...valley civilizations. Although they ancient civilizations did not inspire like the iphone or ipad. They inspired a lot of better things such as, the sailboat and even mail( OI ). This was around 3500 B.C.Two contributions from the mesopotamian civilization were the invention of cuneiform and hammurabi’s code. To begin, the ancient Sumerians invented cuneiform, which paved the way for written language in the future (OI). Cuneiform was the very first written language, invented over 5000 years ago (Doc. 1). Cuneiform could only be written by scribes in the ziggurat (OI).Sumerians used cuneiform for keeping track of business dealings, keeping records and more (Doc. 1). From all of these new ideas they were able to be passed from generation to generation (Doc. 1). After the scribes wrote on the clay tablets they were then baked in a kiln...
Words: 336 - Pages: 2
...The pursuit of science in the Mesopotamian and Hittite civilizations was one of a similar goal. Both civilizations were the leaders in metallurgy and because of this easily conquered other empires with their impressive and extremely effective weaponry. Their inventions and innovations of metallurgy were rapidly adopted by other ancient civilizations and transformed how empires went to war. In 4000 B.C.E. Mesopotamia created the practice bronze metallurgy; this involved the combination copper and tin. With this new technology the Mesopotamians immediately had an advantage in both warfare and agriculture. In warfare, weaponry such as swords, spears, axes, shields, and armor were upgraded from the weaker copper and stone that they used to be made of. In agriculture “bronze knives and bronze tipped plows were used instead of tools made of bone, wood, stone, or obsidian" (Bentley and Ziegler, pg. 32). Mesopotamians attempted iron metallurgy as early as the fourth millennium but their results were less than stellar. Their new tools were far too weak to be used as acceptable replacements for bronze equipment. This is where the Hittites come in. This civilization in 1300 B.C.E. perfected the art of iron metallurgy. Innovating on what the Mesopotamians started, Hittites were able to create weapons cheaply and in much larger quantities (Bentley and Ziegler, pg. 32). What the Hittite craftsman discovered was “that by heating iron in a bed of charcoal, then hammering it into the desired...
Words: 527 - Pages: 3
...when one event influences a chain of one or more events to occur. This is similar to the impact regional geography made on the development of a civilization. In other words, regional geography created a domino effect of the development of various civilizations. For example, the development of the Mesopotamian Civilization was majorly impact by the regional geography. It is important to note that Mesopotamia is known as the birthplace of civilization. Historians believe that between 4,000 B.C.E. and 3,000...
Words: 676 - Pages: 3
...CREATION IN GENESIS BIBLE: It is a collection of sacred sicripture of both Judaism anda Christianity. The Christian Bible is divided into two parts. The first is called the Old Testament and the second portion is called the New Testament. THESE MAIN QUESTIONS ARE ANSWERED IN GENESIS 1- Why do we live? 2- Why do we die? 3- Why does the evil exist? CREATION IN 1ST VERSION - God created man in his own image. - God created the man and female at the same time - God created man after he ended all his work. - The first creation story says that grass and trees were created before the sun, moon and stars, whereas we know that stars were created first, then the earth and the moon. Only later was it possible for grass and trees to evolve. Finally, God created man in his own likeness- there is no suggestion of any evolution here. - God let man dominion over everything.(ıt shows the importance of man) - God said man “ be fruitful, be multiply and replenish the earth. CREATION IN 2ND VERSION - There was a garden in Eden and he put the man whom he had formed. - The was a tree of knowledge of good and evil ● So we understand that in 2nd Version, there is Good an Evil. - The second creation story says that a man was created first, before any other animal, whereas scientists tell us that many animals existed before humans, who are of relatively recent origin. This version also says that every plant of the field was...
