Where it all started! The Birthplace of Western Civilization

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Where it all started! The Birthplace of Western
Civilization

• Mesopotamia
• (MESS-oh-poh-TAIM-ee-YA)

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• Why did humans first settle in the Fertile
  Crescent region?
• Fertile good soil
• Crescent shaped like a moon sliver

• Mesopotamia means land between the rivers
• 2 Rivers - Tigris Euphrates
• Rivers along these 2 rivers flooded annually
• The land between these rivers was perfect for
  agriculture/farming
• Always having food allowed people to settle in
  one place and build towns

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The Fertile Crescent
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• B. Early inhabitants of Mesopotamia and their
  achievements

1. The Sumerians set up a significant (important)
   city state there about 3000 BC
2. Built ziggurats, pyramid-shaped centers of
   religious worship
3. Kings created law codes to organize society
4. Developed a wedge-shaped system of writing called
   cuneiform (Q-nee-uh-form), the first system of
   writing in western civilization
5. Division of labor allowed people to do other jobs
   than farming

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• C. Three Challenges to Living in the Fertile
  Crescent

Challenge How Sumerians Adapted
1. Invasion 2. Vast deserts 3. Few resources Built city walls for defense Build irrigation canals to water crops Traded with other cultures for what they could not grow
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Summary

1. What and where is the Fertile Crescent?
2. Why did humans settle there? How long ago?
3. What were 3 achievements of the Sumerians?
4. What were challenges to living in the Fertile
   Crescent and how did the Sumerians adapt to their
   environment?