Download Unit 1 research assignment

Unit 1 ( Early People and Lifeways) Research Assignment
Objective: For this assignment you will research and write an essay on ancient
Mesopotamia. Your essay will focus on Mesopotamian advancements, daily life,
and writing.
Resources: You will use information that is in this packet.
Rubric
Opening Paragraph: Your opening paragraph must be written using appropriate
grammar, and must be at least five sentences long. Within this paragraph you
must tell me that you will be writing about Mesopotamian advancements, daily
life, and writing.
________/ 5 points
Body Paragraphs: You must have at least 3 body paragraphs. These paragraphs
must be written using appropriate grammar, and each of them should be at least
5 sentences long. These paragraphs must describe Mesopotamian
advancements, daily life, and writing.
________/ 15 points
Concluding Paragraph: Your concluding paragraph must summarize your essay. It
must be written using appropriate grammar and must be at least 3 sentences
long.
________/ 5 points
EXTRA CREDIT: You must turn in your research guide, and a rough draft. You must
turn in both to earn extra credit. No exceptions!
_____/ 5 points
Final Grade
/ 25
Ancient Mesopotamia
Science, Inventions, and
Technology (Advancements)
The civilizations of Ancient Mesopotamia brought many important advances in the
areas of science and technology.
Writing
Perhaps the most important advance made by the Mesopotamians was the invention
of writing by the Sumerians. Go here to learn more about Sumerian writing. With the
invention of writing came the first recorded laws called Hammurabi's Code as well as
the first major piece of literature called the Epic Tale of Gilgamesh.
The Wheel
Although archeologists don't know for sure who invented the wheel, the oldest wheel
discovered was found in Mesopotamia. It is likely the Sumer first used the wheel in
making pottery in 3500BC and then used it for their chariots in around 3200 BC.
Mathematics
The Mesopotamians used a number system with the base 60 (like we use base 10).
They divided time up by 60s including a 60 second minute and a 60 minute hour,
which we still use today. They also divided up the circle into 360 degrees.
They had a wide knowledge of mathematics including addition, subtraction,
multiplication, division, quadratic and cubic equations, and fractions. This was
important in keeping track of records as well as in some of their large building
projects.
The Mesopotamians had formulas for figuring out the circumference and area for
different geometric shapes like rectangles, circles, and triangles. Some evidence
suggests that they even knew thePythagorean Theorem long before Pythagoras
wrote it down. They may have even discovered the number for pi in figuring the
circumference of a circle.
Astronomy
Using their advanced math, the Mesopotamian astronomers were able to follow the
movements of the stars, planets, and the Moon. One major achievement was the
ability to predict the movements of several planets. This took logic, mathematics, and
a scientific process.
By studying the phases of the Moon, the Mesopotamians created the first calendar. It
had 12 lunar months and was the predecessor for both the Jewish and Greek
calendars.
Medicine
The Babylonians made several advances in medicine. They used logic and recorded
medical history to be able to diagnose and treat illnesses with various creams and
pills.
Technology
The Mesopotamians made many technological discoveries. They were the first to use
the potter's wheel to make better pottery, they used irrigation to get water to their
crops, they used bronze metal (and later iron metal) to make strong tools and
weapons, and used looms to weave cloth from wool.
Interesting Facts About Mesopotamian Technology
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The Walls of Babylon were once considered one of the Seven Ancient Wonders
of the World. There were actually two massive walls that surrounded the entire
city. Archeologists estimate that the walls were over 50 miles long with each wall
being around 23 feet wide and 35 feet tall. There were also massive towers at
intervals along the wall that may have been hundreds of feet tall.
The Mesopotamians may have invented the simple machine called the
Archimedes Screw. This would have helped to raise water to the heights needed
for the plants in the famous Hanging Gardens of Babylon.
The Assyrians developed glasswork as well as glazes for pottery and art to help
it last longer.
Eighteen different canals have been found that brought water to the Assyrian
Empire capital of Nineveh.
Ancient Mesopotamia
Daily Life
With the start of the Sumerian civilization, daily life in Mesopotamia began to change.
Prior to the growth of cities and large towns, people lived in small villages and most
people hunted and gathered. There wasn't a lot of variety in jobs or daily life.
