Civilization Mesopotamia Early Civilizations What is civilization Characteristics

Civilization & Mesopotamia

Early Civilizations

What is civilization?

Characteristics of Civilizations 1. Advanced Cities ◦ Large group living together ◦ Trading center

Characteristics of Civilizations 2. Specialized Workers ◦ Develop skills in a specific kind of work (trader or priest) ◦ Why? Abundant food

Characteristics of Civilizations 3. Complex Institutions ◦ Long-lasting pattern of organization in a community ◦ Examples: � Religion � Government � Economy

Characteristics of Civilizations 4. Record Keeping ◦ System of writing ◦ Taxes, laws, religious rituals ◦ Scribes – professional keepers

Characteristics of Civilizations 5. Advanced Technology ◦ Anything that makes life easier

Example of Civilization: Sumer Complex Institutions: formal governments (laws and officials), priests w/ religious power Specialized Workers: soldiers, merchants, teachers, priests, etc. Advanced cities: Uruk – 50, 000 Lagash – 10, 000 -50, 000 Sumer Record Keeping: Cuneiform writing system Advanced Technology: 3000 BCE wheel, plow, sailboat; bronze weapons and armor

Civilizations of Mesopotamia Fertile Crescent, “land between the rivers” People: Sumerians

Geography � Tigris Rivers & Euphrates � Annual flooding ◦ Silt – rich layer of soil deposited by a river (good for growing crops) ◦ Alluvial Plain – flat landform created by deposit of silt from rivers coming from highlands

Geography: Disadvantages & Solutions � Unpredictable flooding & little rain irrigation ditches � No natural barriers for protection built city walls � Limited natural resources traded grain & cloth for stone & wood

Government � City-state: city & surrounding area functioning as a country does today � Priests head government 3, 000 BCE � Kings BCE head government 2, 500 ◦ Create Dynasties - series of rulers under one family Ziggurat – walled temple

Government: Forming Empires � Akkadian – Sargon of Akkad (2350 - 2150 BCE) defeated city-states of Sumer � 1 st empire: brings together several independent peoples, nations, or states � Babylonian – Babylon (2000 - 539 BCE)

Laws � Hammurabi’s Code ◦ Hammurabi (Babylonian King) ◦ 1792 -1750 BCE ◦ Unified code of laws ◦ Oldest known legal system ◦ Stressed justice & punishment based on social class

Religion � Polytheism: belief in two or more gods (kings representatives of gods) � Human-like, but immortal & powerful � Humans servants � Built were ziggurats & offered sacrifices to please gods

Society/Culture Sumerian Social Hierarchy Kings, Priests, Landholders Merchants Farmers Slaves

Society/Culture � Arithmetic, Geometry ◦ Helped in building projects � Architecture ◦ Arches, columns, ramps, pyramid shape � Cuneiform ◦ Writing system ◦ Pictograph – symbols stand for words

Cuneiform