ANCIENT CIVILIZATIONS

ANCIENT CIVILIZATIONS

The Fertile Crescent

Land Between Two Rivers

Students will:Students will:

•Find out how geography Find out how geography made the rise of civilization in made the rise of civilization in the Fertile Crescent possible.the Fertile Crescent possible.

•Learn about Sumer‘s first Learn about Sumer‘s first cities.cities.

•Learn about the two most Learn about the two most important empires in important empires in Mesopotamia. Mesopotamia.

Land Between Two RiversEssential Essential Question: Question:

• What were What were the the beginnings beginnings of human of human society?society?

• How has How has geography geography shaped the shaped the patterns of patterns of history?history?

Farming in Mesopotamia

You’re going to create a Mesopotamian Farming manual

• You will have a total of 6 steps, describe the steps in order and next to each description draw a picture that represents the step.

• Take 15 minutes to find steps and draw an illustration

Steps to Farming in Mesopotamia

1. Local officials decided when to open flood gates

2. Animals grazed in soil to trample ground and eat weeds

Steps

1. Local officials decide when to let water flow onto crops

2. Farmers let animals graze in soil to trample and eat weeds.

3. Farmers break up the soil using hand tools4. Spread seeds and plow5. Plant seeds6. Harvest the plants

VocabularyMesopotamia: The Development of Written Language

city-state Definition: A self-governing state consisting of a city and

surrounding territory Context: Nippur was the most important city-state in Sumer.

demon Definition: An evil spirit Context: According to Sumerian legend, Gilgamesh killed the

demon Huwawa with the help of the sun god.


epic Definition: A long poem telling the deeds of a hero and often centering

on the ideals of a nation or culture Context: The Epic of Gilgamesh teaches us to enjoy the time we have

on Earth.

immortality Definition: The quality or state of having an endless life Context: Gilgamesh was unable to achieve immortality, but he was able

to leave behind a legacy through the work he had done during his lifetime.

Mesopotamia Definition: An ancient land located where we find the modern country

of Iraq Context: Mesopotamia means, “land between the rivers” and got its

name because it was located between the Tigris and Euphrates rivers.


scribe Definition: A person paid to write, especially in ancient times Context: Mesopotamian scribes worked closely with the priests

and kings.

stylus Definition: A hard, pointed writing tool cut from a reed Context: Sumerian scribe wrote with styluses they made from

reeds.

Sumerians Definition: Residents of Sumer, a region of the ancient land of

Mesopotamia Context: The Sumerians developed many inventions, such as the

wheel and the plow.


Nippur Definition: A major city-state in the ancient Sumerian region of

Mesopotamia Context: Nippur was a busy trading center in Sumer and its most

important religious city.

tablet Definition: A flat slab – often of clay or stone – suitable for an

inscription Context: The Sumerians etched symbols into wet clay tablets to

create a permanent document of their activities.

Ancient MesopotamiaWriting

• The Sumerians developed the first form of writing.• As Sumerian towns grew into cities, the people needed a way

to keep track of business transactions, ownership rights, and government records.

• Around 3300 BC the Sumerians began to use picture symbols marked into clay tablets to keep their records

http://www.ducksters.com/history/mesopotamia/ancient_sumer.php

• Clay Tablets • Writing was inscribed on clay tablets. • Scribes would take a stylus (a stick made from a reed) and

press the lines and symbols into soft, moist clay. • Once they were done, they would let the clay harden and they

had a permanent record.


• Cuneiform

The initial writing of the Sumerians utilized simple pictures or pictograms.

• The writing of the Sumerians further developed to include sounds and meanings.

• Scribes would use the stylus to make wedge shaped marks in the clay.

• This type of writing is called cuneiform writing, which means "wedge-shaped".


Write Like a Babylonian

http://www.ducksters.com/history/mesopotamia/sumerian_writing_questions.php

QuestionsMesopotamia: The Development of Written Language

1. What was the importance of scribes in Mesopotamia?

2. Why did the scribes have greater access to the priests and kings than other people in the city-states?

3. How long did it take to train a scribe?

4. What is the name of the training school where scribes learn how to write?

VocabularyMesopotamia: From Nomads to Farmers

. ancestors Definition: People in one’s family, from whom one is descended Context: Your ancestors include your grandparents, great grandparents, and great-great grandparents.

domestication Definition: The taming of wild animals to use for farming or to be kept as pets Context: The domestication of sheep and goats helped the Mesopotamians become farmers.


. journal Definition: A record of personal experiences and thoughts kept on a regular basis Context: Writing a journal can help you understand yourself.

levee Definition: Earthen dams constructed to hold back floodwaters Context: A levee system helped the Mesopotamians farm their most fertile land.

Mesopotamia Definition: An ancient land located where we find the modern country of Iraq Context: Mesopotamia means, “land between the rivers” and got its name because it was located between the Tigris and Euphrates rivers.


