Mesopotamia is known as the “cradle of civilization” and is the most ancient civilization

known to have existed on the planet, about 8,000 years old. It is located in what is now
recognized as Iraq and Iran between the Tigris and Euphrates rivers. This area of the
Middle-East is also considered to be the site of the Garden of Eden. Out this civilization
came many inventions that still positively affect our modern world. (Ancient
Mesopotamia’s Inventions)

In about 10,000 BC, a group of nomadic people lived near Syria and Israel that were
known as the Mesopotamians. They spent much of their lives hunting a variety of
animals and gathering food from the world around them. Up to this point, they hadn’t
had the chance to develop beyond their nomadic way of life. However, people finally
began to experiment with growing crops and domesticating animals. (Kreis 2-3) By
being able to settle down and live stable lives, the Ancient Mesopotamians were able to
begin making tools and inventions that eased their workloads and made their lives more
comfortable. (Black 1)

An example of an invention is the seeder plow. The seeder plow was an ingenious
machine that took on the job of seeding and plowing concurrently. Before this was
created, the indigenous people of that time period had to spend innumerable hours
placing seeds into the channels that they had just carved into their land. They believed
that the god Enlil fashioned the seeder plow for their benefit. In addition to this, they
hypothesized that they could distinguish the seeder plow in the stars. Consequently,
they determined that they could gauge the seasons by the stars, and as a result,
calculate when to sow their crops. These innovations were key factors in modernizing
the agriculture of the region. (Mesopotamia: Science and Inventions 2)

Another milestone in the agricultural accomplishments of ancient Mesopotamia was the

making of irrigation canals. At some point people realized the need for a reliable water
source for growing plants. The irrigation canals they created enabled them to control
water and plant crops farther away from rivers. This expanded the amount of usable
land. Irrigation canals also controlled flooding which was a major issue in Mesopotamia
due to the nearby Tigris and Euphrates rivers. As a result of the pressing needs caused
by drought and flooding, people generated new ideas as to how to irrigate their fields
and plants in a controlled manner. (Black 3 and Mays 4)

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Without crops and livestock as a food supply for the populace of the region, there
would be widespread starvation. Therefore it was vital that the people of that era learn
how to farm and domesticate animals for food and other helpful purposes. With the
development of different crops, farming techniques and the domestication of work and
food animals, the inhabitants of that area were able to increase their store of food. The
outcome of this was that ancient Mesopotamians were able to build more multifarious
and substantial settlements. (Kreis 5 and Black 3)

Another area that the populace of early Mesopotamia excelled in was the art of writing.
Some of the first manuscripts that were written by the ancient Mesopotamians can be
traced to as early as 9,000 BC. They are deemed to be the first society to attain an
effective means for written communication. The way that they achieved this literacy was
through cuneiform writing. This style of writing consisted of using a wedge on a piece of
clay to fashion pictures and symbols. Once the clay hardened, it was much more
practical to carry around and use than depending on the memory of the courier. At the
peak of its use, cuneiform contained over 1,200 symbols. The ancient Mesopotamians
were able to achieve what no other cultures had at that time-the first written vernacular
and the beginnings of an educational system. (Black 2)

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After writing was invented, Mesopotamians found it much easier to study and test their
new ideas. They started to come up with new arithmetic techniques and laws. First, they
were able to come up with the concept and practical use of zero. (“Mesopotamia:
Science and Inventions”) Second, they developed two different number systems. The
first was the Max Radix system, and the second was the Sexagesimal system which was
based on the number 60. This led to the 360 degree circle and to the seven day week
which we use in our calendars today. (Black 7)

Because of these advancements in math, the people of ancient Mesopotamia were able
to put their knowledge of astronomy to use. First, they were able to use the orientation
of constellations to indicate the beginning and end of seasons which was vital for
agriculture. Second, they could use the annual rising and setting of particular
constellations to make an accurate clock from which they could tell time. This led to the
invention of the sun-dial. (Astronomy 4)

