The Rise of Sumerian City-States How did geographic challenges lead to the rise of city-states in Mesopotamia? Introduction
Early people who lived in the Fertile Crescent began farming and living in small villages. But over time, small Neolithic villages grew into large, complex cities. These villages were located in a land of rolling hills and low plains called Mesopotamia (meh-suh-puh-TAY-mee-uh), in modern-day Iraq. Mesopotamia is a Greek word that means the “land between the rivers.” The two main rivers of the Fertile Crescent are the Tigris (TIE-gruhs) River and the Euphrates (yuh-FRAY-teez) River. Cities first appeared in the southern region of this land with the earliest dating back to about 3500 B. C.E. These were similar to small, independent countries. Each had their own ruler, as well as their own farmland to provide food. Suppose that you were visiting one of these early cities. You would see a walled settlement surrounded by farmland used to supply food for the city, as well as strong city walls constructed with sunbaked bricks. Moats, or ditches filled with water, would surround these walls and help keep out enemies. During an attack, people living outside the city walls would flee inside for protection. As you gazed at the city, you might wonder how it came to be built. Why didn't people in Mesopotamia go on living in small villages, as their ancestors had done for thousands of years? Why did large city-states thrive in the “land between the rivers”? In this lesson, you'll learn the answers to these questions.

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