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The Worlds First Civilization. By Christian Musil , Sam Blythe, David Northey , Muhanid Aldasoqi , and William Chia. Geography. Mesopotamia is located in the Tigris-Euphrates river valley They were located in what is now know as modern day Iraq
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The Worlds First Civilization By Christian Musil, Sam Blythe, David Northey, MuhanidAldasoqi, and William Chia
Geography • Mesopotamia is located in the Tigris-Euphrates river valley • They were located in what is now know as modern day Iraq • Mesopotamia in Greek means “between the rivers” This is a map of where the Mesopotamians were located.
War and Conflicts • There were many rival Mesopotamian civilizations that fought over many things such as territory • Mesopotamians fought often because of their geographical location • There were many gaps in the society
Technology • Agriculture • They transported on land with wheels • Used irrigation for water • Wrote in cuneiform • They traded through the Nile This is a picture of a wheel
Mesopotamian Society • The society was split into three basic ranks priests and government officials, normal citizens, slaves • Priests were ranked very high in Mesopotamian societies • Society changed depending on who was ruling at the time
Bureaucracy • Hammurabi’s Code of Laws • Based on the “eye for an eye” rule • For example, rule 195. If a son strike his father, his hand shall be hewn off. This is a picture of a part of Hammurabi’s Code of Laws
Mesopotamian Religion • Patron deities for each city • Figurines • There were many gods that they worshiped for such as the Gods of Sun, Sky, Earth, Water, and Storm
Economy • The Mesopotamians traded with many other societies including the Egyptians • They used the rivers to trade with other civilizations • They transported their goods on animals such as donkeys
Arts and Communication • Mesopotamians were able to convert their everyday conversations into cuneiform onto clay tablets • With cuneiform, Mesopotamians were able to record many things which made it possible for historians to learn about them today This is a clay tablet that has cuneiform, Mesopotamian writing, on it
Decline of Mesopotamia • Rival civilizations such as the Persian Empire were becoming more powerful • Famine, or scarcity of food • The people eventually disagreed to some of the orders that the Monarchy type of government asked for It is a picture of a crown to show that the Mesopotamian government was a Monarchy
Important Facts • Mesopotamia was the first civilization of the world • Mesopotamians were located in the Tigris-Euphrates river valley • The Mesopotamians traded with many other civilizations including Egypt • The Mesopotamians declined mainly because of rival civilizations • They created many important items useful for transportation such as the wheel
Citations • "Cunieform." Edsite. N.p., n.d. Web. 27 Sept. 2011. <http://edsitement.neh.gov/lesson-plan/cuneiform-writing-system-ancient-mesopotamia-emergence-and-evolution>. • "Foundations." Foundations. N.p., n.d. Web. 27 Sept. 2011. <http://history4us.wikispaces.com/Foundations>. • HARTMAN, L. F., et al. "Mesopotamia, Ancient." New Catholic Encyclopedia. 2nd ed. Vol. 9. Detroit: Gale, 2003. 525-538. Gale World History In Context. Web. 27 Sep. 2011. • “Mesopotamia." World History: Ancient and Medieval Eras. ABC-CLIO, 2011. Web. 27 Sept. 2011 • "Sumerians." CHW3M World History. Kevin Leibold , 2006. Web. 26 Sept. 2011.<http://www.markville.ss.yrdsb.edu.on.ca/projects/classof2008/chong2/leibold/sumerians.htm>. • Way of the World. Bostion: BEDFORD/ST.MARTIN'S, 2009. N. page. Print. • "Writing." Mesopotamian Writing. British Mueseum, n.d. Web. 27 Sept. 2011. <http://www.mesopotamia.co.uk/writing/home_set.html >.