The ancient Mesopotamians were also able to make great progress in their area of
government. Their government was comprised of both a monarchy and democracy.
They were ruled by kings but at the same time they had the right to nominate officials
who would serve in the Assembly which was part of the government that was ruled by
the common citizens. The Assembly was so important in the governing system that even
the king had to request permission from it to do a variety of things. Altogether, their
government held an enormous amount of power; it had to listen to the voices of the
common man. (“Sumer” 7)
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Another achievement that helped them develop a successful society was the practice of
record keeping. They came up with the first system that kept track of all that was going
on and what had previously happened. The ancient Mesopotamians used their invention
of writing to record their history, records, and epic stories that had previously been
orally passed down through the generations. An example of this is the most famous and
oldest epic called The Epic of Gilgamesh. This story was skillfully written between 2750
and 2500 B.C. on 12 clay cuneiform tablets that recorded the trials and journeys of the
king of Uruk. (“Epic of Gilgamesh” and Cochrane 6) The people who wrote information
down became known as scribes and were greatly respected. The fact that they could
read and write caused them to be separated into their own special class within society,
and they were looked upon as magicians. (Black 2 and Mesopotamia: Sailboats, Wheels,
Cuneiform 3) Because stories such as The Epic of Gilgamesh were written down and
recorded, future generations were able to look back at their history and learn from the
mistakes that their ancestors had made, helping to ensure a better future.

Another important part of their system of government was the regulation and
enforcement of laws and safety regulations. They made codes of law to maintain peace
within the state. Likewise, they invented a justice system and penitentiaries for law-
breakers. In Babylon, an ancient king named Hammurabi instituted a system of laws to
govern every aspect of life and every dispute that took place within the populace. This
system of laws was so effective that many of our laws today originated from it.
(Cochrane 7-8). These laws created a stable society which enabled the people to achieve
the building of large cities used for stockpiling food. They were also major centers of
politics and specialized jobs. Most of these cities were built along the banks of the Tigris
and Euphrates rivers where land was fertile and trade was available. (Cowan 5-7) The
largest of these cities was knows as Ur and had an inhabitance of about 24,000 people.
(“Sumer” 10)

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Another contribution that the ancient Mesopotamians made to the modern world was in
the area of transportation. In approximately 3500 B.C., they started developing new ways
to make travel easier and more efficient. One of the ways that they did this was by
making better boats and controlling the energy in wind currents through the use of a
sail. Boats were greatly needed in Mesopotamia because it was the “land between the
rivers”, and much of the inhabitance of that region depended on the rivers and the
resources that came from them. (Mesopotamia: Sailboats, Wheels, Cuneiform Writing 1)
The original boats were made out of reed and in many instances, needed to be
disassembles when coming in contact with land. However, they were able to make
boating more practical by adding a sails to the top of them. The sails were able to direct
the power of wind currents into energy of motion and make the boat glide through the
water. (Black 14) This invention led to trading between countries that were separated by
large expanses of water. Also it led to the discovery and colonization of foreign lands
such as The Americas. (Black 14)

Another major invention was the discovery of the wheel. In fact, it is considered one the
most significant inventions in world history. Not only did it provide an easy way to move
objects when it was attached to an axle, but it also led to many other important
inventions such as wheeled carts (which facilitated bartering), the horse-drawn chariot,
and today, the automobile. (Cowan 11 and Mesopotamia: Sailboats, Wheels, Cuneiform
Writing 2) Without this invention, the modern world would be a very different place
than what it is today.

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In conclusion, the ancient Mesopotamians created many inventions that significantly

influenced the world in which we live today. They invented agricultural techniques such
as the domestication of animals and the irrigation of farm lands. Furthermore, they came
up with mathematical laws, forms of government, and systems of writing that positively
effects our world today. Finally, they invented different means for transportation that
changed history forever. The people of ancient Mesopotamia revolutionized the ancient
world and caused a “domino effect” that led to the conveniences we now enjoy in our
modern world.

Comments: Why were you using text boxes for page numbering? We went over how to
make headers with page numbering in class. Note my comments, including the ones on
formatting. I had to change numerous things to make this look right. In your Citations
page, I had to delete many spaces; it appears that you did not use the “tab” properly.
Balance your desire to use higher level vocabulary (a good thing) with sounding too
awkward. Some things were just a bit confusing, such as how 60 relates to a 7 day week,
and the rising and setting of constellations for them to tell time on a clock.

Overall, this is very informative, well organized, and presented well. I enjoyed reading it,
learned from it, and it “drew me in” I hope you enjoyed researching it.