The Geographic Setting

Mesopotamia was a region between the Tigris and Euphrates rivers in Southwest Asia.

Snowmelt from the mountains caused floods along the rivers in spring, bringing rich topsoil that

benefited farms, but often bringing great destruction as well.

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The Fertile CrescentSection 1: Land Between Two Rivers

MapMaster: Mesopotamia

The First Cities

Some of the earliest known cities grew in the region of Sumer, at the southern ends of the Tigris

and Euphrates rivers. Each Sumerian city was a separate state.

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The Fertile CrescentSection 1: Land Between Two Rivers

Sumerian Religion

Sumerian cities were crowned by ziggurats, or temples to the main god or goddess of the city.

Sumerians were polytheistic. They made food offerings to their gods. Although they were

blessed with great wealth, the riches brought warfare between the city-states and also brought

foreign conquerors.

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