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Transcript of Mesopotamia
One of the First Civilizations Ever Discovered
Mesopotamians believed in many Gods that controlled various forces in nature. The most powerful God, the god of storms and air, was amongst the most powerful and well-worshipped gods. They believed that gods were immortal and humans were their servants on Earth. To keep the gods pleased, these ancient people built ziggurats (stepped pyramids) to perform rituals and sacrifices. They sacrificed animals, food, and wine.
The governments in Mesopotamia were controlled by temple priests. They managed irrigation systems, and collected portions of crops as a tax from farmers. Mesopotamians built many cities, which had their own governments, had their own rulers, and shared cultural aspects with each other.
Mesopotamia was south of Persia, in between the Tigris and Euphrates River. It's nickname was the "Land Between Rivers". Mesopotamia's dry land was actually great for farming. It was called the Fertile Crescent because of the land's fertile soil and its crescent shape. Such good soil often attracted settlers from away.
Mesopotamia's economy was mostly supported by farmers. Farmers produced crops to sell and had to pay taxes in crops as well. Not to mention the fact that the government owned land that was used for agricultural purposes, and was occupied by hired farmers or slave labour.
Because Mesopotamia was between two rivers, whenever those rivers began overflowing, they would result in floods. Flooding occurred at least once a year. Natural resources, especially in the summer, were very limited.
The Mesopotamian civilization emerged around 3500 B.C.E. to 3000 B.C.E.
Often referred to as the "cradle" of Middle Eastern civilization, Mesopotamia is located in present-day Iraq.
Greek word meaning "land between the rivers"
an arc of rich farmland in Southwest Asia, between the Persian Gulf and the Mediterranean Sea
a city and its surrounding lands functioning as an independent political unit
a series of rulers from a single family
the spread of culture between individuals, whether it's within a culture or fromone culture to another
the belief or worship of more than one god
an extensive group of states or countries under a single supreme authority
Babylonian king who codified the laws of Sumer and Mesopotamia
kings, landowners, and priests (and their families)
Upper Class Women:
those who learned to read and write
people that worked in fields and workshops
merchants, farmers, or artisans
slaves (who were captured foreigners