Words: 2931 - Pages: 12
...The Contributions of River Valley Civilizations Document-Based Question By: Krupa Patel The ancient River Valley Civilizations of Egypt, China, and Mesopotamia all made key contributions to future societies. Two contributions made by the Mesopotamian civilization, are introducing a complete set of laws and creating the world’s first written language. In Document 1, it states how Sumerians created cuneiform script over 5000 years ago. They used this writing system to keep track of business deals far away, to pass on new ideas to each generation, and to keep records. Cuneiform is what initially started languages all over the world; it was a form of communication that evolved differently in each society. Future civilizations would establish their own languages, gradually making its way to the modern century. In addition, the Mesopotamian civilization developed Hammurabi’s Code, the most complete set of laws that has survived. Document 2 supports this reasoning, by stating that these set of rules were important because they helped govern a civilization while trying to protect people even if they had little political power. From this, future civilizations would begin to make their own laws to have a more organized society. The Code of Hammurabi, however, also brought forth the idea of class. For instance, punishments were based on the class of the lawbreaker and the victim of the crime. The Mesopotamian civilization contributed two major things that even impact the world today:...
Words: 636 - Pages: 3
...reviews the development of human society in Mesopotamia, diffusion of the chariot, and the development of the United States of America. Development of Early Human Society in Mesopotamia It is widely recognized that human civilization began in Mesopotamia, before any other part of the world. This was regardless of the fact that life at the place was quite unpredictable (Brown, 2006). Mesopotamia is a Greek term, which means life between two rivers. Mesopotamia is a vast land between the Tigris and Euphrates rivers. Its land was both ideal for settlement and challenging at the same time, which contributed to the civilization of its inhabitants. The most significant physical geographical factor in Mesopotamia was the presence of many plants and animals that could be domesticated (Diamond, 1997). The land had fertile soils, thereby providing a good habitat for the plants and animals. They resulted from deposition of top-level soils from upper land and mountains, through the rivers. The fertile soils and the abundance of food allowed the farming to flourish, which caused the increase in human population. A further complement for agriculture was the presence of fertile soils. The Mesopotamians faced various challenges, which also contributed to the civilization. For instance, the climate, which was semi-arid and marked with annual unpredictable floods between, was a major challenge. Therefore, as the population figured out how to deal with frequent flooding using canals, they also...
Words: 737 - Pages: 3
...As the Mesopotamian civilization developed so did their culture. They developed a variety of festivals, ceremonies, traditions, and much more. It had a dense culture followed by variety of activities; Games, Festivals, Music, Dance. Hunting, wrestling and boxing were the most common Games played by Mesopotamian people. They also played major, a game similar to the sport rugby, but played with a ball made of wood. They also played a board game similar to Senet and backgammon, now known as the "Royal Game of Ur." Mesopotamian people use to write songs and dedicate it to their gods and goddesses on special events. Mesopotamian cultures portrayed social hierarchies which existed in every level of society, from ruler to subject, husband to wife,...
Words: 272 - Pages: 2
...The Significance of Agriculture in Early Human Civilization Over the course of human evolution, there has been no greater single development with as profound and far reaching effects as that of the development of agriculture. Sustainable agriculture drove human civilization from a hunter-gatherer society to the settled and centralized society we know today. The advent of modern agriculture techniques enabled early man to settle in one area and develop their own food and raw material needed for survival and sustainment. Such developments eliminated the need for small bands of hunters and gatherers to forage for food. Hunter-gatherer societies were constantly on the move in search for food and shelter. Constant movement and migration precluded any significant societal and technological development and made population expansion all but impossible. The sedentary lifestyle and social structures we know today would be impossible without the development of efficient cultivation techniques. For early humans, almost all time and energy was devoted to gathering plants for food and hunting animals. Once agriculture became the primary method for cultivating food, societies and governments began to form and the modern notion of the nation state (or city state in some cases) began. The development of agriculture also had a heavy hand in influencing early religions. Religion would go on to become one of the most dominant forces throughout human history; influencing everything from...
