ANCIENT CIVILIZATIONS

ANCIENT CIVILIZATIONS The Fertile Crescent

Land Between Two Rivers • Students will: • Find out how geography made the rise of civilization in the Fertile Crescent possible. • Learn about Sumer‘s first cities. • Learn about the two most important empires in Mesopotamia.

Land Between Two Rivers • Essential Question: • What were the beginnings of human society? • How has geography shaped the patterns of history?

Farming in Mesopotamia You’re going to create a Mesopotamian Farming manual • You will have a total of 6 steps, describe the steps in order and next to each description draw a picture that represents the step. • Take 15 minutes to find steps and draw an illustration

Steps to Farming in Mesopotamia • Local officials decided when to open flood gates • Animals grazed in soil to trample ground and eat weeds

Steps • Local officials decide when to let water flow onto crops • Farmers let animals graze in soil to trample and eat weeds. • Farmers break up the soil using hand tools • Spread seeds and plow • Plant seeds • Harvest the plants

VocabularyMesopotamia: The Development of Written Language city-state Definition: A self-governing state consisting of a city and surrounding territory Context: Nippur was the most important city-state in Sumer. demon Definition: An evil spirit Context: According to Sumerian legend, Gilgamesh killed the demon Huwawa with the help of the sun god.

VocabularyMesopotamia: The Development of Written Language epic Definition: A long poem telling the deeds of a hero and often centering on the ideals of a nation or culture Context: The Epic of Gilgamesh teaches us to enjoy the time we have on Earth. immortality Definition: The quality or state of having an endless life Context: Gilgamesh was unable to achieve immortality, but he was able to leave behind a legacy through the work he had done during his lifetime. Mesopotamia Definition: An ancient land located where we find the modern country of Iraq Context: Mesopotamia means, “land between the rivers” and got its name because it was located between the Tigris and Euphrates rivers.

VocabularyMesopotamia: The Development of Written Language scribe Definition: A person paid to write, especially in ancient times Context: Mesopotamian scribes worked closely with the priests and kings. stylus Definition: A hard, pointed writing tool cut from a reed Context: Sumerian scribe wrote with styluses they made from reeds. Sumerians Definition: Residents of Sumer, a region of the ancient land of Mesopotamia Context: The Sumerians developed many inventions, such as the wheel and the plow.

VocabularyMesopotamia: The Development of Written Language Nippur Definition: A major city-state in the ancient Sumerian region of Mesopotamia Context: Nippur was a busy trading center in Sumer and its most important religious city. tablet Definition: A flat slab – often of clay or stone – suitable for an inscription Context: The Sumerians etched symbols into wet clay tablets to create a permanent document of their activities.

Ancient Mesopotamia Writing • The Sumerians developed the first form of writing. • As Sumerian towns grew into cities, the people needed a way to keep track of business transactions, ownership rights, and government records. • Around 3300 BC the Sumerians began to use picture symbols marked into clay tablets to keep their records

Ancient Mesopotamia Writing • Clay Tablets • Writing was inscribed on clay tablets. • Scribes would take a stylus (a stick made from a reed) and press the lines and symbols into soft, moist clay. • Once they were done, they would let the clay harden and they had a permanent record.

Ancient Mesopotamia Writing • CuneiformThe initial writing of the Sumerians utilized simple pictures or pictograms. • The writing of the Sumerians further developed to include sounds and meanings. • Scribes would use the stylus to make wedge shaped marks in the clay. • This type of writing is called cuneiform writing, which means "wedge-shaped".

Write Like a Babylonian

Take Quiz Mesopotamia Writing

QuestionsMesopotamia: The Development of Written Language • What was the importance of scribes in Mesopotamia? • Why did the scribes have greater access to the priests and kings than other people in the city-states? • How long did it take to train a scribe? • What is the name of the training school where scribes learn how to write?

VocabularyMesopotamia: From Nomads to Farmers ancestors Definition: People in one’s family, from whom one is descended Context: Your ancestors include your grandparents, great grandparents, and great-great grandparents. domestication Definition: The taming of wild animals to use for farming or to be kept as pets Context: The domestication of sheep and goats helped the Mesopotamians become farmers. .

