GROUP 1 Autencio, Gurtiza, Marzan, Pajimola, Sapitula
WORLD HISTORY
“ A KEY SOURCE OF:
TIGRIS-EUPHRATES,
AN AVENUE FOR
CIVILIZATIONS.
Mesopotamia
In Greek, translated to
“THE LAND BETWEEN TWO RIVERS”
The birthplace of the earliest civilization
on the planet.
Was an ancient region located in the eastern
Mediterranean bounded in the northeast by the
Zagros Mountains and in the southeast by the
Arabian Plateau, corresponding to today’s Iraq,
mostly, but also parts of modern-day Iran,
Syria and Turkey.
The ‘TWO RIVERS’ of the name referred to
the Tigris and the Euphrates rivers and the
land was known as ‘Al Jazirah’ by the Arabs
referencing what Egyptologist J.H Breasted
would later call the Fertile Crescent, where
Mesopotamian civilization began.
Tigris River (1850km)
Surrounded by four countries (Iran, Iraq,
Turkey, and Syria), the Tigris River is the
second largest river in western asia.
An important source of both travel
and irrigation.
TIGRIS also has a rich history that dates
back to the earliest known civilizations
because of its importance to a largely arid
region.
TIGRIS-EUPHRATES VALLEY
BA PS III
Irrigation, power, and travel that dates
back to the earliest known civilizations.
The Tigris is also used for Hydropower,
which has led to the construction of dams in
the region to harness the power of its flow.
The local population uses the Tigris as the
source of fresh water.
Agriculture is the Primary focus for the
people near the River. The region’s low rainfall
and hot, dry summers mean that irrigation is
necessary for growing crops.
Innovations and advancements along the
same lines of hydropower will continue to
create an evolving landscape for local
government and people of the region.
Tigris River is one of the most
important waterways in the Fertile Crescent,
and has supported cities like Hasankeyf,
Turkey, for centuries.
Euphrates River
Largest river in Southwest Asia (2,781km)
long. It is formed by the confluence of two
branches, the Karasu River, and the Murat
River.
The Euphrates provided the water that
led to the first flowering of civilization
in Sumer, dating from about the fourth
millennium B.C.E.Many important ancient
cities were located on or near the riverside,
including Mari, Sippar, Nippur, Shuruppak,
Uruk, Ur, and Eridu.
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The river's first mention is in the Bible
book of Genesis:
The Lord God planted a garden eastward
in Eden, and there He put the man whom He
had formed. . . Now a river went out of Eden
to water the garden, and from there it parted
and became four river heads. The name of the
first is Pishon . . . The fourth . . . is the
Euphrates" (Genesis 2:8, 10 - 11, 14).
The river is also mentioned in regard
to the covenant God made with Abram
(Abraham)
This covenant, which promised an
inheritance in the land of Canaan, was made
after Abraham had left his home in Ur of the
Chaldees. God promised to give him the land
from the Nile River to the Euphrates, which
was populated at the time by peoples such as
the Kenites, Hittites, Amorites, Canaanites and
others (Genesis 15).
TIGRIS-EUPHRATES RIVER
VALLEY IMPACTS ON
CIVILIZATION.
Geography
- There was never a regular supple of water in
Mesopotamia but the soil was so enriched over
the years by the layers of silt which is material
deposited by the two rivers.
- The three main independent cities in
Southern Mesopotamia were Eridu, Ur, and
Urak, these cities had a political and economic
over the surrounding countryside.
Economy
- The Sumerian city-states was based on
farming and trade.
TIGRIS-EUPHRATES VALLEY
Industry became an important factor in
civilization as well
The people of Mesopotamia were known for
their metalwork, woolen textiles, and
pottery.
Copper, tin, and timber were imported
goods exchanged for dried fish, wool, wheat,
and metal goods
Around 3000 B.C. the invention of the
wheel was created making transportation of
good easier and quicker.
Social Structure
There were three major social groups in the
Sumerian city-states:
the nobles, commoners, and the slaves.
NOBLES included many of the royal and
religious officials.
COMMONERS worked for palace and
temple domain, they also worked as farmers,
merchants, and crafts people.
*More than 90 percent of the people in
Mesopotamia were farmers due to the rich
soil.
THE SLAVES worked in building buildings
and also belonged to the palace officials.
Buildings/Structures
The most famous and important building in
the Sumerian city was the temple dedicated to
the gods and goddesses of the city.
The temple was called a ziggurat and was
built atop a massive stepped tower
Housing were built by sun-dried bricks
A small portion of buildings were made by
stone or wood.
PAGE 2 OF 5 GRP.1 HIST104
Tools/ Weapons/ - Ninhursag was the mother earth-goddess
-Each of these gods created lesser gods who
Technology. were also important in Mesopotamia
- Utu, the sun-god
Tools - Nanna was the moon-god.
Saws, Chisels, Hammers, Braces, Bits, Nails,
Pins, Rings, Hoes, Glue.

