Download Ancient Civilizations

Ancient Civilizations
Mesopotamia
What Makes a Civilization
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Political System
Agriculture
Religious system
Writing System
Permanent settlements
Labor specialization
Education
Mesopotamia
• Sumer
– Had many different
city states
– Had a monotheistic
religious system
– Had a monarchy for
government
– Use of Cuneiform for a
writing system.
Mesopotamia
• Sumerian Literature:
– The Epic of Gilgamesh
• Story of mythological
King Gilgamesh and his
travels.
– The Epic is the first
known piece of
literature.
Mesopotamian Firsts
• The Wheel
• Permanent
settlements
• Writing system
• Unified religious
system
• Mathematics
• Time keeping
• The Sail
Question?
• Why did the Mesopotamians settle in the
area that they did?
• What do you think allowed them to settle
down for the first time in history?
• What do they have in common with other
ancient civilizations?