California Teacher Credentialing Examination (CSET) Practice Test 2025 - Free CSET Practice Questions and Study Guide

The Sumerians are recognized as the creators of Mesopotamian civilization due to their significant contributions to early urban development, agriculture, writing, and governance. They established some of the world's first known cities, such as Uruk and Ur, around 4500 to 1900 BCE.

The Sumerians developed cuneiform writing, which is one of the earliest writing systems, enabling them to record and communicate information efficiently. Their innovations in irrigation and farming techniques laid the groundwork for agricultural surplus, which supported larger populations and the emergence of complex societal structures. They also made advancements in mathematics and astronomy, further influencing the cultures that followed in the region.

While the Babylonians and Assyrians built upon the foundations laid by the Sumerians, they were not the original creators of the civilization itself. The Hittites, on the other hand, were a distinct group that emerged later and were primarily located in what is now modern-day Turkey, having little direct influence in the early development of Mesopotamian civilization.