Download Mesopotamia

Mesopotamia
Geography
Mesopotamia had two rivers: The Tigris and the Euphrates Rivers. It was also surrounded by flat land.
The flat land was easy for invaders to attack, but it was also good for farming.
Religion
In Mesopotamia, each town and city was believed to be protected by a god and they believed their gods
and goddesses had supernatural powers. Most Mesopotamians were polytheistic.
Achievements
Two of the greatest accomplishments were the invention of the earliest known system of writing:
Cuneiform and the first set of written laws called the Hammurabi Code
Political System
Mesopotamia had city-states which are cities that have their own government and culture. Most
Mesopotamian city-states had a monarchy with a king in charge who got his power by family.
Economy
The Mesopotamian economy was based on farming and trade. .
The people of Mesopotamia were known for their metalwork, woolen textiles, and pottery
The invention of the wheel was created making transportation of good easier and quicker
Social Structure
There were three major social groups in the Sumerian city-states
The groups were the nobles, commoners, and the slaves
Egypt
Impact of Geography
The Nile River was very important because it would provide new, rich soil for the Egyptians. The seas and desert
around the civilization served a barrier against war and disease.
Religion
Polytheistic religion - Multiple gods
Achievements
Pyramids, 365-day calendar, irrigation, and Hieroglyphics
Political System
Egypt had a monarchy with a king in charge who got his power by family. A king in Egypt was
called a Pharaoh.
Economy
The inhabitants of the Nile River Valley Civilization depended heavily on farming. Close proximity to the Nile
allowed easy access to water needed for crops. Seasonal flooding fertilized the land for the next year's crops.
Agriculture was essential for survival, growth, and economic success.
Social Structure
Pharaoh, (ruler of the land), Ruling Class (Related or of high importance of the King), Craftsman, Farmers,
Peasants, Slaves
Indus River Valley
Geography
The Indus River fertilized and watered crops. There were also natural borders like mountains and the
ocean that protected the civilization from attack and disease.
Religion
The religion practiced in the Indus River Valley was Hinduism. Hinduism is polytheistic which means that
they believed in many gods.
Achievements
It was the first civilization to invent a way to weigh and measure things. The people of the Indus River
Valley were also the first to invent a sewer and plumbing system.
Political System & Government
The Indus River Valley had a monarchy with a king in charge who got his power by family.
Economy
The Indus River Valley used farming to get most of the things that they needed. But the people used
trade to get the things they needed that they could grow or make by themselves. They traded within the
civilization as well as with Mesopotamia.
Social Structure
Caste system with four main classes
People were born into social classes that could not be changed.: Brahmins (priests and the king), Kshatriyas
(warriors and aristocrats - rulers), Vaishyas (cultivators, artisans, and merchants), and Shudras (peasants
and serfs)
Yellow River Valley
Geography
The Yellow River carries its rich yellow soil through China to create a great food-producing area. The
Yellow River Valley is surrounded by mountain ranges and river valleys, which make it hard for people to
travel but protects its people from attack.
Religion
The religion practiced by the people in the Yellow River Valley is called animism which is polytheistic.
This means that they believed in many gods.
Achievements
The people here were very good at working with metal. They used metal to make farming tools, utensils,
and weapons that were very strong.
Political System & Government
The Yellow River Valley had small states or kingdoms. These states had monarchies with a king in charge
who got his power by family.
Economy
The yellow river valley focused mostly on farming to get the things they needed. The people traded very
little since they were separate from other civilizations by the mountains.
Social Structure
Kings, Warlords (military leaders), Farmers, Peasants