Words: 1500 - Pages: 6
...begin we need to define civilization. “Civilization is a way of life based in cities with dense populations organized as political states, large buildings constructed for communal activities, the production of food, diverse economies, a sense of local identity, and some knowledge of writing” (Hunt pg. 4). Areas such as Turkey, Egypt, Greece, Iraq, and others around the Mediterranean Sea are the original Western Civilizations. Mesopotamia was the home of the first civilization. There was a huge change in the climate that made the soil more fertile for crops and the domestication of animals for food or farming. This area was known as the Fertile Crescent (Hunt pg. 7). Western civilization was able, thanks to the progress of mathematics, natural science and their technological applications, to provide man with unprecedented and undreamt of capabilities and opportunities. It offered means, tools and apparatuses that were never available before, and reduced distances, bringing remote locations closer while saving time, thanks to modern means of transportation which are permanently improved, to the extent that the world has become a planetary...
Words: 436 - Pages: 2
...Civilization is difficult to define in one word or phrase because a complex society or “civilization” depends on many different aspects. There are characteristics of a civilization that are more essential than others, some of which may be more important to one group than to another group. However, a definition for civilization can be narrowed down to a few fundamental aspects that are necessary for one to exist. For a complex society to exist, it must have means to provide for a growing population. Acquiring resources is vital for a civilization to flourish. The earliest civilizations all seemed to have a need for an organized administration system. In a society with a growing population and expanding territories, we can see the need for a hierarchical government to keep them operating. Civilization is the way of life that began by those who live in cities. Civilization comes from the word civis, which is a Latin word meaning citizen of a city. Civilization is characterized by everything that makes up the way of life in a city. This includes form of government, arts, customs, and technology. Civilization is similar to a culture except that civilization is more advanced and complex. Everyone has a culture but not everyone is in a civilization. The increase in agriculture and domestication of animals were major steps in civilization. This supported everyone in a small town. Trade was involved in which they exchanged grain, pottery, and various raw materials. Everything in the...
Words: 666 - Pages: 3
...of Ancient Monuments Ancient monuments have been discovered to be a prominent feature of many different ancient civilizations throughout history. The most elaborate and well known ancient buildings are the pyramids and the ziggurats of Egypt, Mesopotamia, and Mesoamerica. The construction of these massive monuments began sometime during the fourth millennium BC and to this day many can still be seen. Although believed by most to serve a particular religious function, historians are still trying to discover the exact purpose of these breathtaking feats of architecture. However, through the vast studies of archaeology, enough information has been acquired to make some valid theories. The first civilization to construct a massive architectural project was the Egyptians with their construction of the pyramids. It is believed that the Egyptian civilization began around 5500 BC and then began to flourish as a result of new innovations in agriculture and the abundance of natural resources around the Nile. Over time, Egyptians made great achievements in mathematics, writing, astronomy, medicine, engineering, and architecture. This played a huge part in the progression of Egypt into a powerful and influential civilization. In addition to these achievements, the significance of religion was another extremely important factor that allowed the Egyptian civilization to thrive. Egyptians practiced polytheism. In their religion, not only were there multiple gods, but their gods were...
Words: 1786 - Pages: 8
...Creation" also known as the Enûma Elish. The Mesopotamian "Epic of Creation" dates to the late second millennium B.C.E. In the poem, the god Marduk (or Assur in the Assyrian versions of the poem) is created to defend the divine beings from an attack plotted by the ocean goddess Tiamat. The hero Marduk offers to save the gods only if he is appointed their supreme unquestioned leader and is allowed to remain so even after the threat passes. The gods agree to Marduk's terms. Marduk challenges Tiamat to combat and destroys her. He then rips her corpse into two halves with which he fashions the earth and the skies. Marduk then creates the calendar, organizes the planets, stars and regulates the moon, sun, and weather. The gods pledge their allegiance to Marduk and he creates Babylon as the terrestrial counterpart to the realm of the gods. Marduk then destroys Tiamat's husband, Kingu using his blood to create humankind so that they can do the work of the gods. (Sources, Foster, B.R., From Distant Days : Myths, Tales, and Poetry of Ancient Mesopotamia. 1995, Bethesda, Md.: CDL Press. vi, 438 p., Bottéro, J., Religion in Ancient Mesopotamia. 2004, Chicago: University of Chicago Press. x, 246 p., Jacobsen, T., The Treasures of Darkness : A History of Mesopotamian Religion. 1976, New Haven: Yale University Press. 273.) Enuma Elish 'When on high' The Babylonian Epic of Creation (full text) Translator unknown. The Babylonian/Mesopotamian creation myth, Enuma Elish, When on high...
