Running Head: Mesopotamian Life
The Interesting Days of Mesopotamia
Grace Holderby
Lincoln Charter School
October 11th
Mr. Thomas
Honors World History
No one will ever be absolutely sure what the first civilization on Earth was. As far as the human race knows, the first civilization was Mesopotamia. Mesopotamia was brought to civilization by the Sumerian race around 5000 B.C. Mesopotamians tended to live off the land and their animals, which they had domesticated from the wild. It is the cradle of civilization because of it’s developed writing style, also known as cuneiform. Mesopotamia was known for its knowledgeable people, such as Thales of Miletus. The Mesopotamian Pantheon had more than 1000 deities, along with hundreds of different…show more content… Thales of Miletus is believed to have studied there as well. Since Babylonians believed that water was the principle everything else flowed from and Thales is known for his belief in the same, it is thought that he may have studied there or nearby. There were numerous schools that taught a range of subjects such as reading, writing, religion, law, medicine, and astrology. The Mesopotamian Pantheon held over 1000 gods and goddesses, along with the numerous stories about them and their origins. Stories from the bible, such as the Fall of Man and the Flood of Noah, originated from Mesopotamian tales. People of Mesopotamia thought that they were co-working with the gods and that the land had deities, and demons, hidden everywhere.
According to Mesopotamian culture, the world began when the gods emerged victorious against forces of chaos. But that didn’t mean the forces wouldn’t return again. They believed that daily rites, worship of the deities, proper funerals, and civic duty would keep the balance in their world and keep chaos and destruction away. Social etiquette dictated that you honor your elders, treat others with respect, and honor the gods by performing your