Assyrian Musicians
With the growth of large cities, things changed. There were all sorts of jobs and
activities. While many people still worked as farmers in the country, in the city a person
could grow up to work in a number of different jobs such as priest, scribe, merchant,
craftsman, soldier, civil servant, or laborer.
Different Classes of People
With people moving to towns and governments being formed, society was dividing into
different classes of people for perhaps the first time. At the top of society was the king
and his family. The priests were considered near the top as well. The rest of the upper
class was made up of the wealthy such as high level administrators and scribes.
Below the upper class was a small middle class made up of craftsman, merchants, and
civil servants. They could make a decent living and could work hard to try and move up
in class.
The lower class was made up of laborers and farmers. These people lived a harder life,
but could still work their way up with hard work.
At the bottom were the slaves. Slaves were owned by the king or bought and sold
among the upper class. Slaves were usually people who were captured in battle.
Workers and merchants traveling
What type of homes did they live in?
Most people lived in mud brick homes. They were rectangular in shape and had two to
three levels. The roofs were flat and people would often sleep on the roofs during the
hot summers. The mud brick worked as a good insulator and helped to keep the homes
a bit cooler in the summer and warmer in the winter.
Entertainment
As the cities of Mesopotamia grew wealthy, there were more resources and free time for
people to enjoy entertainment. They enjoyed music at festivals including drums, lyres,
flutes, and harps. They also enjoyed sports such as boxing and wrestling as well as
board games and games of chance using dice. The children of the time would have had
toys to play with such as tops and jump ropes.
Art and poetry was a big part of the wealthier cities. Most of the poetry and art had a
religious theme or honored the king of the city. Storytellers would have passed stories
down over generations with some of the more popular stories eventually being written
down on clay tablets by scribes.
Clothing
Clothing was typically made from sheepskin or wool. The men wore kilt-like skirts and
the women wore longer dresses. They enjoyed wearing jewelry, especially rings. The
women braided their long hair, while the men had long hair and beards. Both men and
women wore makeup.
Ancient Mesopotamia
Writing
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.
Symbols were made with wedge shaped marks on clay tablets
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. For example,
a drawing of a person's head, meant the word "head". Over time, however, 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".
Translating
Translating Mesopotamian writing is difficult for archeologists today. This is because
there were over 700 different symbols and the symbols' meaning and shapes could
change between different cities and regions. The symbols often changed over time as
well. However, many Sumerian tablets have been deciphered. This is how we know so
much about Mesopotamian culture, government, and history.
Literature
While most of the tablets discovered have been government and financial records,
some of the writings are literature. This literature includes mythology of the
Mesopotamian gods, tales of their heroes, poetry, and songs. Some of the writings
include sayings of wisdom. The most famous and epic of all the Mesopotamian
literature is the story Gilgamesh. Go here to learn more about the Epic Tale of
Gilgamesh.
Interesting Facts About Sumerian Writing
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People signed items with personal seals made of stone, metal, or wood.
Later Mesopotamian civilizations such as the Assyrians and the Babylonians
used Sumerian writing.
Cuneiform writing was around for thousands of years until it was replaced by the
Phoenician alphabet near the end of the neo-Assyrian Empire.
Hieroglyphics was invented in Ancient Egypt about the same time as cuneiform
in Mesopotamia, but scientists believe that cuneiform came first.
As far as archeologists can tell, the Sumerian language is not related to any
other language on Earth.
Cuneiform refers to the way a language is written, not necessarily a particular
language. It was initially used in Mesopotamia to write Sumerian, but later was
used for Akkadian which the Sumerians, the Akkadians, the Babylonians, and the
Assyrians all spoke.
Name_____________________________
Research Guide
Use this guide to help you write your essay.
Describe five Mesopotamian advancements:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
List five interesting facts about daily life in Mesopotamia:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Describe five interesting facts about Mesopotamian writing:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Example Opening Paragraph
For this research assignment I will write about ancient Mesopotamia. This
essay will focus on three aspects of the Fertile Crescent. First, I will describe
advancements made during this time period. Second, I will write about daily life
in ancient Mesopotamia. Finally, I will focus on writing during the time of this
civilization.
First body paragraph
Mesopotamian advancements (technology)
Second body paragraph
Daily life in Mesopotamia
Third body paragraph
Mesopotamian writing
Concluding paragraph
Summarize your essay