. Sumerians Definition: Residents of Sumer, a region of the ancient land of Mesopotamia Context: Sumerians developed a culture whose members farmed and traded instead of hunting and gathering to make a living.

Tigris River Definition: One of the rivers that borders what was the land of Mesopotamia Context: The Tigris River bordered Mesopotamia to the east.

Euphrates River Definition: One of the rivers that borders what was the land of Mesopotamia. Context: The Euphrates River bordered Mesopotamia to the west.

Questions Mesopotamia: From Nomads to Farmers

1. Why did the ancient Sumerians look for new ways to produce their food?

2. How did growing crops and domesticating animals like sheep and goats allow the Sumerians to build cities and live in one place all year long?

3. What does the word “Mesopotamia” mean? 4. Between which rivers did Mesopotamia lie? 5. Why did the soil of the Mesopotamian region of

Sumer grow such good crops? 6. What problem at first made farming difficult

there and how did the Sumerians solve it?

Questions Mesopotamia: From Nomads to Farmers

7. In what other way did the Sumerians control the rivers? 8. What important farming tool did the Sumerians invent? 9. What else did the Mesopotamians invent? 10. What do we call their system of writing? 11. What tools did the Mesopotamians use for writing? 12. What did the Sumerians put into writing before any

other society? 13. What was the name of the temple where Sumerians

believed their gods lived? 14. Of what material were the houses in Sumerian cities

made?

Babylonia and Assyria


•Find out how geography made the Find out how geography made the rise of civilization in the Fertile rise of civilization in the Fertile Crescent possible.Crescent possible.

•Learn about Sumer‘s first cities.Learn about Sumer‘s first cities.

•Learn about the two most Learn about the two most important empires in Mesopotamia. important empires in Mesopotamia.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wksHEDgBRnM

Babylonia and AssyriaHave the students create a Venn Diagram

• List appropriate details in the “Babylonia” circle.

• List appropriate details in the “Assyrians” circle.

Babylonia and AssyriaIn your own words define the following

words –

Empire, Caravan, Bazaar

• Have the students create a Venn Diagram • List appropriate details in the “Babylonia” circle.• List appropriate details in the “Assyrians” circle.

Babylonia v. Assyria Venn DiagramMesopotamia Empires

Babylonia Assyria

The Legacy of Mesopotamia

Essential Question: Essential Question:

• What were the beginnings of human What were the beginnings of human society?society?

• How has geography shaped the How has geography shaped the patterns of history?patterns of history?

The Legacy of Mesopotamia

In this section you will learn of the advances made by the

Mesopotamians, including the art of writing.

Think about how your lives would different without writing.

Writing Activity

http://www.phillipmartin.info/hammurabi/hammurabi_situation_index.htm

Mediterranean Civilizations

Essential Question: Essential Question: • What were the beginnings of What were the beginnings of

human society?human society?• How has geography shaped the How has geography shaped the

patterns of history?patterns of history?

Mediterranean Civilizations

What happens to a story as it is retold over a long period of time?

What important development changed the way stories were told?

The Fertile Crescent Summary

• Stretching from the coast of the Mediterranean Sea in present day Israel to the Persian Gulf, the Fertile Crescent was the birthplace of many early civilizations.

• The Tigris and Euphrates Rivers provided ideal conditions for human settlement, with the first civilizations rising in Mesopotamia, or the land between the rivers.

Land Between Two Rivers• Mesopotamia lay between the Tigris and

Euphrates rivers. These two rivers and the rich, fertile soil drew people to the region.

• The early people of Mesopotamia became farmers and then builders of cities. The most successful and advanced cities were the city-states of Sumer.

Babylonia and Assyria• After the fall of Sumer, the biggest and most

important civilizations were the empires of Babylonia and Assyria.

• These civilizations built grand cities where culture and learning were highly valued.

The Legacy of Mesopotamia• The Mesopotamians were probably the first to

develop two of the key components of almost all civilizations—a system of writing and a set of written laws.

Mediterranean Civilizations• Phoenicia developed into a great sea power

with trade routes throughout the Mediterranean region.

• These trade routes brought great wealth and knowledge to the Phoenicians.

• The Phoenicians developed a system of writing with an alphabet of 22 letters. This alphabet formed the basis of the alphabets that many nations use today.

ReviewThe Fertile Crescent


•Found out how geography made the Found out how geography made the rise of civilization in the Fertile rise of civilization in the Fertile Crescent possible.Crescent possible.

•Learn about Sumer‘s first cities.Learn about Sumer‘s first cities.

•Learn about the two most important Learn about the two most important empires in Mesopotamia. empires in Mesopotamia.

ReviewThe Fertile Crescent

Essential Question: Essential Question: • What were the beginnings of What were the beginnings of

human society?human society?• How has geography shaped How has geography shaped

the patterns of history?the patterns of history?

ANCIENT CIVILIZATIONS

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