Weapons Writing/Literature
Arrowheads, Axes, Knives, Lancepoints, One of the greatest accomplishments of
Swords, Daggers, Clubs, Armor. the Sumerian people was the invention
of the earliest known system of writing.
Technology (Cuneiform)
Writing system, Number system, The Sumerians created written
First wheeled vehicles, Irrigation systems, documents by using a triangular-tipped
Boats, Calendar. stylus to make wedge-shaped
impressions in soft clay.
Religion Enuma Elish and Gilgamesh are
examples of great religious literature,
What they believed: while the Code of Hammurabi is one of
- In Mesopotamia, each town and city was the greatest early examples of juridical
believed to be protected by a god. literature
- The Mesopotamians believed that these People who lived north of the Sumerian
pyramid temples connected heaven and earth. city-states also known as Akkadians
- At first, many religious events were held at (Semitic) spoke a Semitic language.
the temple but later as priesthood developed,
the temple became the center of both religion
and learning for the entire community.
- The gods in Sumerian were called dingir.
- Their gods and goddesses had supernatural
powers.
- Every single city had its own patron god or
goddess who owned everything and everyone
in the city.
- Everyone was expected to sing hymns, say
prayers, make sacrifices and bring offerings to
the local temple (ziggurat) for the gods.
- In Mesopotamia the people looked to
religion to answer their questions about life
and death, good and evil, and the forces of
nature.
The Sumerians believed in divine order,
that is, everything that occurs is preplanned by
the gods
- There are four all-powerful gods that created
and controlled the universe
- An was the god of heaven
- Enlil was the air-god
- Enki was the water-god

TIGRIS-EUPHRATES VALLEY PAGE 3 OF 5 GRP.1 HIST104


TIMELINE OF ANCIENT
MESOPOTAMIAN
CIVILIZATION:
c. 5000-3500 BCE
• Sumerian civilization in the
Tigris-Euphrates valley.
• The first city-states gradually
develop in southern Mesopotamia.
This is the achievement of the
Sumerian people
c. 4300 BCE
• The rise of the cities by the
Tigris and Euphrates Rivers.
c. 3500:
• Writing begins to be developed. At
first this is based on pictograms,
and takes about a thousand years to
evolve into a full cuneiform
script.
CUNEIFORM
Was invented by the Sumerians.
It is distinguished by its wedge-shaped
marks on clay tablets, made by means of
a blunt reed for a stylus.
c. 3000 BCE - c. 2900 BCE
• Mari, the earliest known
planned city, is built near the
eastern bank of the Euphrates.
TIGRIS-EUPHRATES VALLEY
c. 2300 BCE
• King Sargon of Akkad starts
conquering the first empire in
world history. The empire reaches
its height in c. 2220.
c. 2100
• The city of Ur becomes the center
of a powerful Mesopotamian state.
It soon falls into decline. This
marks the decline of the
Sumerians as the Amorites, a
nomadic people, start moving into
Mesopotamia.
1792-49
• King Hammurabi of
Babylon conquers a large empire.
Hammurabi is famous for the law
code which he issues. His empire
begins to decline immediately after
his death.
c. 1530
• Babylonia is conquered by the
Kassites, who rule the area for
400+ years.
c. 1500
• The Mitanni, an Indo-European
people, conquer northern
Mesopotamia, plus areas of Syria
and Asia Minor. After 200 years
the kingdom of Assyria conquers
northern Mesopotamia from the
Mitanni.
Egyptian empire extends to the
Euphrates
PAGE 4 OF 5 GRP.1 HIST104
From 1100:

• Nomadic peoples such as

the Aramaeans and the
Chaldeans overrun much of
Mesopotamia. The kingdoms of
Babylon and Assyria go into
temporary decline.

PAGE 5 OF 5 GRP.1 HIST104

TIGRIS-EUPHRATES VALLEY