Mesopotamia
The Cradle of Civilization
Where Was It?
Mesopotamia was located in the Middle East,
between the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers. The
name means “Land Between the Rivers.”
Tigris and Euphrates Rivers
River Valley Civilization
(brainstorm-discussion)
 What
are the advantages to settling near a
major river?
 What might be some advantages and
some disadvantages to living near two
rivers?
Tigris and Euphrates Rivers
Border countries
 Iran
 Jordan
 Kuwait
 Saudi Arabia
 Syria
 Turkey
Euphrates
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Longest River-Middle East (1,740 miles)
Origins-Turkey (eastern highlands)
40% is in Turkey
25% is in Syria
35% is in Iraq
Peak flow in April & May (melting mountain
snow)
Lowest level in August & September (need
water to irrigate crops)
Source for drinking water
Tigris
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(1,200 miles)
Origins-Turkey (Taurus Mts. of eastern
Turkey)
Tigris unites with the Euphrates near Basra,
Iraq.
Tigris is heavily dammed in Iraq and Turkey,
to provide water for irrigating the arid and
semi-desert regions bordering the river
valley.
Problems
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The people of
Mesopotamia often
fought against each
other for control of the
Tigris and Euphrates
Rivers.
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These problems
continue to this day!
River Conflicts
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The people of Turkey want to build dams along the rivers
for power and irrigation.
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Syria and Iraq also want to use the waters from these
rivers for power and irrigation.
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Arguments over water from these rivers have almost led
to wars and require much diplomacy among the three
countries.
Map of Tigris-Euphrates
Region (edible)
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Review the map with a blank overhead map. Have students respond in unison while you point to
the locations of the items. Divide students into cooperative pairs ( or individual). Provide each pair
with a blank map, a sheet of wax paper and two gloves (one for each student). Students should
be reminded of sanitary precautions to reduce the chance of germ transmission. Give each pair a
scoop of cookie dough from the recipe below. Dough should be shaped to cover the TigrisEuphrates Region. Items such as chocolate chips, raisins, skittles, M&M's, blue icing in the tubes
(for water), coconut (snow), candy sprinkles, sugar crystal (ice), etc. should be used to designate
the mountains, capitol, important cities, rivers, lakes, oceans, bordering countries, etc. (Send a
note home about 2 weeks in advance requesting parents to donate supplies including the small
bathroom cups to pour the chips, coconut, etc. into for each pair.)
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Cookie Dough Recipe:
2 cups peanut butter
2 cups light corn syrup (make sure there are no additives in the corn syrup)
2 and 1/2 cups powdered sugar
2 and 1/2 cups powdered milk
Mix together in a HEAVY DUTY food processor. No cooking is required. I had to triple the recipe
for 25 kids to make a 1/4 inch thick map that was smaller than a paper plate.
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Rubric/Map
Terms To Know
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City-state
Sumerians
civilization
Cuneiform
Hammurabi
Ur
Babylon
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Ziggurat
Hydroelectric power
Diplomacy
Dynasty
Famine
Silt
Fertile
Fertile Crescent Civilizations
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From 4000 to 1750 B.C.E. an area known as “The Fertile Crescent”
emerged. Three major early civilizations developed here.
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The first civilization to emerge was called Sumer. Around 3,000 B.C.E.
Sumerians established city states. Ur is one of the most famous, though
each developed as a separate ‘country’. From 3000-2000 B.C.E. there was
almost always some kind of warfare between the dynasties.
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Around 2350 B.C.E. Akkad defeated the city states of Sumer, thus
Sumer’s era began to fade out. The Akkadian Empire was the world’s first
true empire, which lasted about 200 years. It ended due to famines that
caused conflict in Akkadian society.
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Amorites invaded the area and established a capital at Babylon, a city that
reached its peak in 1750 B.C.E. These three civilizations have led us today
to refer to the region as ‘the Cradle of Civilization’.
Sumer
The first
city-state
Mesopotamia & Sumer
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‘There are two rivers that make up what the ‘The fertile
Crescent’. They are the Tigris and Euphrates rivers.
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The rivers flooded once a year and left thick mud. The
soil left behind after a flood is called silt. This soil was
good for farming, and gave surpluses that could be used
for trading.
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Around 3300 BCE a group of people called Sumerians
were attracted to the rich soil and settled the area.
