History Assignment

1. CharacteristicsofCivilization
Eric Wilson

2. I) Agricultural Intensification
The agricultural revolution was by far the most important discovery in the old
human world, and the intensification of farming furthered that and enabled humans
to grow an excess of crops. With more food than they needed, they humans of the
Neolithic and early Mesopotamian era were able to keep, tame, and selectively breed
animals rather than having to hunt for their food in the wild. This lead to
domestication of animals as pets and a seemingly never ending meat food source so
long as they could also sustain a good yield of crops. On top of that, newly trained
animals could be used to improve farming efficiency, further intensifying the amount
of food that could be grown.

3. Mesopotamian
Tools
http://ancientmesopotamians.com/anci
ent-mesopotamian-tools.html

4. II) Specialization of Occupations
Now that food was taken care of, people had more free time on their hands
that was once used on nothing more than hunting/gathering. This lead to the idea of
special jobs amongst those who lived in a community. Some people farmed and
brought in food while others began dabbling in tool making and crafts like pottery
and painting. Throughout Mesopotamia, rich sons (and sometimes daughters) could
even go off to become Scribes, a rare and extremely valued job as most people
could not read or write for themselves.

5. Sumer Artisans
http://www.funwithcy.com/life-in-the-
sumerian-city-states/

6. III) Merchants and Trade
Trade was fairly important in the Mesopotamian era, as it was the only
way of obtaining goods that people could not craft themselves, due to having their
own jobs. By trading/bartering (and later through money currency), you could buy
something from the local market! This was an amazing way of acquiring something
quickly, rather than taking time out of your work to try and make whatever you
wanted, where the product would probably turn out sloppily. This became even
better in the later Mesopotamian era, as trade by ship became popular. This would
enable people to trade with neighboring countries!

7. A bought/trader
headdress
http://www.historyonthenet.com/meso
potamians/mesopotamian-merchants-
and-traders

8. IV) The Development of Science and Writing
With the ability to write, came the power to record data and communicate
with others. People could pay for a scribe to ‘write’ down a message in cuneiform on
a clay tablet, so that when the scribe’s tablet dried, he (sometimes she) could deliver
the message to the chosen individual, a form of medium distance communication.
Records could also be kept, making it much easier to recall sales/purchases,
compared to memorising the information. Scribes would also be employed by Lugals
(Kings) to record taxes from the people of his city.

9. Cuneiform Writing
http://www.mesopotamia.co.uk/writin
g/home_set.html

10. V) Centralized Government
Centralised Governments were important, as they did help control the
masses rather than having multiple kings in charge of many cities, but it wasn't
exactly the most important. This helped reduce the number of violent outbreaks and
also unify everyone under one main God while each city-state could also have their
own God to worship too. Likewise, this led to a more organised, constructive
community. This meant that, as one unified mass, the Mesopotamians could begin
focusing more one bettering their lives and the well-being of everyone as a whole.

11. Excerpt of
Hammurabi’s code
http://www.timemaps.com/civilization-
ancient-mesopotamia

12. VI) Development of a State Religion
With State Religions and the Government, people could be even more
unified than if there was only the Central Government. This gave something for
people to believe in, follow their religion like they always have, while also following
one main God and the normal city God. Religion was quite important at this time,
but in actuality, there were no Gods that actually affected how the Mesopotamians
lived it was all nature at work, so I had to put it lower on the list than most of the
other entries.

13. Mesopotamian
Ziggurat
http://www.timemaps.com/civilization-
ancient-mesopotamia

14. VII) Class Structure
Class structure was important, as many people could use slaves to do their
manual labour, but I don't think that the class system was that important compared
to the rest of the points listed. Many people didn't have excess money, and therefore
had to do tedious work by themselves while others had work done for them. Rather
than having a stepping ladder of 'poor to rich', I believe that a 'mutual ground'
would've further benefit everyone as a civilisation, due to everyone working
together instead of working for someone more important. This way more could be
done as a group. Rather than constructing massive projects like the temples or other
large buildings, people could have shifted their attention towards maths, science and
writing, which could have furthered technology and sciences in the modern day, due
to advancing everyone's knowledge of the subjects in the past.

15. Class Economy
Hierarchy
http://apworldhistory2012-
2013.weebly.com/case-study-
hammurabis-code.html

16. Citation I
-ancientmesopotamians. Ancientmesopotamians,
http://ancientmesopotamians.com/ancient-mesopotamian-tools.html. 04/10/16
-funwithcy. MH Magazine, 25/04/15, http://www.funwithcy.com/life-in-the-
sumerian-city-states/ 04/10/16
-Hardnfast. “Kings.” timemaps. TimeMaps Ltd,
http://www.timemaps.com/civilization-ancient-mesopotamia 04/10/16
-historyonthenet. HistoryOnTheNet, 09/26/2014
http://www.historyonthenet.com/mesopotamians/mesopotamian-merchants-and-
traders 04/10/16
-Marie-Lan Nguyen timemaps. TimeMaps Ltd,
http://www.timemaps.com/civilization-ancient-mesopotamia 04/10/16

17. Citation II
-mesopotamia.co The British Museum,
http://www.mesopotamia.co.uk/writing/home_set.html. 04/10/16
-Raia, P. “Class Structure.” CHW3M1 World History to the end of the Fifteenth
Century. Alexander Mackenzie High School, 04 October 2016.
-Raia, P. “Cultural Groups.” CHW3M1 World History to the end of the Fifteenth
Century. Alexander Mackenzie High School, 04 October 2016.
-Raia, P. “Government and Law.” CHW3M1 World History to the end of the
Fifteenth Century. Alexander Mackenzie High School, 04 October 2016.
-Raia, P. “Religion.” CHW3M1 World History to the end of the Fifteenth Century.
Alexander Mackenzie High School, 04 October 2016.

18. Citations III
-“An Eye for an Eye” apworldhistory2012-2013.weebly
http://apworldhistory2012-2013.weebly.com/case-study-hammurabis-code.html
04/10/16