1. Mesopotamia
Unit 1: 8000-600 BCE
Friday, August 23, 13

2. “Fertile Crescent”
Between Tigris & Euphrates Rivers
Major developments by 3500 BCE
Friday, August 23, 13

3. Mesopotamian Rulers
Sumerians
c. 3200 - 2350 BCE
Akkadians
c. 2350 - 2150 BCE
Babylonians
c. 1900 - 1500 BCE
Friday, August 23, 13

4. Sumerians
Migrated c.
4000 BCE
Created first
civilization within
the region
Organized the
area into city-
states
Friday, August 23, 13

5. Sumerian’s Cuneiform Alphabet
First known case
of human writing
Geometric
shapes to
symbolize
sounds
Complex skill
Friday, August 23, 13

6. Sumerian Arts & Science
Statues & painted
frescoes
Began science of
astronomy
Number system (10, 60,
and 360)
Charts of major
constellations
Friday, August 23, 13

7. Sumerian Religion
Ziggurats
Polytheistic
Belief in afterlife
of punishment
Friday, August 23, 13

8. Sumerian Politics
Organized city-states
Ruled by a king
More formal political structure
Govt. regulated religion
Court system
Class system
Friday, August 23, 13

9. Sumerian Accomplishments
Agricultural
prosperity
Wheeled carts
Fertilizers
Use of silver for
buying & selling
Friday, August 23, 13

10. Akkadians
Conquered the
Sumerians
Unified with Akkad
Founded by Sargon
Friday, August 23, 13

11. Akkadians
Sargon
Unified city-states
Est. world’s first empire
Friday, August 23, 13

12. Babylonians
Amorites
dominated
Mesopotamia
Led by King
Hammurabi of
Babylon
Friday, August 23, 13

13. Babylonians
King Hammurabi
Improved walls around Babylon
Allies with cities to the north
Conquered Lower Mesopotamia
Used river to flood his enemies
Friday, August 23, 13

14. Babylonians
Code of Hammurabi
Code of 282 laws
Rules of procedure for
courts
Regulated property rights
& duties of family members
Harsh punishments for
crimes
Friday, August 23, 13

15. Invasions
Large political units declined
Return to city-states & regional kingdoms
Assyrians & Persians would eventually
create large new empires in the Middle
East!
Friday, August 23, 13

16. Friday, August 23, 13