Mesopotamia
Sailboats, Wheels, Cuneiform
Writing
Sailboats
Mesopotamia was a great civilization. A great civilization
needs water and this was supplied by the Tigris and Euphrates
rivers. The Mesopotamians wanted more out of the two rivers which
resulted in irrigation and sailboats. With sailboats the Mesopotamians
could put nets in the middle of the rivers or canals much more
easily which would get more fish to add to a surplus of food
being brought in by irrigation.
First Wheel
The Sumerians first invented the wheel. They connected
it to vehicles called chariots. It got them to places they wanted
to go quickly. It was one of the biggest achievements in history.
Without the wheel we wouldn't be here today. We wouldn't have
all the cities and towns without the wheel. That is why the wheel
is so important.
Cuneiform
Many people know of Egyptian hieroglyphs, but at
the same time, Sumerians were making their own writing. It was
made for taking account of what they bought or sold. It is called
cuneiform which means wedge shaped. Scribes wrote in clay tablets
using a pointed reed called a stylus. The Sumerians thought very
highly of the Scribes because writing was considered magical.
