Aim: What were the biggest achievements of ancient Mesopotamia?
Activity: Students will:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Complete a concept brainstorming activity
Complete reading assignment
Highlight main ideas
Fill in a chart to describe the achievement
Class discussion to fill out the last column of the chart called ‘connections to today’
Teachers will:
1.
2.
3.
4.
Read directions and explain concept brainstorming activity
Elicit answers
Help students individually with highlighting main ideas and filling out chart
Facilitate class discussion and completion of chart
Materials:
1. Concept brainstorming activity (below)
2. Readings (below)
3. Chart (below)
Name:
Global History & Geography 9
Date:
Seifert/Paisley
Mesopotamian Achievements
Concept Brainstorming
Directions: Skim the reading and fill in the columns below with the appropriate information. List bold words
in the Key Words column. Jot down the headings in the next column and list Italicized names of the different
Mesopotamian groups in the third column.
Key Words
Headings
Mesopotamian Groups
________________________
________________________
________________________
________________________
________________________
________________________
________________________
________________________
________________________
________________________
________________________
________________________
Directions: Write a caption for each image on the lines provided. Try to predict what the reading will tell you
about the image.
__________________________
________________________
________________________
__________________________
________________________
________________________
________________________________
_________________________
________________________________
_________________________
Based on the key words, headings, and images predict what you think the reading will tell you about
ancient Mesopotamia?
_________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________
Although the wheel had been invented by some earlier unknown people, the Sumerians made the first used
wheeled vehicles. They were used to transport goods in trade. Archaeologists have found goods from as far away as
Egypt and India in the rubble of Sumerian cities.
By 3200 B.C., the Sumerians had invented the earliest known form of writing called cuneiform. Cuneiform
grew out of a system of pictographs that priests used to record goods brought to temple storehouses. As it evolved, the
Sumerians were able to use it to record not only grain harvests but also myths, prayers, laws , treaties and business
contracts. Cuneiform was made up of wedge-shaped symbols. Its “alphabet” included about 300 symbols representing
syllables.
Historians have called the Phoenicians “carriers of civilization” because they spread Middle Eastern civilization
around the Mediterranean. Yet the Phoenicians made their own contribution to our world, giving us our alphabet.
This alphabet contained 22 symbols standing for consonant sounds, written in vertical columns from right to left.
While the Hittites were less advanced than the peoples of Mesopotamia, they had learned to extract iron from
ore and fashion tools and weapons that were harder than bronze or copper ones. They heated iron ore and pounded
out impurities before plunging it into cold water. Because iron was plentiful, the Hittites were able to arm a lot of
people at less expense. They helped spread knowledge of ironworking to other groups of people.
Hebrews lived near Ur in Mesopotamia and in about 2000 B.C., they migrated herding flocks of sheep and goats
into a region known as Canaan. The Hebrews set up the kingdom of Israel under the rulers David and Solomon.
Hebrews developed the religion, Judaism. Judaism was monotheistic, teaching a belief in one God. At the time, most
other people worshiped many gods and goddesses.
Name:
Global History & Geography 9
Mesopotamian Achievements
Achievement
People
Sumerians
Sumerians
Phoenicians
HIttites
Hebrews
Description
Connections Today