Ch 1 Sec 2 Mesopotamian Civilization Civilization Complex

Ch 1, Sec 2: Mesopotamian Civilization

Civilization • Complex societies that have: – Cities – Organized Governments – Art – Religion – Class Divisions – Writing system

How were rivers helpful? • Rivers: – provided fertile farm land – helped people trade with each other – Spread ideas to new places – Rise of cities

Role of Government • • Helped distribute food Built buildings and other projects Created laws Made armies for defense

New inventions • Writing systems • calendars

Mesopotamia • In present day Southern Iraq • Earliest known civilization • Created between the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers • Unpredictable weather made farming a problem

Farming in Mesopotamia • Rivers flooded lands for rich soil • Farmers built dams to control the water • Created irrigation ditches to water fields away from the rivers • Led to lots of cities to develop in the region of Sumer

City-States • Cities were far from each other • Did not talk to each other • City-State: Individual city with the surrounding land run by their own government • Went to war with each other • Built mud walls for protection

Religion • Believed in many gods • Built ziggurats (temples) to each god – Biggest buildings in a town – Means “Mountain of god” or “hill of heaven” • Priests and priestesses ran the temples – Only people to go to the top for ceremonies • Priests and priestesses ran the government

Sumerian Kings • Priests and priestesses-first rulers • War heroes-second rulers – Position was passed along through family • Ran the gov’t • Led the army

Life in Sumerian Cities • Kings lived in palaces • Common people farmed and lived in mud brick houses • Artisans specialized in making tools, clothes, and pottery • Traders moved goods between cities

Social Classes • 3 groups: – 1. Upper class: priests, kings, gov’t officials – 2. Middle Class: artisans, merchants, farmers, and fishermen – 3. Lower class: slaves • Slaves were property • Slaves were could be prisoners of war, criminals, or owe someone money

Men and Women • Men: – Could go to school – Could run businesses – Head of the house • Women: – Had some rights – Could buy and sell property – Could run businesses – Raised the children

Cuneiform • Helps keep records and pass on ideas • a system of writing using wedge shaped marks cut into clay tablets • Scribes were rich boys that kept gov’t records using cuneiform

Literature • Epic of Gilgamesh: – Oldest known story – A poem that tells the story of a hero – A story of a king who searches for a way to live forever

Advances in Math and Science • • • Irrigation Wagon Wheel Plow Sailboat Breakthroughs in Geometry A new number system based on 60 – 60 min in an hr, 60 sec in a min • Created a 12 month calendar based on the moon

The End of Sumer • City-states fought each other • Outside groups attacked the city-states • The Akkadians, led by Sargon, attacked Sumer – Defeated Sumer – Set up an empire by 2340 B. C.

Babylonians • Took over Sargon’s empire in 1800 B. C. • City of Babylon was center of trade • Ran by King Hammurabi – Created a justice system called the Code of Hammurabi