RIVER VALLEY CIVILIZATIONS Mesopotamia World Cultures Mr Lauta

RIVER VALLEY CIVILIZATIONS Mesopotamia World Cultures Mr. Lauta

MESOPOTAMIA 3500 B. C. – 1700 B. C. • “Land between the rivers • Earliest known civilizations developed along the Tigris and Euphrates rivers • Middle East – Present-day Iraq

MESOPOTAMIA: The Cradle of Civilization • Around 4000 B. C. groups migrated into Mesopotamia • Developed many new ideas that the area has been called the “cradle of civilization” – Lasting impact on the ancient world

MESOPOTAMIA: Contributions • • Writing Codified laws Wheel Plow Sailboat 12 -month calendar Mathematics Clock

MESOPOTAMIA: The Rise of Sumer • People who settled in southern Mesopotamia were called Sumerians • Earliest known civilization on Earth • Controlled the effects of floods – Built levees – Put holes in levees so crops watered

MESOPOTAMIA: The Rise of Sumer • A system of irrigation canals took planning so people had to work together • People became more organized and set up governments to make laws • As population grew, began to build cities – Mud and crushed reeds – Sun-dried bricks

MESOPOTAMIA: The Rise of Sumer • Each Sumerian city was considered a state in itself – Made up of the city and farmlands – Each city-state was surrounded by a wall – Upper class lived in the center of the city • City-states often fought each other – Boundary disputes – Prestige

MESOPOTAMIA: The Rise of Sumer • At center of each city was a temple called a ziggurat – “Mountain of god” or “Hill of heaven” – Home of the city’s chief god – Only priests could enter the temple • Courtyards surrounded the ziggurat – School – Markets – Business

MESOPOTAMIA: The Rise of Sumer • Practiced polytheism – Forces of nature they could not control so they were viewed as gods – At first had only male gods then female gods appeared • Humans created to please the gods as servants • If gods were unhappy, natural disasters occurred • Only priests knew the will of the gods

MESOPOTAMIA: The Rise of Sumer • Schools were only for the sons of the rich • Known as tablet houses – Purpose of school was teach students to write – Cuneiform • Wedge-shaped writing • Developed to keep track of business deals

MESOPOTAMIA: The Rise of Sumer • Male-dominated culture – Head of household – Divorce power – Sell members into slavery – Arrange marriages • Women could run businesses and handle slaves in husband’s absence

MESOPOTAMIA: The Rise of Sumer • Sumerian priests were also kings – Advised by an assembly • In wartime, a member of assembly was selected to run government as king until peace established – Eventually permanently replaced priests as rulers • Kingship became hereditary

MESOPOTAMIA: Later Empires • About 2400 B. C. power of Sumer began to fade – Conquered by nearby people

MESOPOTAMIA: Akkadian Empire • Sargon I – Ruler from central Mesopotamia called Akkad – Around 2300 B. C. moved armies south toward Sumerian city-states – King of Akkad and Sumer – Created the world’s first empire • Empire lasted until his death • Individual city-states rose to power

MESOPOTAMIA: Babylonian Empire • Around 1800 B. C. a group of people called the Amorites entered Mesopotamia – Built own cities – Babylon was its largest city • King of Babylon, Hammurabi conquered Akkad and Sumer

MESOPOTAMIA: Hammurabi of Babylon • As conqueror, he took the Sumerian gods and gave them Babylonian names • Extended empire into the Mediterranean area • Reforms – Irrigation systems – Raised Babylonian gods above other gods – United people – Taxing system – Government housing programs His reign was known as the Golden Age of Babylon

MESOPOTAMIA: Hammurabi of Babylon • Best-known reform was a code of laws – Took all the laws of the city -states and took the best ones to make a single code of laws for the whole empire – Carried out fairly and justly – Innocent until proven guilty – Punishments ranged from fines to death, no prison – Upper class punished more severely