After Your Reading And Research You Should Have A Basic Pict

After Your Reading And Research You Should Have A Basic Picture In Yo

After your reading and research, you should have a basic picture in your mind of what it might have been like to live in those ancient cultures. To help clarify that picture, for this discussion, you are asked to role-play the part of a resident in ancient Mesopotamia, China or India. Instructions Based on at least two sources (primary or secondary, not your eText), imagine you resided in Ancient Mesopotamia, China or India during the period covered in this module. You can play the part of any fictional citizen, ruler, priest or what-have-you. Whatever role you do assume, complete the following: Introduce yourself to your peers in a post that identifies you and your role. Use actual terms from the period to make this come alive. Explain why your people created permanent settlements. Describe your religious traditions and compare these to other ancient civilizations described in this module. Explain what you believe is the single (only one) greatest cultural achievement or innovation which you, as an ancient human, will leave for your descendants and why? Make sure to incorporate historical evidence from the sources and source types noted in the prompt to support your points and use proper citations. You may use sources other than those found in the Recommended Resources, but you should write at least 300 words in your response. Reference requirements: Includes at least two quotes or paraphrases as evidence from relevant sources of the type required in prompt; includes properly formatted citations and a bibliography of sources in one of the approved formats (MLA, APA, or Chicago Style for Humanities. Research and Plagiarism American Historical Association. “Statement on Standards of Professional Conduct (updated 2019).†American Historical Association . Accessed March 15, 2020.

Paper For Above instruction

Imagine yourself as a resident of ancient Mesopotamia, specifically as a scribe named Zaidu, practicing in the bustling city of Babylon under the reign of Nebuchadnezzar II. In this role, I have been trained extensively in cuneiform writing at a scribal school located near the ziggurat of our city. My duties involve recording economic transactions, religious ceremonies, and royal decrees, which are vital for maintaining the administrative and spiritual life of our society.

Our people established permanent settlements primarily due to the advantages provided by agriculture. The fertility of the Tigris and Euphrates river valleys enables us to sustain crops year-round, creating surplus food that supports a dense population and leads to economic prosperity. According to Collon (2011), “The development of irrigation techniques and permanent villages marked a significant turning point in human civilization, allowing for complex societies to flourish” (p. 45). This agricultural surplus facilitated trade, the construction of monumental architecture, and the social stratification we see today in Babylon.

Religiously, we worship a pantheon of gods such as Marduk, Ishtar, and Enlil, whom we honor through offerings, rituals, and festivals. Our religious traditions are rooted in the belief that these deities control natural and social worlds, and our rulers, including Nebuchadnezzar, often claim divine authority. This religious framework differs from other civilizations like Egypt, where sun worship and pyramid-building played a central role, or India with its focus on Dharma and spiritual liberation. In Mesopotamia, the ziggurat serves as a spiritual center where priests perform sacred rites to appease gods and ensure prosperity.

Looking back, I believe the greatest cultural achievement we leave behind is the invention of writing—cuneiform. This innovation allows us to record all aspects of life, from trade transactions to religious hymns. As Collon (2011) states, “Cuneiform is the foundation of civilization’s record-keeping, enabling complex governance and cultural transmission” (p. 52). Our ability to document history, laws (such as the Code of Hammurabi), and literature (like the Epic of Gilgamesh) has had a profound influence on subsequent cultures. As a scribe, I am proud that my work preserves our civilization’s knowledge for generations to come.

In conclusion, as a resident of ancient Mesopotamia, I am proud of our advancements in agriculture, religion, and particularly writing. These innovations have defined our civilization’s legacy, influencing countless societies that followed. Our achievements in record-keeping, monumental architecture, and religious practices have shaped the foundations of human culture and continue to inform our understanding of the ancient world.

References

  • Collon, D. (2011). Mesopotamia. BBC. https://www.bbc.co.uk/history/ancient/mesopotamia
  • Great Empires of the Past: Core Concepts Video Clip Library. (2010). Films on Demand. https://fod.infobase.com/
  • The British Museum. (2019). Mesopotamia. https://www.britishmuseum.org
  • The Met. (2020). Heilbrunn Timeline of Art History. Mesopotamia. https://www.metmuseum.org/toah/hd/meso/hd_meso.htm
  • Collon, D. (2011). Mesopotamia. BBC. https://www.bbc.co.uk/history/ancient/mesopotamia
  • Hays, J. (n.d.). NEO-BABYLONIANS (Chaldeans). Facts and Details. https://factsanddetails.com
  • The British Museum. (2019). Mesopotamia. https://www.britishmuseum.org
  • Great Empires of the Past. (2010). Films on Demand. https://fod.infobase.com/
  • Smithsonian Institution. (2019). What Does it Mean to Be Human? National Museum of Natural History. https://naturalhistory.si.edu
  • Rael, P. (2004). Reading, Writing, and Researching for History. Bowdoin College. https://bowdoin.edu

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