Early River Valley Early River Valley CivilizationsCivilizationsMesopotamiaMesopotamia

Why build a civilization by a river?Why build a civilization by a river?

People of Mesopotamia were called People of Mesopotamia were called SumeriansSumerians

Location :Location :Fertile Crescent Fertile Crescent right between Tigris right between Tigris and Euphrates Rivers (present day Middle and Euphrates Rivers (present day Middle East areaEast areaIraq)Iraq)

ReligionReligion

PolytheisticPolytheistic More than one God More than one God

Problems Faced:Problems Faced:

Few resourcesFew resourcesUncontrollable Flooding or No rainUncontrollable Flooding or No rainHard to defend (flat land)Hard to defend (flat land)

How did they fix these problems?How did they fix these problems?

Irrigation systemsIrrigation systemsBuild Walls with mud bricksBuild Walls with mud bricksTrade with others for needed materials Trade with others for needed materials

Science and TechnologyScience and TechnologyBuilding of Ziggurat (pyramid type structures, no Building of Ziggurat (pyramid type structures, no point)point)

Used for worshipUsed for worshipArchitecture- ramps, columnsArchitecture- ramps, columns

Science and Tech: Science and Tech: Building City-StatesBuilding City-States

City of UrCity of UrCity of SumerCity of Sumer

Babylon:Babylon:

Famous King: HammurabiFamous King: Hammurabi Hammurabi’s code of lawHammurabi’s code of law

Science and Tech Cont.Science and Tech Cont.

Arithmetic and GeometryArithmetic and Geometry# system based on 60# system based on 60

60 seconds in a min60 seconds in a min 360 in a circle360 in a circle

****Cuneiform********Cuneiform**** Writing systems to record historyWriting systems to record history

WheelWheel