VocabularyMesopotamia: From Nomads to Farmers . journal Definition: A record of personal experiences and thoughts kept on a regular basis Context: Writing a journal can help you understand yourself. levee Definition: Earthen dams constructed to hold back floodwaters Context: A levee system helped the Mesopotamians farm their most fertile land. Mesopotamia Definition: An ancient land located where we find the modern country of Iraq Context: Mesopotamia means, “land between the rivers” and got its name because it was located between the Tigris and Euphrates rivers.

VocabularyMesopotamia: From Nomads to Farmers Sumerians Definition: Residents of Sumer, a region of the ancient land of Mesopotamia Context: Sumerians developed a culture whose members farmed and traded instead of hunting and gathering to make a living. Tigris River Definition: One of the rivers that borders what was the land of Mesopotamia Context: The Tigris River bordered Mesopotamia to the east. Euphrates River Definition: One of the rivers that borders what was the land of Mesopotamia. Context: The Euphrates River bordered Mesopotamia to the west. .

QuestionsMesopotamia: From Nomads to Farmers • Why did the ancient Sumerians look for new ways to produce their food? • How did growing crops and domesticating animals like sheep and goats allow the Sumerians to build cities and live in one place all year long? • What does the word “Mesopotamia” mean? • Between which rivers did Mesopotamia lie? • Why did the soil of the Mesopotamian region of Sumer grow such good crops? • What problem at first made farming difficult there and how did the Sumerians solve it?

QuestionsMesopotamia: From Nomads to Farmers • In what other way did the Sumerians control the rivers? • What important farming tool did the Sumerians invent? • What else did the Mesopotamians invent? • What do we call their system of writing? • What tools did the Mesopotamians use for writing? • What did the Sumerians put into writing before any other society? • What was the name of the temple where Sumerians believed their gods lived? • Of what material were the houses in Sumerian cities made?

Babylonia and Assyria • Students will: • Find out how geography made the rise of civilization in the Fertile Crescent possible. • Learn about Sumer‘s first cities. • Learn about the two most important empires in Mesopotamia.

Babylonia and Assyria Have the students create a Venn Diagram • List appropriate details in the “Babylonia” circle. • List appropriate details in the “Assyrians” circle.

Babylonia and Assyria In your own words define the following words – Empire, Caravan, Bazaar • Have the students create a Venn Diagram • List appropriate details in the “Babylonia” circle. • List appropriate details in the “Assyrians” circle.

Babylonia v. Assyria Venn DiagramMesopotamia Empires Babylonia Assyria

The Legacy of Mesopotamia • Essential Question: • What were the beginnings of human society? • How has geography shaped the patterns of history?

The Legacy of Mesopotamia In this section you will learn of the advances made by the Mesopotamians, including the art of writing. Think about how your lives would different without writing.

Writing Activity

Mediterranean Civilizations • Essential Question: • What were the beginnings of human society? • How has geography shaped the patterns of history?

Mediterranean Civilizations What happens to a story as it is retold over a long period of time? What important development changed the way stories were told?

The Fertile Crescent Summary • Stretching from the coast of the Mediterranean Sea in present day Israel to the Persian Gulf, the Fertile Crescent was the birthplace of many early civilizations. • The Tigris and Euphrates Rivers provided ideal conditions for human settlement, with the first civilizations rising in Mesopotamia, or the land between the rivers.

Land Between Two Rivers • Mesopotamia lay between the Tigris and Euphrates rivers. These two rivers and the rich, fertile soil drew people to the region. • The early people of Mesopotamia became farmers and then builders of cities. The most successful and advanced cities were the city-states of Sumer.

Babylonia and Assyria • After the fall of Sumer, the biggest and most important civilizations were the empires of Babylonia and Assyria. • These civilizations built grand cities where culture and learning were highly valued.

The Legacy of Mesopotamia • The Mesopotamians were probably the first to develop two of the key components of almost all civilizations—a system of writing and a set of written laws.

Mediterranean Civilizations • Phoenicia developed into a great sea power with trade routes throughout the Mediterranean region. • These trade routes brought great wealth and knowledge to the Phoenicians. • The Phoenicians developed a system of writing with an alphabet of 22 letters. This alphabet formed the basis of the alphabets that many nations use today.

ReviewThe Fertile Crescent • Students will: • Found out how geography made the rise of civilization in the Fertile Crescent possible. • Learn about Sumer‘s first cities. • Learn about the two most important empires in Mesopotamia.

ReviewThe Fertile Crescent • Essential Question: • What were the beginnings of human society? • How has geography shaped the patterns of history?

ANCIENT CIVILIZATIONS