Ancient Mesopotamia

This teacher guide utilizes the popular G.R.A.P.E.S. acronym for teaching about ancient civilizations and focuses on the geography, religion, achievements, politics, economy and social structure of ancient Mesopotamia.

Vocabulary

View Activity

GRAPES Chart

View Activity

Geography

View Activity

Religion

View Activity

Achievements

View Activity

Politics

View Activity

Economy

View Activity

Social Structure

View Activity

Biography Poster

View Activity

My Own Code!

View Activity

Epic of Gilgamesh

View Activity

Hero’s Journey

View Activity

Match Up

View Activity

Make a Map

View Activity

Be sure to check out all of our Ancient Civilization guides!

With the activities in this ancient Mesopotamia unit lesson plan, students will demonstrate what they’ve learned about ancient Mesopotamia. They’ll become familiar with the environment, resources, technologies, religion, cultures, and the map of ancient Mesopotamia, allowing students to demonstrate their knowledge in writing and illustrations. History teachers will delight in what their students learn and what their students create!

Essential Questions for Ancient Mesopotamia

1. What was Mesopotamia?
2. Where is ancient Mesopotamia located and how did its geography impact the development of its culture and technology?
3. What was the religion of Mesopotamian civilizations and what were some of its characteristics?
4. What were some of the major achievements of ancient Mesopotamia in art, architecture, technology, philosophy and science?
5. What were the different governments of ancient Mesopotamia and what were some of the characteristics of their central government?
6. What were some important ancient Mesopotamia jobs and major influences on the economy?
7. What was the social structure in ancient Mesopotamia? What were the roles of men, women and children? How did enslaved people impact the society and economy?

G: Mesopotamia Geography and Natural Resources

The location of Mesopotamia is very unique; it was in the Middle East between Europe, Africa, and Asia. It comprised much of Iraq, Kuwait, Syria, and parts of Lebanon, Turkey, and Iran. Because it was the site of the world's earliest civilization, it is nicknamed: The Cradle of Civilization.

The Ancient Greeks named the region Mesopotamia which means "Land Between the Rivers" in Greek. The first states in ancient Mesopotamia were part of the fertile crescent-shaped land among the Tigris and Euphrates rivers. The land was flat with low plains. While the area was semi-arid, when it did rain the rivers would flood, and would deposit silt onto the soil making it rich for farming. Mesopotamians developed irrigation systems and grew barley, wheat, vegetables, and fruit. The mud along the rivers was good for making bricks. Frogs, toads, turtles, birds, and fish also lived in and around the rivers.

The Syrian and Arabian Deserts lie to the south of the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers and are home to dromedary camels as well as sand cobras, scorpions, the jackal, and other animals.

The Zagros Mountains to the north and east form a natural barrier between Iran and Iraq (in ancient times, Mesopotamia and Persia). The foothills have mild weather and sufficient rain for farming, the forests provided lumber and rocks for making tools. The Taurus Mountains in the northwest provide another natural barrier to modern day Turkey (Anatolia).

R: Religion

Ancient Mesopotamians practiced polytheism, meaning they believed in many gods and goddesses. They believed that natural disasters and other events were caused by the gods and therefore it was important to live life in a way that pleased the gods. They honored the gods with sacrifices (including human sacrifices in some ceremonies) and building massive temples called ziggurats. Ziggurats, the most well known Mesopotamia buildings, were enormous step pyramids with a flat top. It was believed that, when Mesopotamia existed, the gods resided in the uppermost temple and only priests were allowed to enter.

In the earliest city-states, priests were the leaders because they were the ones who could communicate with the gods. Later, kings ruled and the priests served as the king’s advisors. It was believed that kings came from the gods. They often solidified their power by marrying priestesses. Each city-state had a patron god. The patron god of Babylon was Marduk. He was the lord of all the gods and goddesses and the god of thunder. His star was Jupiter and his sacred animals were horses, dogs, and the dragon. Ancient Mesopotamians’ religious beliefs influenced every part of their daily life. They believed in more than 3,000 gods and goddesses!

