Ch1,Sec2:MesopotamianCiviliza7on

Civiliza7on•  Complexsocie7esthathave:– Ci7es– OrganizedGovernments– Art– Religion– ClassDivisions– Wri7ngsystem

Howwererivershelpful?

•  Rivers:– providedfer7lefarmland– helpedpeopletradewitheachother– Spreadideastonewplaces– Riseofci7es

RoleofGovernment

•  Helpeddistributefood•  Builtbuildingsandotherprojects•  Createdlaws•  Madearmiesfordefense

Newinven7ons

•  Wri7ngsystems•  calendars

Mesopotamia•  InpresentdaySouthernIraq•  Earliestknownciviliza7on•  CreatedbetweentheTigrisandEuphratesRivers

•  Unpredictableweathermadefarmingaproblem

FarminginMesopotamia•  Riversfloodedlandsforrichsoil•  Farmersbuiltdamstocontrolthewater•  Createdirriga7onditchestowaterfieldsawayfromtherivers

•  Ledtolotsofci7estodevelopintheregionofSumer

City-States•  Ci7eswerefarfromeachother•  Didnottalktoeachother•  City-State:Individualcitywiththesurroundinglandrunbytheirowngovernment

•  Wenttowarwitheachother•  Builtmudwallsforprotec7on

Religion

•  Believedinmanygods•  Builtziggurats(temples)toeachgod– Biggestbuildingsinatown– Means“Mountainofgod”or“hillofheaven”

•  Priestsandpriestessesranthetemples– Onlypeopletogotothetopforceremonies

•  Priestsandpriestessesranthegovernment

SumerianKings•  Priestsandpriestesses-firstrulers•  Warheroes-secondrulers– Posi7onwaspassedalongthroughfamily

•  Ranthegov’t•  Ledthearmy

LifeinSumerianCi7es•  Kingslivedinpalaces•  Commonpeoplefarmedandlivedinmudbrickhouses

•  Ar7sansspecializedinmakingtools,clothes,andpo[ery

•  Tradersmovedgoodsbetweenci7es

SocialClasses

•  3groups:– 1.Upperclass:priests,kings,gov’tofficials– 2.MiddleClass:ar7sans,merchants,farmers,andfishermen

– 3.Lowerclass:slaves•  Slaveswereproperty•  Slaveswerecouldbeprisonersofwar,criminals,orowesomeonemoney

MenandWomen

•  Men:– Couldgotoschool– Couldrunbusinesses– Headofthehouse

•  Women:– Hadsomerights– Couldbuyandsellproperty– Couldrunbusinesses– Raisedthechildren

Cuneiform

•  Helpskeeprecordsandpassonideas•  asystemofwri7ngusingwedgeshapedmarkscutintoclaytablets

•  Scribeswererichboysthatkeptgov’trecordsusingcuneiform

Literature

•  EpicofGilgamesh:– Oldestknownstory– Apoemthattellsthestoryofahero– Astoryofakingwhosearchesforawaytoliveforever

AdvancesinMathandScience

•  Irriga7on•  WagonWheel•  Plow•  Sailboat•  BreakthroughsinGeometry•  Anewnumbersystembasedon60–  60mininanhr,60secinamin

•  Createda12monthcalendarbasedonthemoon

TheEndofSumer

•  City-statesfoughteachother•  Outsidegroupsa[ackedthecity-states•  TheAkkadians,ledbySargon,a[ackedSumer– DefeatedSumer– Setupanempireby2340B.C.

Babylonians•  TookoverSargon’sempirein1800B.C.•  CityofBabylonwascenteroftrade•  RanbyKingHammurabi– Createdajus7cesystemcalledtheCodeofHammurabi