Content: Mesopotamia: The Cradle of
Civilization
Villages in Mesopotamia grew into large
cities . The people of Mesopotamia had to
solve a series of problems in order to live
successfully in their challenging environment.
These cities eventually grew into civilized
empires with stable food supplies, social
structures, governments, religion, arts,
technology and written languages.
 Sumerian Empire
 Akkadian Empire
 Babylonian Empire
 Assyrian Empire
 Neo -Babylonian Empire
Ancient Civilizations Grade 7 Learning Standards:
7.6 Identify the characteristics of civilizations. (H,G,E)
 The presence of geographic boundaries and political institutions
 An economy that produces food surpluses
 A concentration of a population in distinct areas or cities
 The existence of social classes
 Developed systems of religion, learning, art, and architecture
 A system of record keeping
7.7 Locate the Tigris and Euphrates rivers, Sumer, Babylon, and Assyria on a historical map
and explain why this area is sometimes called the Fertile Crescent. On a modern map of
western Asia, identify the modern countries of Iraq, Iran and Turkey. (H,G,E)
7.8 Identify polytheism as the religious belief of the people in Mesopotamian civilizations. (H)
7.9 Describe how irrigation, metalsmithing, slavery, the domestication of animals , and
inventions such as the wheel, the sail, and the plow contributed to the growth of Mesopotamian
civilizations. (H,E)
7.10 Describe important Mesopotamian achievements. (H,C,E)
 Its system of writing (and its importance in the record keeping and tax collection)
 Monumental architecture (the ziggurat)
 Art (large relief sculptures, mosaics, and cylinder seals)
7.11 Describe who Hammurabi was and explain the basic principle of justice in Hammurabi’s
Code. (H,C,E)
Pacing Guide: - 9/29-10/24 (18 days)
Key Questions:
How did physical geography affect the
growth of ancient civilizations?
Skills and Outcomes: When students have
finished studying this topic, they will know and
be able to:
Formative/Summative Assessments: Students
will complete the following products/other
assessments to demonstrate the skills and
understandings they have acquired.
Why were other groups able to conquer the
city-states of Sumer?
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What accomplishments is each empire known
for?
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What were the features of some of the first
Mesopotamian city-states?

What do the Sumerian religious beliefs tell
us?
What technology did Assyrians use to
conquer lands?
What are the advantages of a written code of
laws as opposed to a set of spoken laws?
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identify how the physical setting
contributed to the development of
Mesopotamian city-states
describe the development of agricultural
techniques- such as irrigation systems,
that led to the emergence of city-states
list the key features of a Sumerian citystate
identify characteristics of a civilization
identify the locations of the early
Mesopotamian empires
describe the major achievements of early
Mesopotamian empires and their leaders
explain the significance of Hammurabi’s
Code
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What is the difference between polytheism
and monotheism?
What role did slaves play in the economy of
empires?
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Analyze several Mesopotamian artifacts
and explain how they are examples of
civilization. Summarize your findings.
Make up your own descriptive poem or
song about life in your empire. Include at
least five aspects of life. Perform the
poem as a rap or read aloud to your
classmates.
Draw a stele to commemorate one of your
empires greatest achievements. In a
paragraph, explain why you chose that
particular achievement.
Choose one of the five empires we have
studied. Create a museum display that
accurately depicts several aspects of life
in your chosen empires. These aspects
should include government, geography,
writing, art, agriculture, technology, social
structure, and religion.
In the classroom, debate the pros and cons
of Hammurabi’s Code when given
different scenarios.
In a persuasive essay debate the pros or
cons of Hammurabi’s Code.