History of Iraq (Middle Eastern History)

Iraq which was once called Mesopotamia first became the Iraq that we know of in 1932. However it would make sense for me to show you that it is one of the oldest civilizations on earth. Most historians who study the history of Iraq agree that it was agriculture, the domestication of animals, and sedentary life were first started on the northern valleys of Mesopotamia and southern Anatolia around 10,000 BCE.

This familiar brand of revolution that we are used to in modern times, was used back then and eventually traveled to southern Mesopotamia, where by the time it hit 4000 BCE the world's first cities appeared. Some of these cities included Eridu, Nippur, Kish, and Uruk. The people that lived here at that time represented a variety of ethnic groups and they all spoke various languages, but the ones who had the most profound impact on the nation at the time were the Sumerians and Semites.

The Sumerians were responsible for the development of complex irrigation system, large temples, legal codes, state institutions, and they even had their own decimal system that they used for calculation.  Perhaps though, the most important contribution this society had on the modern world that we are aware of now is the invention of modern writing which was known as cuneiform script. Now what is the real interesting point of what made modern Iraq what we know it as today is when they received their independence from Britain in 1932 and became the modern republic of Iraq after the death of King Faisal in 1958? Other than oil, Iraq really has no natural resources to rely on. Iraq used to be an inherited kingship, but has since become a country that is ruled elected president.