What enabled farming to develop in Mesopatiama was that it was located in a
river valley between the Euphrates and Tigris rivers in a temperate climate, so
it had a water source, fertile soil and good climate for farming. The reason for
the fertile soil was that when the two rivers overflowed they deposited nutrient
high silt on the soil creating the perfect soil conditions for the plant.
When farming began the Mesopotamians developed many different types of
inventions to enable farming. Some of these inventions included levees, water gates
and irrigation canals that were created in order to control the amount of water that
entered their fields. They also created items such as sickles to make harvesting crops
much easier. To allow for easy transportation of crops they invented a wheel one the
the greatest inventions of the Mesopotamians. As well, to reduce the size of the
farming workforce they used newly invented plough to turn the soil.
Farming made a great contribution to civilization that still lasts today. When
farming was created it provided a sustanable food source for many people
alowing for settlements to constantly expand. This also created time for others to
begin to specialize and focus on other occupations other than farming to help
contribute to the city.
When farming began and produced a surplus of food only a few people were needed to
produce food, leaving others to have time begin to specialize. People who had began to
specialize took up the occupational options of becoming craftspeople, priests, builders,
soldiers, or artisans. Craftspeople and artisans made everyday items, including dishes,
pots, clothing, baskets, boats, weapons, jewelry, wall carvings and many other items. A
priest's job was to tend to the temple, glorify and teach about the gods and to collect and
redistribute the resources. Builders constructed the temples and the monuments of the
city while the soldiers defended it
When a surplus of food was produced this allowed for trading to begin. Necessitating
for technology of transportation and navigation to be created. Some of these inventions
included the wheel to improve travel on land and guffas to aid travel along rivers. As
well as trading began they had to explore the land around them to know where to trade.
This surplus of food and other objects also allowed for the Mesopotamians to obtain
items their land could not provide, such as gold, wood and copper.
As the main pillars of civilization developed the Mesopotamians began to create a
form of writing. This specialization in writings achieved a way to keep track of taxes
and form records of trade. This was also a way the King could showcase all his
successful endeavors. Their invention of writing used a soft clay tablet to write on
with a wedge shaped stylus. Writing also created a way to immortalize rulings to
keep track of the laws.
Archaeology has contributed much information to our understanding of the
spiritual beliefs of the Sumerians. One the most significant of these
archeological finds was the discovery of the tomb that held 70 attendants
and their ruler, this confirmed that the Sumerians believed in an afterlife.
The belief in the afterlife is important in many ways. One example is that this
certain belief compels individuals to live a good life so they can gain passage
into heaven. Also believing that everything you do is not just for now but forever
gives actions a certain importance, shaping our values This belief also helps us
believe that in this broken world there is still a place of beauty.
People in Mesopotamia could have willingly payed taxes with their labour to
demonstrate that they honored their countryas well as the believed ti would benefit
the area. They could have also done this because they did not have the means of
giving away supplies because they had to feed their family. Another reason
citizens could have done this was that when they worked they were supplied with
food so it would take burden off his family.