What best describes the first Mesopotamians?

Answer 1

sumerians

Answer 2

The Sumarians The Sumerians were firmly established in Mesopotamia by the middle of the 4th millennium BC, in the archaeological Uruk period, although scholars dispute when they arrived. It is hard to tell where the Sumerians might have come from because the Sumerian language is a language isolate, unrelated to any other known language. Their mythology includes many references to the area of Mesopotamia but little clue regarding their place of origin, perhaps indicating that they had been there for a long time. The Sumerian language is identifiable from its initially logographic script which arose in the Jemdet Nasr period, 3000-2900 BC. Sumer is known as the Cradle of civilization. By the 3rd millennium BC, these urban centers had developed into increasingly complex societies. Irrigation and other means of exploiting food sources were being used to amass large surpluses, huge building projects were being undertaken by rulers, and political organization was becoming evermore sophisticated. Throughout the millennium , the various city-states Kish, Uruk, Ur and Lagash vied for power and gained hegemony at various times. Nippur and Ngirsu were important religious centers, as was Eridu at this point. This was also the time of Gilgamesh, a semi-historical king of Uruk, and the subject of the famous Epic of Gilgamesh. It is during this period that the potter's wheel was developed into the vehicular- and mill wheel. By 2600 BC, the logographic script had developed into a decipherable cuneiform syllabic script. By the late 25th century BC, Eannatum of Lagash had conquered all Sumer and some of the surrounding area, creating the first, if short-lived empire. His methods were force and intimidation (see the Stele of the Vultures [1]), and soon after his death, the cities rebelled and the empire fell apart. The chronology of this era is particularly uncertain, as it was early in the history of writing. Also, the multitude of city-states made for a confusing situation, as each had its own history. The Sumerian king list is one record of the political history of the period. It starts with mythological figures with improbably long reigns, but later rulers have been authenticated with archaeological evidence. The first of these is Enmebaragesi of Kish, ca. 2600 BC. However, one complication of the Sumerian king list is that although dynasties are listed in sequential order, some of them actually ruled at the same time over different areas. answer from: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Timeline_of_ancient_Mesopotamia

Answer 3

Mesopotamian Civilization: Their system of writing was called "cuneiform" and was created on clay tablets. This civilization was formed along the Tigris and Euphrates rivers. They had brick houses, palaces, and temples that made up 12 separate city-states. Along with irrigation works, political and religious institutions, schools, literature, codes of law, art forms, medicinal drugs and the lunar calendar. Their diet consisted mainly of barley, wheat, vegetables, fish, deer, fowl, beer, and milk. However they frequently engaged in warfare over boundaries and water rights which made them prone to domination by the people of Akkod (led by Sargon the Great). Sargon created the 1st empire (from Persian Gulf to Mediterranean Sea). Eventually Sumerians would disappear, but the Akkadians, Babylonians, and Elamites adopted Sumerian ideas. Religion Myths: Narratives about the activities of the gods - believed people were given life so that they would execute on earth the will of the gods in heaven. Ziggurats: Huge multilevel mounds on which temples were built - surrounded by houses for priests, potters, weavers and carpenters. Priests collected rents, received contributions and inhabitants worked as tenant farmers, agricultural laborers, or servants for the priests. Rewards for obedience were long life, health, and worldly success. They believed in a dreary underworld or be transformed into spirits. Government, Law, and Economy At the the bottom of the governmental hierarchy were assemblies of free men, then priests, then military kings, then finally a few city rulers who would become emperors. Kings saw themselves as men selected by gos to represent them on earth. The principal collection of laws was the Code of Hammurabi (c. 1792 - c. 1750 BC) which stated that crimes like housebreaking, kidnapping, aiding the escape of slaves, receiving stolen goods and bearing false witness were punishable by death. Being forgiven by the wrong party could mitigate the penalty. Also harsher punishments for a lower class person harming a noble than vice versa. Business transactions had to be recorded in writing, and severe punishment for any dishonesty. At first, they relied strictly on a barter system. Then the Sumerians would use barley as money and eventually they would use a silver currency called "shekel". They imported things like stone, silver, and timber. The exported things like textiles, fine handicrafts, copper, precious metals, ivory, cedar, cypress woods, oils and essences and agricultural products. Military Their military consisted mainly of foot soldiers who wore copper helmets, leather kilts and carried spears and swords. They marched with their shield close together. They also utilized donkey-drawn carts. Prisoners were usually killed or made slaves. About 1700 B.C., the war chariot became the ultimate weapon. Around 1200 B.C., iron weapons appeared, which were cheaper and overall for effective than copper. Finally, they would create the bow-armed cavalry. They also had paid soldiers, meaning soldiers that would always be ready to fight.

Answer 4

The first people to live in Mesopotamia, which is commonly referred to today as the Fertile Crescent because of the Tigris and Euphrates rivers, were the Sumerians. Around 3,000 BCE-in the Bronze Age, or "the cradle of civilization in the West"-this group of people began to form city-states throughout southern Mesopotamia which often were at war over the valuable resources found in this area. Later on, another people, the Akkadians, began to battle with and eventually take over Mesopotamia, expanding their Akkadian kingdom to include this rich crescent of land which included the ancient cities of Lagash, Eridu, and Ur. The Akkadian kingdom was based in Akkad, which would soon come to be known as Babylon, creating the foundation of the Babylonian empire.

Answer 5

If we remember our Bible teachings, the Cimmerians or as the Bible calls them 'Gomerites' came from the north during the First Millenium.

Answer 6

The first people who settled in Mesopatamia and created a civilization were the Sumer circa 5000 BCE

Answer 7

The Sumerians were the first Mesopotamians of whom we have evidence.

Answer 8

hunter gatherers

Answer 9

pilgrims