MESOPOTAMIA
Sumerian clay tablet
HISTORY: It is the site of the earliest developments of the Neolithic Revolution from about 10,000 B.C.; inspiring some of the most important developments in human history including the invention of the wheel, planting of first cereal crops, and the development of cursive script, mathematics, astronomy, and agriculture; known as one of the earliest civilizations to ever exist in the world.
GEOGRAPHY: Mesopotamia is known today as the Middle East, including parts of southwest Asia and lands around the eastern Mediterranean Sea; located in the fertile valleys between the Tigris and Euphrates rivers, including countries of Iraq, Kuwait, Turkey, and Syria. Modernly, Mesopotamia is usually used the designate the area until the Muslim conquests; later being called Syria, Jazira, and Iraq.
ECONOMY: Tent dwelling nomads herded sheep, goats (later camels) from the river pastures in the dry summer months, late moving to the edge of the desert in the wet winter season, supplementing the agriculture.
ACCOMPLISHMENTS: The Mesopotamians and Assyrians contributed greatly to farming, agriculture, and metallurgy(metalworking).
GOVERNMENT: The Mesopotamian cities or regions were ruled by kings. However, a king only ruled a single city, rather than the entire civilization; as an example, the city of Bablylon was ruled by King Hammurabi. Each king and city created the rules and systems that they thought would be best for their people.
FUN FACTS:
- Mesopotamia was home to one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, the Hanging Gardens of Babylon.
- Sumer was the first modern civilization in ancient Mesopotamia.
- Mesopotamians enjoyed music at festivals including drums, lyres, flutes, and harps.
- They also enjoyed sports like boxing and wrestling, as well as board games and games using chance, with dice.
- Mesopotamia has been called the First civilization.
- Children of that time had toys to play with such as tops and jump ropes.
Six additional sites to visit for additional information:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mesopotamia
https://www.worldhistory.org/Mesopotamia/
https://www.britannica.com/place/Mesopotamia-historical-region-Asia
https://www.history.com/topics/ancient-middle-east/mesopotamia
https://www.ducksters.com/history/mesopotamia/ancient_mesopotamia.php