Words: 1820 - Pages: 8
...The Descent of Inanna Excerpt translated by Diane Wolkstein and Samuel Noah Kramer, from “Inanna, Queen of Heaven and Earth: Her Stories and Hymns From Sumer”, Harper & Rowe, Publishers. From the Great Above she opened her ears to the Great Below. From the Great Above the goddess opened her ears to the Great Below. From the Great Above Inanna opened her ear to the Great Below. My lady abandoned heaven and earth to descend to the underworld. Inanna abandoned heaven and earth to descend to the underworld. She abandoned her office of holy priestess to descend to the underworld. In Uruk she abandoned her temple to descend to the underworld. In Badtibira she abandoned her temple to descend to the underworld. In Zabalam she abandoned her temple to descend to the underworld. In Nippur she abandoned her temple to descend to the underworld. In Kish she abandoned her temple to descend to the underworld. In Akkad she abandoned her temple to descend to the underworld. She gathered together the seven me. She took them into her hands. With the me in her possession, she prepared herself: She placed the sugurra, the crown of the steppe, on her head. She arranged the dark locks of hair across her forehead. She tied the small lapis beads around her neck, Let the double strand of beads fall to her breast, And wrapped the royal robe around her body. She daubed her eyes with the ointment called "let him come, let him come" Bound the breastplate called "come, man, come" around...
Words: 5451 - Pages: 22
...Civilization – A Definition What do ancient Mesopotamian cuneiform writing tablets, Egyptian pyramids of Giza, inscribed oracle bones from ancient Chinese divine rituals, and automobiles have in common? Each of these objects represents a bi-product of an ancient or modern civilization. However, many anthropologists, historians, theorists and sociologists alike disagree with regard to how the term civilization should be defined. According to sociologist Robert Park, “Civilization […] is the result of man’s effort to use the resources of his environment in order to change nature and, where possible, make it less raw, more comfortable and less difficult to endure” (Park, 132). He reasons that civilization should be measured by man’s degree of conquest over nature (133). Historian and author Felipe Fernández-Armesto describes civilization as both a “process of collective self-differentiation from a world characterized […] as barbaric or savage or primitive” and a stage reached when a particular society reaches its “climax” (Fernández-Armesto, 13). While peace activist Scott Nearing believed civilization to be the “most comprehensive, extensive and inclusive life pattern achieved by terrestrial humanity,” the philosopher and revolutionary Karl Marx believed that the beginning of civilization symbolized the beginning of oppression (Nearing, 54). In the simplest sense, the Oxford English Dictionary defines the verb “to civilize” as “to bring out of a state of barbarism, to instruct...
Words: 1508 - Pages: 7
...his unification of the two crowns under a single man. Beneath the king are two large serpopard’s, a mythical hybrid between a lioness and a serpent. Both upper and lower Egypt worshiped these creatures and the intertwining of their necks is an additional representation of Egyptian unity under Narmer. At the very bottom of the palette a bovine image is seen knocking down the walls of a city, further commemorating Namers military victory. This ancient artifact displays the critical role of a ruthless warrior in the forming of one of the greatest civilizations in all of human history. Although human beings should always strive to avoid violence, the use of force is essential to to building complex civilization. Violence is crucial to the development of a civilization because it is not only an effective means to attain power but is also an excellent tool to demonstrate in the purest sense the authority of a regime. To build a civilization there must exist some form of government. And governments are most effective when their citizens not only recognize but obey their leadership. Therefore I would argue that governing through the use of...
Words: 1539 - Pages: 7
