Changes

Most workers in Mesopotamia were farmers, but some devoted their time to trade.  They had a calendar based on the moon to aid the farmers, and they developed a mathematical system using base 12.  They were marvelous inventors, creating complex systems of irrigation and discovering the plow, the cart and the wheel, and used bronze (a mixture of copper and tin) to make good farming tools.  Both men and women owned private property, had slaves, and were ruled by a king.

Most workers in Mesopotamia were farmers, but some devoted their time to trade.  They had a calendar based on the moon to aid the farmers, and they developed a mathematical system using base 12.  They were marvelous inventors, creating complex systems of irrigation and discovering the plow, the cart and the wheel, and used bronze (a mixture of copper and tin) to make good farming tools.  Both men and women owned private property, had slaves, and were ruled by a king.

They built cities known as Eridu, Lagash, Ur, Uruk, Isin, Kish, just to name a few.  They were smart, and developed Akkadian as their language.  One interesting aspect of Akkadian is that it lacks any tense forms such as past or future tense.  The verbs expressed the manner of an action rather than its time.

They built cities known as Eridu, Lagash, Ur, Uruk, Isin, Kish, just to name a few.  They were smart, and developed Akkadian as their language.  One interesting aspect of Akkadian is that it lacks any tense forms such as past or future tense.  The verbs expressed the [[aspect (grammar)|manner of an action]] rather than its time.

By 3000 B.C. the people had built major canals to channel water, and roads on which to travel.  Shepherds had dogs to help them tend the sheep, just as we use today to help herd sheep together.  Each city was surrounded by a moat and a wall of brick, with as many as 900 towers inside the city.  Soldiers watched entry back and forth, and wagons carried people and goods within the city.  By 3000 B.C. mankind had already built a mini-version of Manhattan, without the automobile and steel skyscrapers.  But Mesopotamia (unlike Egypt and China) was not protected by geography, and would constantly face invasion by foreigners.

By 3000 B.C. the people had built major canals to channel water, and roads on which to travel.  Shepherds had dogs to help them tend the sheep, just as we use today to help herd sheep together.  Each city was surrounded by a moat and a wall of brick, with as many as 900 towers inside the city.  Soldiers watched entry back and forth, and wagons carried people and goods within the city.  By 3000 B.C. mankind had already built a mini-version of Manhattan, without the automobile and steel skyscrapers.  But Mesopotamia (unlike Egypt and China) was not protected by geography, and would constantly face invasion by foreigners.