Mesopotamia The Fertile Crescent Chapter 3 Notes Fertile

Mesopotamia: The Fertile Crescent Chapter 3 Notes

Fertile Crescent ◊ Fertile Crescent = moon-shaped strip of land from the Mediterranean Sea to the Persian Gulf that is excellent farm land • Located in modern-day Middle East

Mesopotamia ◊ Mesopotamia = located within the Fertile Crescent, between the Tigris & Euphrates Rivers • Rivers were NOT a reliable source of water (unlike the Nile) • Ran dry in summer; flooded in spring • Villages joined together to build dams, canals, and ditches

The Sumerian Civilization ◊ People from Asia arrived in Mesopotamia ◊ Formed 12 city-states = the city and the land surrounding it • Considered the world’s 1 st cities ◊ Created ziggurats = stepped pyramids with a temple at the top

The Sumerian Civilization ◊ Sumerians shared common culture, language, and religion ◊ City-states governed themselves ◊ Were theocracies = kings served as both government leaders AND high priests ◊ Laws regulated the roles of women & men had far more rights

The Sumerian Civilization ◊ Cuneiform = Sumerian system of writing • The symbols represented complex ideas

The Sumerian Civilization ◊ Scribes were trained to read & write documents and stories • Epic of Gilgamesh = oldest story in the world

The Sumerian Civilization ◊ Practiced polytheism = belief in more than one god • Each city-state had its own god • Negative outlook on life and the afterlife • Believed gods were selfish and had no regard for humans

Sumerian Inventions 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. Wagon Wheel Arch Potter’s Wheel Sundial 12 -month Calendar 6. Metal Plow

First Mesopotamian Empires The Akkadians ◊ Empire under Sargon I ◊ Kingdom was called Akkad ◊ Conquered & united all of the Sumerian citystates ◊ Empire fell apart after his & his grandson’s death

First Mesopotamian Empires Babylon ◊ Ruled by Hammurabi ◊ Strict Code of Laws = Hammurabi’s greatest achievement • Rules and consequences that addressed daily life • Law code covered entire region of Mesopotamia • “Eye for an eye, tooth for a tooth” type of laws • Government assumed the responsibility of protecting its citizens • People now had laws to protect their rights & didn’t need to resort to violence

First Mesopotamian Empires Babylon ◊ Social classes were similar to the Egyptians, but they had far more slaves ◊ Hammurabi’s empire fell apart after his death