Mesopotamia

The First Civilization

Mesopotamia

Mesopotamia

Mesopotamia

Mesopotamia

Mesopotamia

Geography of Mesopotamia Mesopotamia means “land between

the 2 rivers”—Tigris & Euphrates “Fertile Crescent” refers to the area of

rich soil created by the flooding of the Tigris & Euphrates

BUT…river flooding was very irregular, region became very dry because of surrounding deserts, few natural resources, not easy area to defend against invasion

The First CivilizationSumer was 1st civilization;

composed of many city-statesSumerians overcame harshness

of dry season by building irrigation ditches to allow for farming

Built many city-states with large walls for protection and began to trade to increase resources

Sumerian Writing

Sumerians were the 1st to develop writing, called cuneiform. Wedge-shaped letters were written into wet clay and dried

Sumerian Way of Life

Sumerians were polytheistic (worshiped many gods) & believed the gods were powerful, immortal, and that there was no joy in the afterlife

Built ziggurats (temples) to worship the gods

Sumerian Social ClassesPriests were early government

leaders, but successful military commanders eventually became kings, sharing power with priests

Social status: –1st king & priest–2nd merchants–3rd workers –4th slaves

Sumerian Women Sumer was a patriarchalpatriarchal society

(men were superior to women)Women had many rights, could

hold jobs as priests and shopkeepers, but could not attend school

"Pay heed to the word of your mother as though it were the word of a god."

End of the Sumerians

Sumer survived for 2,000 years, but the last 1,000 consisted of many battles between their own city-states

Eventually, Sumer was overtaken by invaders

Examining Mesopotamian Civilizations & Constructing

Timeline of Empires

Sumerians

First civilizationDeveloped irrigation, city-

states with high walls, trade, cuneiform

Polytheistic, built ziggurats

Babylonians

Created first empire in Mesopotamia

Developed Hammurabi’s Code—first written set of laws

Hammurabi’s CodeHammurabi’s prologue explains

the purpose of the code:

“to cause justice to prevail in the land, to destroy the wicked and the evil, and to prevent the strong from oppressing the weak . . . To enlighten the land and to further the welfare of the people.”

»282 specific laws.

»The code uses the principal of “eye for an eye” to punish crimes.

»Different punishments for rich and poor, men and women.

Hebrews (Jews)Monotheistic, led to

oppression in EgyptLed by Moses to (Canaan)

Israel; given 10 Commandments

Ethical Monotheism - be kind (their emphasis on proper conduct – God punishes the wicked and greedy)

Phoenicians Traders, excellent sailorsCreated trading colonies

throughout Mediterranean Sea

First alphabet—simplified cuneiform to 22 letters

PhoeniciansPhoenician colonies:

–Carthage–Sicily–Corsica–Sardinia

What is the Phoenicians’ most lasting contribution?

AssyriansMighty fighters; greatest

armyOrganized, used iron

weapons (no mercy!!!)First library (in the city of

Nineveh – 25,000 clay tablets).

Chaldeans

Created Hanging GardensZodiac calendar—stars could

predict human destinyDeveloped 4-week month

based on phases of moonLast Mesopotamian empire

Persians1st Foreign empire, conquered

Mesopotamia and Egypt; Tolerant—allowed conquered areas to

keep local customs & religionDeveloped first roads, standard coins,

standard weights & measuresZoroaster—prophet who wrote about

heaven & hell; you could choose your path based on how you lived your life; different from Sumerian’s view of dull afterlife

Current Countries with the Borders of the Persian Empire

Iran Libya Tajikistan Turkey

Pakistan Russia? Afghanistan Georgia

Syria Iraq Kazakhstan Lebanon

Israel Jordan Azerbaijan Kyrgystan

Egypt Kuwait Uzbekistan Sudan

Turkmenistan Cyprus*