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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.

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) was not protected by geography, and would constantly face invasion by foreigners.

Do not think there was anything primitive about these ancient cities.  They had shipping, fishing, brewers and bakers.  They spun wool and traded fine jewelry.  They discovered the Pythagorean Theorem, though it was later named after a Greek.  In 2500 B.C., the queen of Ur, which was a prominent city, lived in a palace that featured harps and many servants.  Slavery existed, but it was typically confined to domestic work in the cities rather than hard labor on the farm.  Slaves were given a minimum standard of living and often had the opportunity to rise to freedom through diligent work.

Do not think there was anything primitive about these ancient cities.  They had shipping, fishing, brewers and bakers.  They spun wool and traded fine jewelry.  They discovered the Pythagorean Theorem, though it was later named after a Greek.  In 2500 B.C., the queen of Ur, which was a prominent city, lived in a palace that featured harps and many servants.  Slavery existed, but it was typically confined to domestic work in the cities rather than hard labor on the farm.  Slaves were given a minimum standard of living and often had the opportunity to rise to freedom through diligent work.

Genesis Chapter 10 places the roots of modern mankind in Noah and his three sons: Shem, Ham and Japheth.  The term "Semitic" means "pertaining to the descendants of Shem," and includes Assyrians, Chaldeans, Aramaeans, Sabaeans, Arabs and Hebrews (now known as Jews).  Semitic languages include Hebrew and Arabic.  Semitic religions include Judaism, Christianity and Islam.  One of Noah's descendants was Abram, who later changed his name as Abraham to reflect his covenant with God.

Genesis Chapter 10 places the roots of modern mankind in Noah and his three sons: Shem, Ham and Japheth.  The term "Semitic" means "pertaining to the descendants of Shem," and includes Assyrians, Chaldeans, Aramaeans, Sabaeans, Arabs and Hebrews (now known as Jews).  Semitic languages include Hebrew and Arabic.  Semitic religions include Judaism, Christianity and Islam.  One of Noah's descendants was Abram, who later changed his name as Abraham to reflect his covenant with God.

Both the Bible and many independent sources describe a Great Flood (or "Deluge"), which historians date at about 3000 B.C.  Very little of any history, including writings and civilization, has survived from before that time.  The biblical account of the Flood is at Genesis 5-8, describing an ark having reasonable dimensions similar to modern ocean steamships.  A non-biblical Sumerian (from Sumer in Mesopotamia) account of the Flood was found in the last hundred years, and that account was apparently written about 1600 B.C.  Even better, a cuneiform tablet from Babylon was found dating from 3000 B.C., which also described a massive flood in great detail.  There are many other ancient accounts of a massive flood found in most other cultures around the world.  Fossils and limestone (the result of ocean sediment) are found today on mountaintops and land worldwide at all altitudes.  Independent accounts of a great flood can be found in ancient works of China, India, Britain (Druid) and American Indians, all having striking similar details.  See, e.g., http://www.searchgodsword.org/enc/isb/view.cgi?number=T2631 .  Recently two scientists at Columbia University published a widely praised book that proved that the Flood did occur, entitled "Noah's Flood," which concludes that the biblical Flood "is surely a true story of the permanent destruction of a land and its people ...." (p. 251).  Yet no public school textbook ever mentions a massive flood.

Both the Bible and many independent sources describe a Great Flood (or "Deluge"), which historians date at about 3000 B.C.  Very little of any history, including writings and civilization, has survived from before that time.  The biblical account of the Flood is at Genesis 5-8, describing an ark having reasonable dimensions similar to modern ocean steamships.  A non-biblical Sumerian (from Sumer in Mesopotamia) account of the Flood was found in the last hundred years, and that account was apparently written about 1600 B.C.  Even better, a cuneiform tablet from Babylon was found dating from 3000 B.C., which also described a massive flood in great detail.  There are many other ancient accounts of a massive flood found in most other cultures around the world.  Fossils and limestone (the result of ocean sediment) are found today on mountaintops and land worldwide at all altitudes.  Independent accounts of a great flood can be found in ancient works of India, Britain (Druid) and American Indians, all having striking similar details.  See, e.g., http://www.searchgodsword.org/enc/isb/view.cgi?number=T2631 .  Recently two scientists at Columbia University published a widely praised book that proved that the Flood did occur, entitled "Noah's Flood," which concludes that the biblical Flood "is surely a true story of the permanent destruction of a land and its people ...." (p. 251).  Yet no public school textbook ever mentions a massive flood.

The conflict between the Hebrew (Jewish) and Arab peoples in the Middle East and throughout the world is described by some as a family feud.  They are descended from the same father, Abraham, as described in Genesis 16.  But Jewish and Arab peoples trace their lineage from different sons of Abraham who were rivals for their father’s love.  Jewish people claim to be descendants of Isaac, the child of Abraham and Sarah, while Arabs are descended from Ishmael, the son of Abraham (then Abram) and the Egyptian woman Hagar.  The Old Testament teaches that Abraham offered to sacrifice Isaac to the Lord, while Islam teaches that Abraham’s sacrifice was of Ishmael.  Islam teaches that Ishmael helped Abraham build a mosque in Mecca (the venerated Kaaba), and that it was Ishmael (rather than Isaac) who was nearly sacrificed.  Regardless, Ishmael went a different way from the rest of Abraham's family, and there have been hard feelings by Ishmael's descendants ever since.

The conflict between the Hebrew (Jewish) and Arab peoples in the Middle East and throughout the world is described by some as a family feud.  They are descended from the same father, Abraham, as described in Genesis 16.  But Jewish and Arab peoples trace their lineage from different sons of Abraham who were rivals for their father’s love.  Jewish people claim to be descendants of Isaac, the child of Abraham and Sarah, while Arabs are descended from Ishmael, the son of Abraham (then Abram) and the Egyptian woman Hagar.  The Old Testament teaches that Abraham offered to sacrifice Isaac to the Lord, while Islam teaches that Abraham’s sacrifice was of Ishmael.  Islam teaches that Ishmael helped Abraham build a mosque in Mecca (the venerated Kaaba), and that it was Ishmael (rather than Isaac) who was nearly sacrificed.  Regardless, Ishmael went a different way from the rest of Abraham's family, and there have been hard feelings by Ishmael's descendants ever since.