Ancient Mesopotamia G.R.A. P.E.S By: Austin Lee, Amber Nguyen, and Mia Ayala
Geography by: Mia Ayala Here are some facts about Ancient Mesopotamia's geography. Mesopotamia is known as the "fertile crescent" because of the amount of silt that the Euphrates and Tigris river brought along the floodplains. Most of Mesopotamia was surrounded by fertile soil called silt, which helped agriculture grow, which lead to trade between the city-states. Northern Mesopotamia was made up of hills and plains and Southern Mesopotamia was made up of marshy areas and barren plains. Northern Mesopotamia was made up of hills and plains and Southern Mesopotamia was made up of marshy areas and barren plains. In southern Mesopotamia, there were also rivers. Cities were built along them. Not many helpful resources surrounded them, so trading with neighboring city-states were important.
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Religion: By Austin Lee The definition of religion is the belief in and worship of a superhuman controlling power, especially a personal God or gods. The Sumerians believed in many gods and goddesses. It was called polytheism. They held religious rituals in ziggurats. Sumerians believed that four main gods created the world.(they were the gods of the sky, wind, foothills, and freshwater.) Everyone worshiped the gods. Anu was the highest god in Sumer. He was known as the god of heaven. Sumerians believed in thousands of lesser gods and each city-state worshipped its own god. Priests spoke to gods to satisfy them so people accepted them as leaders.
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Achievements: By Amber Nguyen The Mesopotamians created many important inventions. They made... A form of writing called cuneiform made out of wedge shaped marks. Formulas made for finding the circumference and/or area of a geometrical shape. A math system made to keep records of crops and traded goods. They based the entire mathematical system around the # 60. The first plow which were simple digging sticks with handles that could be pulled by people and later, animals. The wheel, which provided transportation, and another way to easily make forms of pottery.
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Politics: By Austin Lee The definition of politics is the activities associated with the governance of a country or other area, especially the debate or conflict among individuals or parties having or hoping to achieve power. Sargon conquered Sumer and became king. After he died and told his sons to take the thrown, the Akkadian empire fell. When Hammurabi became king of Mesopotamia, he created a list of laws called Hammurabi's code. Hammurabi's code was a law that's goal was to bring justice and fair treatment to the people. Even woman and children had rights. The code was written in cuneiform and was displayed on walls so that everybody can see it. Scribes were hired to read the law all day long. Hammurabi's code helped Mesopotamia become a disciplined nation through politics.
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Economics: By Mia Ayala Mesopotamia was a community that was full of trade because they did not have many natural resources around them. Mesopotamia had a system for trading different types of materials. Bulkier products were transported on boats while smaller items were transported by foot or donkey. Mesopotamia transported their materials by foot, donkey, gulf boat, raft, coracle, river boat, and cart. Mesopotamia traded grains like oats and wheat, oils, and textiles for rare metals, wood, precious stones, and wine. Most trading happened in Babylonia, where resources were imported from other places there, and they exported their resources.
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Social Structure: By Amber Nguyen Mesopotamian social structure is very complicated. I found... Children had to repect their parents because to disrespect them was a horrible sin. Mesopotamian women were allowed to go to the market, have a business, and own land, however they could not vote on laws. Social classes went from kings to priests to scribes to merchants to commoners, and finally, slaves. Mesopotamians enjoyed boxing, wrestling, games of chance, music, and many other things. Women had more rights in early Sumer than later on in Mesopotamia.
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