Year 3 - History
Mesopotamia, the land 'between two rivers'
Sumer and other early civilisations: what made them similar?
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This pupil-friendly study guide includes a unit summary, clear notes, common mistakes, and quick questions with answers.
Unit Summary
This unit analyses the similarities and differences between early civilisations. Pupils learn about Mesopotamia as a 'cradle of civilisation' and compare it to other civilisations, such as the Shang and the Indus Valley civilisations.
Lesson Summary
You will learn to describe the area of Mesopotamia and how it was farmed by civilisations like the Sumerians.
Key Notes
- Around 3,000 years before Jesus was born, an ancient civilisation was flourishing between two large rivers.
- It was called Sumer, and it sat between the Tigris and the Euphrates rivers in a place called Mesopotamia.
- These rivers made it an ideal place to grow crops due to the soil being fertile, just like the Nile in Egypt.
- The Sumerians did not just rely on the flooding of the rivers to make farming better.
- They built ditches and channels to divert water from the rivers to their fields, creating a reliable water supply.
Vocabulary To Learn
- civilisation: a civilisation is when humans live together in large groups in a highly organised way
- Sumer: Sumer was an ancient civilisation that existed 5000 years ago in the Middle East
- Mesopotamia: meaning 'between two rivers', Mesopotamia is the name given to the region between the Tigris and Euphrates rivers
- reliable: something that is reliable can be trusted and is high in quality
- surplus: surplus means extra or more than is needed
Common Mistakes To Avoid
- Pupils may think floods are only destructive.
3 Quick Questions (With Answers)
1. Summarise this historical learning in two key ideas.
Around 3,000 years before Jesus was born, an ancient civilisation was flourishing between two large rivers. It was called Sumer, and it sat between the Tigris and the Euphrates rivers in a place called Mesopotamia.
2. Define this history term and explain why it matters in this topic. 'civilisation'
a civilisation is when humans live together in large groups in a highly organised way.
3. Correct this common history misconception using evidence language.
Mistake: Pupils may think floods are only destructive. Correction: Explain that floodwaters can be very dangerous and cause much damage, but they also bring water and nutrients to the land for growing crops.
More Lessons In This Unit
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