Aim: What were the major accomplishments that occurred in Mesopotamia?

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Aim What were the major accomplishments that
occurred in Mesopotamia?

• Do now Quiz

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Geography

• Iraq, Iran and Syria today
• Literally means the land between two rivers
• Crescent shaped
• Fertile Crescent
• Good farmland
• Tigris and Euphrates Rivers
• Lack of natural barriers
• Cradle of Civilization

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A View From Google Earth
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Accomplishments

• 1st wheeled vehicles and plows
• Irrigation systems
• Canals
• Cuneiform (3200 BCE)
• Algebra and Geometry
• Astronomy

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Literature

• Epic of Gilgamesh
• Mythological king
• Focus is on immortality
• Based on a real king of Uruk

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Epic of Gilgamesh
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Religion and Government

• POLYTHEISTIC many gods
• EXPLAINED NATURE AND THE UNEXPLAINABLE
• Ziggurats

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Religion and Government

• City-states
• Self governing region
• Each had a hereditary ruler
• Walled cities
• Irrigation
• Collected taxes
• Code of Hammurabi (Babylon)

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Religion and Government
Ruling Family, Officials and High Priests
Merchant Artisans
Peasants