Mesopotamia “The Land Between the Rivers”

KEY TERMS Fertile Crescent - an area of land in south east Asia that experienced an agricultural revolution Agricultural Revolution - transition from a hunting and gathering society to settlements with farming Sumer - one of the first cities in the fertile crescent Patriarchal Society - a male dominated society Cuneiform - an early system of writing developed in the fertile crescent The Epic of Gilgamesh - collection of stories about Gilgamesh, the legendary God-king of Uruk Hammurabi’s Code - first set of written laws

Fertile Crescent - an area of land in south east Asia that experienced an agricultural revolution

Agricultural Revolution - transition from a hunting and gathering society to settlements with farming

Sumer - one of the first cities in the fertile crescent

Patriarchal Society - a male dominated society

Cuneiform - an early system of writing developed in the fertile crescent

The Epic of Gilgamesh - collection of stories about Gilgamesh, the legendary God-king of Uruk

Hammurabi’s Code - first set of written laws

KEY TERMS (cont.…) Hammurabi - a Babylonian emperor that ruled from 1792-1750 BCE. City-States - independent cities with political and military control over large areas including nearby agricultural regions. Ziggurat - a Sumerian temple which double as a center of trade and commerce. lex talionis - “law of retribution” , or an eye for an eye, the punishment is the same as the crime. Sargon of Akkad - Ruler before Hammurabi, ruled from 2370-2315 BCE

Hammurabi - a Babylonian emperor that ruled from 1792-1750 BCE.

City-States - independent cities with political and military control over large areas including nearby agricultural regions.

Ziggurat - a Sumerian temple which double as a center of trade and commerce.

lex talionis - “law of retribution” , or an eye for an eye, the punishment is the same as the crime.

Sargon of Akkad - Ruler before Hammurabi, ruled from 2370-2315 BCE

What makes Mesopotamia Significant?

Fertile Crescent The “Origin” of Agriculture Agricultural region because of the water from the Tigris and Euphrates rivers. Earliest farming communities. = faster development. By 6000 BCE, small scale irrigation had begun. Led to surplus of food. Forming of cities.

Agricultural region because of the water from the

Tigris and Euphrates rivers.

Earliest farming communities.

= faster development.

By 6000 BCE, small scale

irrigation had begun.

Led to surplus of food.

Forming of cities.

Sumer (southern Mesopotamia) People were attracted to Sumer because of it agricultural potential and later attracted because of its wealth. By 5000 BCE, Sumerians were constructing complex irrigation networks. By 4000 BCE they had built the world’s first cities. Served as marketplaces and cultural centers. But due to internal and external pressures, they transformed into city-states. By 3000 BCE, it had a population of 100,000 and kings who had absolute power.

People were attracted to Sumer because of it agricultural potential and later attracted because of its wealth.

By 5000 BCE, Sumerians were constructing complex irrigation networks.

By 4000 BCE they had built the world’s first cities.

Served as marketplaces and cultural centers.

But due to internal and external pressures, they transformed into city-states.

By 3000 BCE, it had a population of 100,000 and kings who had absolute power.

Ziggurat

Developed around 2900 BCE by the Sumerians to record commercial and tax documents Used graphic symbols to represent sounds, syllables, ideas, and objects. Replaced the earlier system of pictographs. Cuneiform Written with a reed stylus to impress symbols on wet clay. Used for more than 3000 years.

Developed around 2900 BCE by the Sumerians to record commercial and tax documents

Used graphic symbols to represent sounds, syllables, ideas, and objects.

Replaced the earlier system of pictographs.

Written with a reed stylus to impress symbols on wet clay.

Used for more than 3000 years.

Hammurabi (Babylonian Empire) Emperor of Babylonia, ruled from 1792-1750 BCE Improved on previous administrative techniques by relying on a centralized bureaucracy and regular taxations Established Babylon as the capital and put deputies to manage different territories. Enforced a system of more regular taxes instead of plundering conquered lands for wealth Imposed a code of laws to maintain order in his empire.

