Early Civilization Table (1).docx WESTERN GOVERNORS UNIVERSITY Task 1 C375 Early Civili

Early Civilization Table (1).docx  WESTERN GOVERNORS UNIVERSITY  Task 1 C375  Early Civilization Table    Key Geographical Features  Religious Beliefs   Political Structures   Social and/or Cultural Characteristics  Mesopotamia  Located in what is known as modern-day Iraq, Mesopotamia was known as the “land between rivers”. It was situated between the Tigris and the Euphrates River. Very fertile soil was left behind from the flooding of the rivers. This allowed for successful farming of wheat and barley. Modern scholars refer to it as the “fertile crescent” because it was part of a larger agriculturally rich region.  The main religion in Mesopotamia was Polytheism, which means they worshiped many gods. Each city-state had their own god. Temples and Ziggurats were built to honor the gods. To please the gods, they held ceremonies and festivals and made sacrifices. In ancient near east the Hebrews/Jews promoted Monotheism, the belief in a single god, Yahweh. They created books called Thoras, which discussed creation, genealogies, early history, and laws. The acceptance of monotheism was slow.  Here in Mesopotamia the code of Hammurabi became known. The code of Hammurabi is most known as being “an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth.”  City states became more common. The Royalty in the kingdom and religious Priests commanded together as one. The city states were ran by Kings who were in charge of collecting taxes. Religion was also part of authority due to their beliefs. Priests were privileged and po