Introduction

This book covers a period of around six and a half thousand years, from the earliest civilizations in Mesopotamia in about 5000 BC to the end of the medieval period in about AD 1500. During that period, primitive farming communities grew into powerful and warlike civilizations. Humans learned to built spectacular and lasting monuments, from the Colosseum in Rome to the Great Wall of China. Artists created objects of lasting beauty—Egyptian wall paintings, Greek urns and Ming vases.

In this book, you will learn about the classical civilizations of Europe, as well as the rich cultures of Asia and the Americas. You will discover many fascinating facts about human history in the ancient and medieval periods. When were the first Olympic Games held? Which early American civilization discovered chocolate? Did King Arthur exist? And who built the Taj Mahal as a tomb for his beloved wife? You will find the answers to these and many other questions in the pages of this book.

Ancient Mesopotamia

A large part of ancient Mesopotamia is now covered by the country of Iraq. The fertile land near the Euphrates and Tigris rivers is known as the Cradle of Civilization, and it was here that the first ever Mesopotamian civilizations were born. Mesopotamia was home to the ancient cultures of the Sumerians, Akkadians, Babylonians and Assyrians.

Quick Q’s:

1. Which was the oldest Mesopotamian civilization?

The Sumerians settled in Mesopotamia about 4000 BC, making them the first civilization in the world.

2. Who ruled Mesopotamia?

Every Mesopotamian city was ruled by a king, who was thought to have been chosen by the god of the city.

3. Were there wars in ancient Mesopotamia?

Mesopotamians fought with each other over land, water and power. The first ever war probably took place between the cities of Lagash and Umma.

Q What did the Mesopotamians do for a living?

A A large part of the Mesopotamian society consisted of farmers. The Sumerians were the world’s first farmers. They cultivated a variety of crops including wheat, barley and flax. The climate in Mesopotamia was dry, so the people living there had to depend on the rivers for irrigation. They built canals to carry water from the rivers into large reservoirs, where it was stored. The farmers also built dykes to protect their houses from floods.

bull Watering the land

Mesopotamians were very clever. They built elaborate canals and dams to irrigate their dry farm lands.

Q Why did the Mesopotamians build boats?

A Apart from farming, Mesopotamians also traded in goods like stone and metal. They realized that these materials could be transported easily along the rivers and across the sea using boats. So the Mesopotamians built different types of boats. They had wooden boats with triangular sails, a wooden raft called a kalakku, and a tub-like boat made of reeds and covered with animal skin known as a guffa.

bull Down the river

Boats were used for transport and trading goods in ancient Mesopotamia.

Q What is a ziggurat?

A The Mesopotamians believed that their cities and towns were protected by gods. They built