Download Notes on the Fertile Crescent……

Notes on Mesopotamia……..
Civilization began in an area known as Mesopotamia in 4000 BCE.
Mesopotamia is located in between the Tigris River and the Euphrates
River. The Mesopotamians had a very advanced civilization that used irrigation canals
to water their crops, and levees to protect the cities from floods. The Mesopotamians
grew wheat, barley, and raised cattle. Seasonal floods from both rivers made the ground
fertile with silt and loess
Mesopotamia’s urban areas had ziggurats or large pyramids that were used as
both polytheistic temples and government buildings. The cities also had schools, the
Mesopotamian children learned cuneiform, a form of writing made of small symbols for
letters. They also had an advanced economy, in which valuable goods were traded and
bought.
Throughout Mesopotamia, there were a number of city-states that
acted like independent nations. These city-states were ruled by kings. The most famous
king, King Hammurabi, created the first set of laws in man’s history in 1800 BCE, this
was known as The Code of Hammurabbi.
Mesopotamian culture was different from place to place. Most people in
Mesopotamia belonged to polytheistic religions, but in 3000 BCE, a
Monotheistic religion was adopted by Hebrews in Israel, this religion is called
Judaism.
Mesopotamia is remembered today as a very advanced civilization which people
were able to use as a building block in advancing civilization further. Eventually the
city-states of Mesopotamia were conquered by outside armies (Persia) because they were
weak from fighting each other.
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Civilizations
Mesopotamia