets have been discovered by archaeologists and looked at by historians.

  14. Sumerian Religious Traditions • The Sumerians practiced polytheism; the belief in many gods and goddesses. • In Greek Poly = “many” & Theism = “belief in a god or gods” • They believed that the universe was ruled by these gods, who had human features and personalities and represented various natural elements in life.

  15. Sumerian Religious Traditions • Each Sumerian city-state had its own patron god to whom the citizens paid respect. • Temples, known as ziggurats, were built in the cities to honor and house each city's deity. United States military troops climbing a ziggurat in the ancient city of Ur

  16. Sumerian Religion • Sumerian Temples - religious, social economic activities happen. • Ziggurat - pyramid made of terraces on top of each other with ramps, stairs. More than 7 stories high. At the top is a Shrine. • Sumerians believe gods come to earth using ziggurat as stairway.

  17. Sumerian Religious Traditions • Religion in Mesopotamia gave the world its first myths. • Mesopotamian mythology was a series of repeated stories that explained the people’s beliefs in the gods and was the backbone of Sumerian religion. • Myths warned Sumerians that the gods would punish people who angered them & promised rewards to those that served the gods well. • A large part of a person’s day was spent in the performing of rituals and honoring the gods in religious ceremonies. • Sumerians washed statues of the gods, offered meals to the gods, and played music for the gods.

  18. Sumerian Religious Traditions • The key gods of the Sumerians were; • An - god of heaven • Enki - god of water • Ki - god of earth • Enlil - god of air • These main gods were believed to have created the rules of Sumerian society to which all people were expected to follow.

  19. Sumerian Religious Traditions An Enki

  20. Sumerian Religious Traditions Ki Enlil

  21. Sumerian Religion Activity • Create a Thinking Map that describes Sumerian religion. • 4 Primary Bubbles – 4 Secondary Bubbles Polytheism Ziggurat Belief in many gods. Sumerian Religion Temple built to honor the gods. Deity

  22. The Fall of Sumer • The wealth of Sumer led to fall of the empire as each Sumerian city-state fought each other over land, trade, and the use of river water from the Tigris & Euphrates. • Around 2300 B.C. Sumer was conquered by the Akkadians. • Akkaia’s king, King Sargon united the Sumerian city-states and improved the government and military for about 100 years. • Sumer eventually fell to the northern rival, Babylonia in the late 1700’s B.C.

  23. Timeline Update 1st settlement in the Fertile Crescent / Farming Discovered 8000 B.C. Akkadia conquers Sumer 2300 B.C. 3500 B.C. 1st civilization in Fertile Crescent

  24. The Empires of Mesopotamia • “You go and carry off the enemy’s land; the enemy comes and carries off your land.” • What DO YOU think this quote means? • The empire that controlled Mesopotamia had great wealth from trade and agriculture. • The biggest and most successful Mesopotamian civilizations were the empires of Babylonia and Assyria.

  25. The Empires of Mesopotamia Sumerians (ancient Sumer’s city-states) King Sargon (3000 B.C. - 1700 B.C.) 2. Babylonians (Babylonian Empire) King Hammurabi (1700 B.C. - 1200 B.C.) Assyrians (Assyrian Empire) (1200 B.C. - 612 B.C.) 4. Persians (Persian Empire) (539 B.C. - 330 B.C.)

  26. The Empires of Mesopotamia

  27. The Empires of Mesopotamia • The Babylonian king, King Hammurabi created the Babylonian empire uniting the largest Mesopotamian cities of Sumer. • Under Hammurabi, Babylon created a system of roads that made travel easier, improved communications and encouraged trade. • Caravans of traders would travel from each of the city-states to trade in Babylon. • In the city’s bazaars, traders and shoppers could obtain cloth from India, spices from Egypt, jewelry, and food. • Trade and conquest made Babylon a very rich and powerful empire in Mesopotamia.

  28. The Empires of Mesopotamia • In time the Babylonian Empire fell to the Assyrians, then to the Chaldeans. Each time an empire fell, the people of the empire were exiled. • Under the Chaldean rule, Babylon rose again, and a New Babylonian Empire was established under King Nebuchadnezzar (neb you kud NEZ ur). • Under King Nebuchadnezzar, Babylon became the center of learning and science. • Charted the stars, measured the length of a year, and farmers raised “the flies that collect honey.” • New Babylon fell in 539 B.C. to the Persians.

  29. Mesopotamia Social ClassesSocial Pyramid Deities Ruler Priests & Soldiers Scribes, Merchants, & Artisans Farmers (largest social class)

  30. Timeline Update 1st settlement in the Fertile Crescent / Farming Discovered 8000 B.C. 539 B.C. – 330 B.C. Persian Empire Akkadia conquers Sumer 2300 B.C. Assyrian Empire 1200 B.C. – 612 B.C. 1700 B.C. – 1200 B.C. Babylonian Empire 612 B.C. – 539 B.C. Chaldeans defeat the Assyrians & New Babylon Empire established 3500 B.C. 1st civilization in Fertile Crescent

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