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Land Between Two Rivers: The Fertile Crescent

Explore the ancient civilization of Mesopotamia, located in present-day Iraq, which thrived between the Tigris and Euphrates rivers. Learn about the cities, religion, and influence on other religions. Discover the significance of the Fertile Crescent, where the world's first civilization emerged.

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Land Between Two Rivers: The Fertile Crescent

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  1. Chapter 2 The Fertile Crescent

  2. Section 1Land Between Two Rivers

  3. Present Day Iraq What 2 rivers? • Mesopotamia – Greek = between 2 rivers • Tigris • Euphrates • Make up the Fertile Crescent – region in Southwest Asia that was the site of the world’s 1st civilization • Named that because it is shaped like a crescent moon • Great area to farm

  4. Good rivers…Bad rivers • Spring – snow in mountains melted = rushing water with topsoil in it – floods = rich soil = farming • Also provide: • Fish • Clay for buildings • Reeds for boats • Floods not same time - water sweeping away: • People • Animals • Houses • Crops

  5. Lets Start Cities • Farming success = surplus of food = cities • By 3500 B.C. earliest known cities grew • In region of Sumer

  6. How did the cities work? • Cities shared a common language & culture • No single ruler • Stayed independent – city-states – a city that is also a separate, independent state • In Sumer each had their own: • god or goddess • Army • Government • king

  7. What did they look like? • Public square – busy • Where all the action in the city took place • Merchants display goods • Musicians, acrobats, beggars, water sellers in streets • For a fee scribes – professional writers, would read and write letters • Houses faced away from crowded streets onto inner courtyards – families ate and children played • Hot nights – slept on flat roofs • Oil lamps - light

  8. What about religion? • At center of every city – ziggurat – temple to main gods or goddesses of the city • Made of terraces one on top of the other • Steps and ramps linked each level • At top – shrine • They thought gods used it as a way to get to Earth • Believed in many gods – polytheism • Poly = many in Greek • Theism = belief in a god or gods • Myth – stories about gods that explained people’s beliefs – warned gods would punish • Those who angered them • Also promised rewards

  9. Ziggurats

  10. What did they do for the gods? • Honor them with religious ceremonies • Priests washed statues before and after each meal offered to them • Incense burned • Huge plates of food – then food eaten by people • They would gain qualities of those goods

  11. Bye-Bye Sumer • Its wealth was the down fall • City-states fought over land and use of river water • 2300 B.C. Sumer conquered by Akkad – area near by • King Sargon united the Sumerian city-states • Improved government and military • 100 years later fell apart again • After 2000 B.C. no longer major power • Fell to Babylonia in 1700 B.C.

  12. Influence on other religions • Has influenced Christianity and Islam • Same geographic region • Monotheistic • Honor Abraham, Moses, and other prophets • Same moral point of view

  13. Elements www.animationfactory.com

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