Download Mesopotamia and the Fertile Crescent (Chapter 3) Section 1

Mesopotamia and the Fertile Crescent (Chapter 3)
Section 1: Geography of the Fertile Crescent
Mesopotamia was located in between the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers.
Mesopotamia means between the rivers. It is modern day Iraq. It is also known
as The Fertile Crescent.
The most important geographic feature in Mesopotamia were the rivers. Fertile
land and the nearby rivers helped crops grow well. However, unpredictable
floods destroyed crops, homes & people. Flooding left behind silt, a mixture of
rich soil and tiny rocks. People learned to control the water by using irrigation, a
way of supplying water to an area of land. They used canals and built up the
banks of the river to hold back the water.
Irrigation and better tools, such as the plow and water wheel, led to a surplus of
food. A surplus of food was followed by a division of labor, when workers can
specialize in one particular job.
*Why was Mesopotamia a perfect place for the 1st civilization?
1. Location in the Fertile Crescent - large arc of fertile land in the Middle East
2. Tigris & Euphrates Rivers made farming possible
3. Cattle, pigs, goats & sheep were accessible
Section 2: The Rise of Sumer
The first group of people to build a permanent settlement in Mesopotamia was
the Sumerians. In time, another society developed along the Tigris and Euphrates.
It was created by the Akkadians. The Sumerians and Akkadians lived in peace for
many years. But, in 2300BC, Sargon broke that peace. He was the first ruler to
have a permanent army. He used that army to launch a series of wars. He
defeated Sumer and many of his other neighbors. This created the world’s first
empire. Eventually, the Sumerians did regain power.
Religion shaped society and was very important to the Sumerians. They practiced
polytheism, the worship of many gods. The Sumerians believed everything in life
depended on pleasing the gods. Sumerians worshiped their many gods at a
special temple called a ziggurat. It was in the middle of town and was the center
of Sumerian cities.
The Sumerian society was divided by rank of class. Kings were at the top. They
were thought to have been chosen by the gods to rule. Priests were just below
kings. Below priests were craftspeople, merchants and traders. Below traders,
farmers and laborers made up the large working class. Slaves were at the bottom
of the social order.
UPPER CLASS
Kings (claimed to be chosen by gods to rule)
Nobles & Priests
MIDDLE CLASS
Craftspeople, Traders, Merchants
WORKING CLASS
Farmers & Laborers
*SLAVES were at
the bottom
Development of Civilization:
Rivers flood, silt deposited, fertile land, agriculture develops, irrigation, the plow
and water wheel, food surplus, population growth, division of labor, civilization.
Civilizations have written language, laws and government, a social hierarchy,
trade, religion, and architecture.