SWBAT IDENTIFY IMPORTANT GEOGRAPHIC FEATURES OF MESOPOTAMIA EXPLAIN

SWBAT - IDENTIFY IMPORTANT GEOGRAPHIC FEATURES OF MESOPOTAMIA -EXPLAIN THE CONTRIBUTIONS OF MESOPOTAMIA. -EVALUATE THE SIGNIFICANCE OF MESOPOTAMIA’S ACHIEVMENTS DO NOW: WHAT DO YOU THINK IS THE SINGLE MOST IMPORTANT PART OF A CIVILIZATION? WHY?

MESOPOTAMIA- RIVER VALLEY CIVILIZATION I. Geography A. “land between two rivers” A 1. Located between the Tigris & Euphrates rivers in the Fertile Crescent. A 2. Located in modern day Iraq

B. Flooded once a year, unpredictably. C. First ppl to settle city-state Sumerians, small D. Open plains- no natural barrier from outside attack E. Limited natural resources, no good supply of stone, metal, wood ect…

II. SOLUTIONS TO NATURAL PROBLEMS A. Dug irrigation ditches to control water supply. B. Built mud walls around the city for protection. C. Traded with people in surrounding areas for natural resources.

III. GOVERNMENT A. City-States divided by swampy areas, acted as their own country. B. Included a city, farms, and the villages around the city. C. Controlled by Temple Priests- success of crops depended on Gods.

D. During time of war men of the city picked a leader for the war. D 1. More war priests gave men permanent control of the Army D 2. Some commanders became full time rulers, called Monarchs.

WARRING CITY-STATES A. 3300 – 2350 B. C. E. B. Kish, Uruk, Ur, Nippur, Lagash, Umma and a dozen smaller ones. (All with in Sumer)

IV. RELIGION A. Polytheistic- believed many gods controlled nature called Animism. B. Built huge temples called Ziggurats to honor the Gods C. Believed in life after death D. Sacrificed animals to the gods to ensure good growing seasons.

• How do you think religion affected the organization of Sumerian Society? • What does the Ziggurat reveal about the role of religion in most city states? Ziggurat supported the temple, the most prominent building in the center of the city. This indicates that religion dominated both the government and the economy

Ziggurat at Ur § Temple § “Mountain of the Gods”

Gilgamesh Epic Tablet: Flood Story

Gilgamesh

V. SOCIAL STRUCTURE A. Social classes emerged, Highest: Priests & Kings Wealthy merchants Laborers & Common people Slaves B. Women were not equal to men but had some rights. B 1. Could not attend school B 2. Could own property & hold most jobs.

VI. FALL OF THE CIVILIZATION A. Constant fighting between city-states led to not being able to fight off outside invaders.

IV. CIVILIZATION BEGINS IN MESOPOTAMIA B. Sumerians 4. Contributions 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. First wheeled carts/ wagons Sun dial (time) Arch: support in construction Bronze out of copper Irrigation systems Cuneiform Algebra & Geometry Charted Constellations The Epic of Gilgamesh Code of Hammurabi

Cuneiform: “Wedge-Shaped” Writing

Cuneiform Writing

Sumerian Scribes “Tablet House”

Sumerian Cylinder Seals

VIII. HAMMURABI A. Nomadic warriors called Amorites invaded Mesopotamia and established their capital at Babylon. B. Babylon reached it’s height during the rule of Hammurabi. C. Hammurabi collected existing laws and established a unified code of laws for the entire Empire, all city-states.

Hammurabi’s Code [r. 1792 -1750 B. C. E. ]

Hammurabi, the Judge

Babylonian Math

Babylonian Numbers