A: Achievements

Art

Ancient Mesopotamian artisans created instruments, pottery, sculptures, and jewelry. They made intricate carvings and mosaics of stones and shells. They developed technologies such as metalworking, glassmaking, and textile weaving. Some of the metals they used were gold, copper and bronze. They were among the first to use bronze in the world. Their art was used as beauty, decoration, and function. It often honored the gods, their kings, and their conquests. Some famous works of art include:

• Bull-headed lyre, from Ur, 2450 BCE
• Standard of Ur, 2500 BCE
• Victory Stele of Naram-Sin from Akkadia, 2254-2218 BCE
• Bust of Sargon the Great., the first Akkadian ruler, 2334–2284 BCE

Architecture

Ancient Mesopotamians made strides in architecture building enormous structures like ziggurats, the temples to the gods, palaces, and other buildings in large city-states. They built massive walls stretching for miles surrounding their city-states to keep out invaders. The huge, intricate Ishtar Gate in Babylon was constructed around 575 BCE by King Nebuchadnezzar II.

Irrigation and Agriculture

To deal with intermittent periods of flooding of the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers and periods of drought, Mesopotamians built systems of irrigation. They dug canals, built levees, and dug out large storage basins to hold water. Because they were able to water their crops year round, they created a stable food supply allowing them to specialize in other fields. For example, Sumerians are also credited with inventing the wheel around 3500 BCE and the plow in 3100 BCE. The Hanging Gardens of Babylon were constructed in 600 BCE at the behest of King Nebuchadnezzar II for his wife, which were a feat of irrigation engineering.

Writing

Sumerians invented cuneiform, a system of writing around 3500-3000 BCE, using a wedge-shaped tool called a stylus to carve pictographs into wet clay. This is arguably their greatest accomplishment, as it allowed them to keep detailed records of their crops and other economic transactions, record history, and write stories. The Epic of Gilgamesh was an epic poem considered the world’s first work of literature, about a Sumerian King who went on many adventures, written in cuneiform on 12 clay tablets in 2100 BCE.

Mathematics and Astronomy

Babylonians made advances in mathematics creating a base 60 system: 60 second minute, 60 minute hour, 360 degree circle. They also excelled in astronomy: mapping the stars and dividing the year into 12 months, each named after the 12 most prominent constellations. They also created a 7 day week named for their 7 main gods who were derived from the 7 most observable planets.

System of Laws

Hammurabi’s Code was put into place by Babylonian King Hammurabi in 1772 BCE. It is the oldest written code of laws in history. There were 282 laws written in cuneiform in an "if, then" format. He had the laws written onto a 7 foot tall stele with a carved image of Hammurabi receiving the laws from Shamash, the sun god at the top.

P: Politics

Priests in Mesopotamia wielded much power because they were the conduit to the gods and Mesopotamians believed that the gods controlled natural disasters and other events in their lives. There was tension over power between priests and kings. Kings would even marry a priestess to secure their power. As city-states grew, they were ruled by kings such as Gilgamesh, king of Uruk, a Sumerian city-state. Later, Akkadian King Sargon the Great, conquered much of Mesopotamia creating the world's first empire. Conquering lands and increasing their power over the region was a constant and was seen as their god-given right. Akkadian King Naram-Sin’s conquest over the people in the Zagros mountains is depicted on the victory stele, likening Naram-Sin to a god.

The First City-States and Empires

Southern Mesopotamia along the Tigris and Euphrates was the site of the first city-states. The region was called Sumer. The Sumerians had made great strides in farming by creating irrigation systems such as levees and canals to bring water from the rivers to their crops. This created a surplus food supply for the people and they were able to specialize and create in other areas, for example: creating the world’s first system of writing, cuneiform around 3500-3000 BCE. The The first city-states grew and included Kish, Uruk, Ur and Lagash.

The region north of Sumer was called Akkad. Around 2350 BCE, Akkadian king Sargon led his armies to conquer the region of Sumer and much of Mesopotamia, creating the world’s first empire.

Around 1900 BCE, the region was conquered again by the Babylonians. One of the most famous Babylonian kings was Hammurabi who created the first code of laws, Hammurabi’s Code, in 1754 BCE.

The Assyrians were the next to rise to power and around 1300 BCE they built an empire in northern Mesopotamia that expanded all the way to Egypt by 671. Assyrians were known for their ruthlessness in battle and new weapons of war, such as battering rams and moveable towers. The Assyrian empire fell in 609 BCE.

