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Name: ________________________________________ Date: ______________________ Hour: ___________
Civilization Begins in Mesopotamia (Chapter 2.1)
Big Idea
Fertile soil between the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers allowed an early civilization to flourish in Mesopotamia. As
you read, create a chart like the one below to help you study.
Political Life
Cultural Life
Inventions
The Impact of Geography (page 26)
Determining Cause
and Effect
What caused the
Mesopotamians to believe
that supernatural forces
controlled their world?
The valley between the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers is called Mesopotamia,
the land "between the rivers." Mesopotamia was at the eastern end of the
Fertile Crescent. The Fertile Crescent is an area from the Mediterranean Sea
to the Persian Gulf. Early civilizations began in this area, because it had land
with rich soil and therefore abundant crops.
The soil in Mesopotamia was rich because of the two rivers. Each spring, the
rivers overflowed their banks. The floods left layers of silt, the material
deposited by the rivers. The people of Mesopotamia learned how to control
the flow of the rivers with irrigation and drainage ditches. Therefore, they
could grow crops on a regular basis. This allowed people to live together in
cities.
The climate, however, was harsh and there were frequent famines. This
convinced the people that supernatural forces controlled their world. The
Mesopotamians believed that gods and goddesses influenced all aspects of
the universe, so their religion was polytheistic—they believed in many gods.
Humans were supposed to obey and serve the gods. By nature, humans were
inferior to the gods, and humans could never be sure what the gods might do
to or for them.
City-States of Ancient Mesopotamia (page 28)
Drawing Conclusions
Why were the temples the
most important buildings in
the Sumerian city-states?
By 3000 B.C. the Sumerians had started several cities in southern
Mesopotamia. These city-states were the basic units of Sumerian civilization,
and controlled the countryside around them. The most important building was
the temple, dedicated to the chief god or goddess of the city. This temple was
often built on top of a massive stepped tower called a ziggurat.
The Sumerians believed that the gods ruled the cities. This made their citystates theocracies: governments by divine authority.
The Sumerian economy was based mostly on farming, but the people also
made woolen textiles and pottery, and were well-known for using copper,
gold, and silver in metalworking.
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Name: ________________________________________ Date: ______________________ Hour: ___________
The Creativity of the Sumerians (page 30)
Around 3000 B.C. the Sumerians invented a system of writing called
Making
cuneiform ("wedge-shaped"). They made wedgeshaped marks on clay
Generalizations
tablets, which were then baked in the sun. By 2500 B.C. writing was taught in
schools with harsh discipline. Boys from wealthy families began their careers
Use one word to describe
as scribes and went on to become leaders of cities, temples, and armies.
the Sumerian people.
The Sumerians invented tools and devices that made daily life more
productive. They invented sundials and the arch, and were the first to make
bronze. They used geometry to measure fields and charted the movement of
star constellations.
Empires in Ancient Mesopotamia (page 32)
Comparing and
Contrasting
How were the Akkadian and
Babylonian Empires alike
and different?
The first empire in world history was set up by Sargon, the leader of the
Akkadians. They conquered the Sumerian citystates around 2340 B.C. Under
attack, the Akkadian empire ended about 2100 B.C., and the system of
warring city-states returned. In 1792 B.C. the Babylonian empire began to
control much of Mesopotamia, under the leadership of Hammurabi.
One of Hammurabi's achievements was a collection of laws. The collection
was called the Code of Hammurabi. Penalties for all offenses were severe,
and varied according to the social class of the victim. The code made public
officials accountable for their decisions and included provisions for consumer
protection.
The largest category of laws focused on marriage and the family. Society was
patriarchal. Men ruled their wives and children.
Section Wrap-up
Answer these questions to check your understanding of the entire section.
1. Why was writing important to the Sumerians?
2. Where was Mesopotamia located?
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Name: ________________________________________ Date: ______________________ Hour: ___________
Descriptive Writing
Using your imagination and information from the text, form a mental picture of life in a Sumerian city
after it was conquered by Hammurabi. You can assume that physical details of life, such as what the
buildings were made of and what the economy was like, did not change under Hammurabi. Write a
description of a day in the life of a Sumerian citizen, including activities, observations, and emotions.
Write your answer on a separate sheet of paper.
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