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There were problems they faced, however. Over a long
period of time people learned to solve these problems.
Mesopotamia
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Problems
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Solutions
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Unpredictable flooding; land became desertlike if there was only a little rain.
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The Sumerians dug into the banks and
created irrigation canals that carried water to
fields. They could grow a surplus of crops.
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Villages and towns were on flat land with no
natural barriers ? very difficult to defend. In
the beginning there were no standing
armies.
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The Sumerians built mud-brick walls around
their cities for defense.
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They traded cloth, surplus grain, and crafter
tools with the people of the mountains and
deserts. In return they received stone, wood
and metals.
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Leaders were chosen to organize large labor
forces to plan and supervises major
projects. They had to see that they got raw
materials and could feed the workforce.
Laws were made to settle disputes about
land and water distribution .
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Sumerians had few resources available for
building and making tools.
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Sumerians had to develop agriculture,
continue digging out canals so that irrigation
could continue to work, build city walls and
temples (and deal with the problems of
completing major projects!). Land wasn’t so
free and available, and the quality or farm
land varied. Water was also sometimes
scarce, especially during dry seasons.
Mesopotamia:
Historical Importance
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Mesopotamia was considered the “cradle of civilization”
because it is where man first started to settle down.
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The fertile valley allowed early man to farm for the first
time.
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Because he could grow his own food, he could settle in
one place.
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Once man started settlements, all sorts of things started
happening!
Sumer
 The
people of Sumer were called
Sumerians.
 They developed a civilization around
3000 BC.
 The Sumerians were the first to:
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Develop
Develop
Develop
Develop
a system of writing (cuneiform)
a system of government
an organized religion
a system of laws
Developing Writing
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Cuneiform – wedgeshaped writing
developed by
Sumerians
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Scribes used reeds on
clay
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Began as “picture
writing,” then became
more standard
Cuneiform – wedge-shaped
writing developed by Sumerians
 Using
clay or other appropriate materials,
write a message about your Sumerian
Civilization.
Developing Government
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The first governments
were democratic.
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Over time, the people
became ruled by a king,
who was also head of
their religion.
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One of the most famous
kings was named
Hammurabi.
Organizing a Religion
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The Sumerians
worshipped many gods.
(Polytheistic)
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They developed astrology
as a way of learning
about their gods.
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They did not believe in a
life after death.
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Their religious temple
was called a ziggurat.
The famous ziggurat
at Ur.
The Epic of Gilgamesh
The Epic of Gilgamesh comes from the Sumerians. It is
one of the oldest written stories in the world. The story
is a legend about one of their kings.
Read a story from the
Epic of Gilgamesh
Developing Laws
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Sumerians developed a
system of law under King
Hammurabi.
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The Code of Hammurabi was
the first time a system of laws
was organized and written.
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The laws were the basis of
later laws and required “an
eye for an eye, a tooth for a
tooth.”
The Code of Hammurabi
 If
any one is committing a robbery and is
caught…
 he shall be put to death.
 If a slave say to his master: "You are not
my master," if they convict him
 his master shall cut off his ear.
The Code of Hammurabi
 Primary
 Report
Source Analysis (Groups)
Out!
 Individually:
Write a short persuasive
speech in support of your changes to
Hammurabi’s Code.
Persuasive Writing
 What
is persuasive writing?
Your point of view about the topic
Convince the audience v. Demanding
Detailed Reasons/Examples
Conclusion (Not THE END)
 Hamburger Model
 Rubric
Persuasive Writing
 Brainstorm
orally and written
 Rough Draft
 Confer/Revise
 Edit
 Final Copy
Student Presentations
 Persuasive
Speeches
(Hammurabi’s Code)
New Technologies
 Printing
cylinders
 Mathematics:
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A system based on 60
The 360° circle
 The
wheel
 Reinforced bricks for buildings
 The kiln (used to fire bricks)
 The game of checkers
The Babylonians
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Babylonia was created when the
countries of Sumer and Akkad
were brought together under
Hammurabi.
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The Babylonians continued to
develop a complex culture.
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The Hanging Gardens of
Babylon were one of the Seven
Wonders of the Ancient World.
A 16th century painting
depicting the Hanging
Gardens of Babylon, with the
Tower of Babel in the
background.