Babylonians regained control of Mesopotamia creating the Neo Babylonian Empire. King Nebuchadnezzar II was famous for the innovative architecture created under his rule, such as the Ishtar Gate and the Hanging Gardens of Babylon. He is also noted in the Bible for his conquest of the city of Jerusalem where he took most of the Hebrew citizens captive and forced them to Babylonia, never to return. The Neo Babylonian empire fell to the Persian armies in 539 BCE. Two hundred years later, Alexander the Great defeated the Persians in 330 BCE after which the region was ruled successively by the Greeks, then Romans, Arabs, and Turks. Mesopotamia became Iraq in 1921.

E: Economy

Agriculture

The invention of irrigation systems and tools like the first plow made agriculture the main source of the economy. Staple crops in Mesopotamia were barley and wheat, also peas, beans and lentils, cucumbers, leeks, lettuces, garlic, grapes, apples, melons, and figs. Cuneiform writing kept detailed records. They also raised livestock like goats and used animals like donkeys to carry heavy loads.

Fishing and Trade

Mesopotamia's central location with the sea routes from the Mediterranean and the Persian Gulf as well as the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers allowed for ample trade and fishing.

Priests and Government Officials

Priests were powerful as they communicated with the gods and Mesopotamians believed that the gods controlled everything. Government officials were from the upper class or noble families.

Artisans and Craftsmen

Potters, sculptors, jewelers, metal-smiths, carpenters and stone masons all crafted incredible works of art that were used for music, decoration, and to honor kings, gods, goddesses and to depict important events and daily life.

Scribes

Scribes were highly respected and were important record keepers as well as poets, writers, and teachers. The Epic of Gilgamesh is considered the earliest surviving work of literature and describes the life and adventures of the demigod Sumerian King of Uruk.

Merchants

Merchants traded food, clothing, jewelry, wine, and other goods between the cities using a system of barter. For example, a farmer might trade goats or fruit in exchange for pottery or furniture. The exchanges were very official and were often "signed" using the impression of a cylinder seal in clay.

Enslaved People

Enslaved people did much of the labor, working to build the massive city-states. They were often prisoners of war and were forced to live under brutal conditions and had no rights.

S: Social Structure

Early on, priests held the most power but as city-states expanded, secular kings were at the top of the social pyramid. Priests were important advisors who communicated with the gods. The upper class had government officials and scribes. The middle class had soldiers and workers such as craftsmen, merchants, civil servants. Women who were royalty could be educated and become priestesses. The lower class had farmers, laborers, and women whose options were housework or weaving. Enslaved people had harsh lives and no rights.

Since the geography of Mesopotamia is such a vital part of its importance in history, teachers may want to focus on maps more as an extension of our pre-made Mesopotamia activities. Some ideas for more activities and Mesopotamia lesson plans are: creating a modern Mesopotamia map, a Mesopotamia river map, a Mesopotamian civilization map, a Sumer Mesopotamia map, and so much more!

Other Activity Ideas for the Classroom

• Have students research the roles and lifestyles of kids during this time period.
• Have students conduct a country research project.
• Research the role of education during this time.
• Set up the classroom as different Mesopotamia stations. Have the students decide what each station should be, and how they can all work together to form a civilized society.

For more information on Ancient Greece and other middle school social studies topics, check out Savvas and TCi.

Frequently Asked Questions about Ancient Mesopotamia

What was Mesopotamia?

The word Mesopotamia literally means “between rivers” in Greek. Mesopotamia is located between the Tigris and the Euphrates rivers in West Asia. It was where the Babylonia, Assyria, and Sumer civilizations called home.

Where is modern day Mesopotamia?

Today, Mesopotamia is known as Iraq and Kuwait, and parts of Iran, Syria, and Turkey.

When did Mesopotamia start?

Early civilizations began to form in the region of Mesopotamia as far back as around 12000 BCE.

Why is Mesopotamia important?

Mesopotamia is important because it was the location of the world’s very first cities. It was also where literacy, math, science, and the legal system are believed to have begun. Ancient Mesopotamia also proved that, with fertile land and knowledge of what to do with it, people can form a prosperous civilization.