•““Land Between Two Rivers”Land Between Two Rivers”

•The Fertile CrescentThe Fertile Crescent•Birthplace of CivilizationBirthplace of Civilization•Land of FirstsLand of Firsts

Plains Near Tigris River

Tigris River, Iraq

Before Farming After FarmingCulture

• Customs• Beliefs• Technology• Art• Interaction with environment

Civilization• Customs• Beliefs• Technology• Art• Interaction with environment

• Food surplus• Social divisions• Writing• Laws

Groups of People

Cuneiform

Ziggurat

The Wheel

HammurabiCode of

Laws

Babylon with Hanging GardensBabylon was rebuilt under Nebuchadnezzar, including its ziggurat and temple. Its outer wall was so wide that a chariot could turn on its battlements.

AdadAdad

Ziggurat at Ur

Land of Firsts

Writing

Wheel

Divine Right of Kings

Architecture

Astrology

Irrigation

Polytheism

Class System

Slavery

360

Literature—Epic of Gilgamesh