Ancient Mesopotamia 101 | National Geographic

National Geographic3 minutes read

Mesopotamia, a fertile plain between the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers, nurtured agricultural growth for over 12,000 years, leading to the establishment of early cities around 6,000 years ago. The Babylonians in Mesopotamia introduced advanced mathematical concepts and developed the base-60 system, which influenced the creation of a 60-second minute and a 360-degree circular angle, along with the sophisticated cuneiform writing system adopted for multiple languages, including the recording of King Hammurabi's law for a standardized justice system.

Insights

  • Mesopotamia, situated between the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers, facilitated agricultural progress for millennia, culminating in the establishment of early urban centers around 6,000 years ago.
  • The Babylonians in Mesopotamia pioneered intricate mathematical concepts like the base 60 system, impacting the development of modern time and angle measurements, alongside creating the versatile cuneiform script utilized for various languages and legal documentation under King Hammurabi, laying the groundwork for a structured legal framework.

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Recent questions

  • What is Mesopotamia?

    Land between Tigris and Euphrates Rivers

  • What mathematical system did Babylonians develop?

    Base 60 system

  • What writing system did Mesopotamians use?

    Cuneiform

  • Who was King Hammurabi?

    King of Babylon

  • What impact did Mesopotamia have on modern society?

    Influenced timekeeping and mathematics

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Summary

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Ancient Mesopotamia: Cradle of Civilization and Innovation

  • Mesopotamia, located between the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers, was a fertile plain that fostered agricultural development for nearly 12,000 years, leading to the rise of some of the world's first cities around 6,000 years ago.
  • The Babylonians in Mesopotamia developed advanced mathematics, including a base 60 system that influenced the creation of a 60-second minute and a 360-degree circular angle, as well as a sophisticated writing system called cuneiform that was adapted for over a dozen languages and used to record the law of King Hammurabi, forming the basis of a standardized justice system.
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