Mesopotamia

Period 1 – Technological and Environmental Transformations, c. 8000 BCE to c. 600 BCE

You might also know the area as the “Fertile Crescent,” due to the fact that the river sediment and nutrients surrounding the area led to prime civilization territory. The land was primed and ready for food production, water was plentiful, and therefore there were also plenty of animals to both raise and eat.

Why is Mesopotamia Important?

Basically, the rich diversity of the Mesopotamic region allowed for human civilization to thrive. It helped to start the Neolithic and Agricultural Revolutions, which allowed for the development of culture, science, and religion, and helped to give rise of the most influential ancient empires. There has been evidence of human activity in the region tracking all the way back to 10,000 BCE. These were the peoples who helped to domesticate animals, invented the wheel, planted the first cereal crops, studied the skies, and created written script. In other words, this is a super important AP World History Concept. Another reason this term is a must-know for the AP World History exam is the fact that ancient Mesopotamians created the written word and therefore there is an ancient history to trace. They wrote about actual historical events, when other contemporaries were unable to.

The People of Mesopotamia

People have been present in the Mesopotamic region since the Stone Age and it has been the center of human activity for tens of thousands of years. When hunters and gatherers settled down to tend their crops, they began to create sophisticated tools and social structures as a way to survive, so objects like pottery and farm equipment were developed between 5,000 to 7,000 BCE. Now, this AP World History Crash course will get a little more interesting with the introduction of what have been called the Copper and Bronze Ages. This is where you get bigger and highly structured societies, because what does the development of copper and Bronze bring? Weapons. The Sumerian Civilization was one of the first and most influential societies in all of world history, and therefore you need to know this AP World History concept.

By 3,000 BCE the Sumerian people were mathematically plotting the stars, writing, and working the land. And the region only thrived from there. The Babylonians arrived on the scene around 2,000 BCE and remained a powerhouse for several thousands of years. Probably the most significant influences on the region began to emerge around 1,000 BCE and would remain the central empire throughout the Roman Empire. These were the Assyrian and the Persian Civilizations. It was the Babylonians, the Assyrians, and the Persians that emerged as the three biggest influences on the region, creating advanced and well-armed armies that maintained regional control, traded extensively with the ancient Greeks, Romans, Indians, and even as far east as the Pacific Coast of China.

Mesopotamia’s Contributions to World History

Mesopotamia’s history is so rich and its influences are so vast that it would take several book-length AP World History reviews to properly cover every detail. But there are definitely some key developments and concepts that they contributed that you will need to know for your upcoming AP World History exam. For one, remember this was the “Cradle of Civilization.” This was where humans were born and raised basically. But it’s also the first real evidence of the city-state. Mesopotamian cities were infamous and rather unique with multi-storied buildings, markets, and rules that were enforced. A lot like cities today, right? Also, their political rule typically revolved around the city. These city-states were relatively independent and operated as political hubs, a lot like ancient Greece. It would take large empires like that of the Assyrians to unify these diverse political cities.

Religiously speaking, this was a sunny, rich area. Since food required the sun to grow, religious deities often centered around one powerful god with other, less powerful ones controlling the natural and mystical worlds. Religion was so central that they created pyramids, or ziggurats, as centers of worship. Lastly, you can’t really talk about Mesopotamia without mentioning technology and astronomy. Great thinkers hovered around these even greater cities, leading to sometimes odd discoveries. Bronze and copper production led to advances in military technology from spears to armor. But there were other inventions like the world’s first battery. Thinking also led their eyes upwards. They were astoundingly brilliant astronomers. They were the first peoples to accurately trace the planets movements. They even theorized the rotation of the earth and moon to impressive detail. To this day, we are not entirely sure how they did all this.

Mesopotamia and the AP US History Exam

So, this AP World History Crash Course review on Mesopotamia has been a bit of a whirlwind, we know. But to be clear, this term needs to be on your list of must know AP World History concepts. Attack those textbooks, this website, and any other tool you can use to study for your AP World History Exam. What do you need to focus on then? Good question. Always keep in mind that Mesopotamia was the “Cradle of Civilization.” This is where human society began as we generally know it today. It was the birthplace of writing, the city-state, agricultural production, and the center for diverse technologies, religions, and societies. Also, think about the role of nature and the environment here. Would it all have been possible if this was in a barren region? Probably not. How did the surrounding resources actually inform how human civilization developed.

And third, remember the emergence of empire. Powerful societies sprouted here. This meant extreme cultural exchange across a vast amount of space. But it also meant the development of culture and science, especially astronomy.

Which of the following occurred as a result of the development of agriculture in societies that previously relied on hunting and gathering?

(A) Conditions for women improved.

(B) The incidence of disease declined.

(C) Population density increased.

(D) Degradation of the environment lessened