Lesson 19

Lesson 19:

​Advances in Mesopotamia

​Math

• First to recognize the concept of zero and to give a number a place value

• Developed a number system based on the number 60

• Gave us our 60-minute hour, 60-second ​minute, and 360 degree circle

• Used geometry to measure fields and to build temples​

Subject | Subject

Some text here about the topic of discussion

​Science

• Made important contributions to the field of astronomy, the study of stars ​and heavenly bodies

• Did not recognize the true God

• Tried to interpret human events by the position of the stars and the planets. This is called ​astrology

• The ​position of the stars does not determine what will happen. Only God determines the future.

Subject | Subject

What is the difference between astronomy and astrology?​

S​cience

• Divided the year into two seasons​ - summer and winter

• Developed a twelve-month calendar using the cycles of the moon​

• Made advances in medicine, such as making a list of symptoms with a diagnosis for each symptom​

Subject | Subject

How has the invention of the wheel made our lives easier?

​Arts and Architecture

​Music

• Mesopotamians enjoyed music

• Musicians played drums, tambourines, reed pipes, and stringed instruments

• ​Music was important to religious rituals and daily work

Some text here about the topic of discussion

​Arts and Architecture

Literature​

• ​Cuneiform was used to record Sumerian literature

• A well-known Mesopotamian poem is the ​Epic of Gilgamesh

• Epic - a long poem that tells the story of a hero

• One part of the Epic of Gilgamesh ​talks about a god who delivered them from a worldwide flood

• Most ancient civilizations had similar stories about a great flood that nearly destroys the human race​

What biblical account is the Epic of Gilgamesh similar to?

​Arts and Architecture

​Arts

• Mesopotamians were wonderful artisans

• ​Did not have the natural resource of stone, so they did not have large stone sculptures

• Archaeologists have found remains of mosaics, helmets, lyres, jewelry, and decorated tablets​

• Their most famous works of art are the cylinder seals​

The Mesopotamians used gold, lapis lazuli, and clay - the natural resources they did have - to make beautiful things.​

​Arts and Architecture

​Architecture

• Wood was in short supply and stone was not available

• Buildings were constructed with bricks made of mud

• The ​arch and column were developed the Mesopotamians

• Some of the first to use domes​

Mesopotamians used mud bricks to construct their houses because mud was a natural resource. What was a disadvantage of using mud bricks instead of stone?

​Daily Life

​School and Family

• Education is an important part of a civilization

• Sumerian schools were called ​tablet-houses and they were attached to the temple

• Usually only boys from wealthy families attended school

• The boys were taught to be scribes​

Why do you think education was limited to boys from wealthy homes?​

​Daily Life

• Parents believed in strong discipline

• Children were taught obedience and respect​

• If a child disobeyed, they might be disowned or even sold into slavery!

• Parents arranged the marriages for their children

• Although women were not considered equal to men, some women had the right to conduct business and own property​

Subject | Subject

How would life be different for you if you lived in Mesopotamia?

• Made their clothing from wool or flax, which were natural resources available to them

• ​Both men and women wore jewelry

​

Mesopotamians spent a lot of time grooming themselves because how they looked was important to them.

​Clothing

Multiple Choice

Who attended school?

• boys from wealthy families

• all boys

• girls from wealthy families

• all children

Multiple Choice

Based on the cycles of the moon

• twelve-month calendar

• epic

• wheel

• cuneiform

Multiple Choice

Long poem that tells the story of a hero

• scribe

• wheel

• epic

• cuneiform

Multiple Choice

Wedge-shaped writing

• cylinder seal

• cuneiform

• scribe

• mathematical advance

Multiple Choice

Mesopotamians' most famous works of art

• pottery

• jewelry

• wheel

• cylinder seals

Multiple Choice

Kept records for merchants, the temple, and the government

• scribes

• priests

• artisans

• slaves

Multiple Choice

Clothing was made from this

• cotton

• silk

• wool and flax

• flannel

Multiple Choice

arches, columns, and domes

• mathematical advances

• architectural features

• works of art

Multiple Choice

improved transportation and the making of pottery

• irrigation

• plow

• sail

• wheel

Multiple Choice

the 60-minute hour and the 60-second minute

• architectural features

• mathematical advance

Multiple Choice

Taught by parents to their children

• how to be a scribe

• how to build houses

• obedience and respect

• music

Multiple Choice

The study of stars and heavenly bodies

• astronomy

• astrology

Multiple Choice

Interpreting human events by the position of the stars and planets

• astronomy

• astrology