Emperor of Babylonia, ruled from 1792-1750 BCE

Improved on previous administrative techniques by relying on a centralized bureaucracy and regular taxations

Established Babylon as the capital and put deputies to manage different territories.

Enforced a system of more regular taxes instead of plundering conquered lands for wealth

Imposed a code of laws to maintain order in his empire.

Hammurabi’s Code First set of documented laws. Based on principal of lex talionis, the “law of retaliation”. Included civil and criminal laws. Laws were prejudiced; the upper class had different punishments compared to the lower class, and same is true for men and women, however laws still apply to the king. The laws had a high standard of behavior with strict punishments to back it up. Even though judges often relied on their own judgment when deciding on a case, these laws show an attempt to regulate punishments.

First set of documented laws.

Based on principal of lex talionis, the “law of retaliation”.

Included civil and criminal laws.

Laws were prejudiced; the upper class had different punishments compared to the lower class, and same is true for men and women, however laws still apply to the king.

The laws had a high standard of behavior with strict punishments to back it up.

Even though judges often relied on their own judgment when deciding on a case, these laws show an attempt to regulate punishments.

Mesopotamia Political - divided into 3 social classes (ruling class, priests, and commoners) Economical - Sumerians = early example of established trade Religious - polytheistic with a focus on nature gods -built ziggurats as temples and centers of commerce Social - patriarchal society, wealthy upper class Intellectual - developed system of writing (cuneiform) and begun studies such as mathematics and astronomy Artistic - many statues of gods Near - Part of the fertile crescent in the middle east (modern day Iraq)

Political - divided into 3 social classes

(ruling class, priests, and commoners)

Economical - Sumerians = early example of established trade

Religious - polytheistic with a focus on nature gods

-built ziggurats as temples and centers of commerce

Social - patriarchal society, wealthy upper class

Intellectual - developed system of writing (cuneiform) and begun studies such as mathematics and astronomy

Artistic - many statues of gods

Near - Part of the fertile crescent in the middle east (modern day Iraq)

Main Themes Theme 1. Humans v. Environment Population trends: population increased with settlements Migration: many diverse peoples migrated to the area Theme 2. Cultural Interactions Religions: Polytheistic originally, but also monotheistic Jews Inventions: small scale irrigations, bronze/iron metallurgy, ships, and made use of the wheel. Developed cuneiform, astronomy, and mathematics. (Education) Theme 3. Political Structures, Expansion and Conflict Political structure: City-States Government: First elected kings with and assembly, but later hereditary succession. Kings = sons of the gods. Empires: Sumer->Sargon->Babylon->Assyrian->New Babylon.

Theme 1. Humans v. Environment

Population trends: population increased with settlements

Migration: many diverse peoples migrated to the area

Theme 2. Cultural Interactions

Religions: Polytheistic originally, but also monotheistic Jews

Inventions: small scale irrigations, bronze/iron metallurgy, ships, and made use of the wheel.

Developed cuneiform, astronomy, and mathematics. (Education)

Theme 3. Political Structures, Expansion and Conflict

Political structure: City-States

Government: First elected kings with and assembly, but later hereditary succession. Kings = sons of the gods.

Empires: Sumer->Sargon->Babylon->Assyrian->New Babylon.

Theme 4. Economic Systems Agriculture: developed effective irrigation and used commoners as laborers Traded sheep, oxen, wheat, barley, pots, and fish. Taxed the lower classes. Community projects. Theme 5. Social Structures Gender Roles: Patriarchal society, but women still had rights under Hammurabi’s code. Social classes: Main Themes (continued)

Theme 4. Economic Systems

Agriculture: developed effective irrigation and used commoners as laborers

Traded sheep, oxen, wheat, barley, pots, and fish.

Taxed the lower classes. Community projects.

Theme 5. Social Structures

Gender Roles: Patriarchal society, but women still had rights under Hammurabi’s code.

Social classes: