The Ancient Near East Section 1 The Ancient

The Ancient Near East Section 1

The Ancient Near East Section 1 Mesopotamia and Sumer Preview • Starting Points Map: Fertile Crescent • Main Idea / Reading Focus • Geography Promotes Civilization • Sumer • Map: Ancient Mesopotamia • Sumerian Culture • Empires in Mesopotamia • Quick Facts: Mesopotamian Achievements

The Ancient Near East Click the icon to play Listen to History audio. Click the icon below to connect to the Interactive Maps. Section 1

The Ancient Near East Section 1 Mesopotamia and Sumer Main Idea The first known civilization arose in Mesopotamia, and its culture and innovations influenced later civilizations in the region for thousands of years. Reading Focus • How did geography promote civilization in Mesopotamia? • What features defined the civilization of Sumer? • What were Sumer’s main cultural achievements? • What events led to later empires in Mesopotamia?

The Ancient Near East Section 1 Geography Promotes Civilization • Fertile area between the Tigris and Euphrates rivers became site of world’s first civilization • Fertile Crescent well suited for agriculture • Farming in Mesopotamia posed challenges: – If water levels too high, crops washed away – If water levels too low, crops died • People developed methods to control water: – Basins, canals, and dikes – Organization: assigning jobs, allocating resources

Section 1 The Ancient Near East Summarize What factors influenced the rise of civilization in Mesopotamia? Answer(s): fertile land; plentiful food; need to organize people for jobs

Section 1 The Ancient Near East Sumer The Cities of Sumer • Large cities developed by 4000 BC Religion and Government • Shaped life in city-states • Structures made of mud bricks • Polytheism: worship of many gods • Ziggurat: pyramid-shaped temple • Priests had high status and were the first rulers • Massive wall encircled each city • War chiefs began to rule as kings • Each city and its land formed a city-state, with its own government • Dynasty: series of rulers from one family

The Ancient Near East Section 1

Section 1 The Ancient Near East Sumerian Culture Writing • Cuneiform: Sumerian writing • Business accounts and records • Law, grammar, literature • Scribes The Arts Math and Sciences • System based on number 60 • Geometry • May have been the first to use the wheel • Invented the plow • Basic surgery Trade and Society • Arches, ramps, columns • Traded for wood and metals • Sculpture • Social hierarchy • Cylinder seals • Distinct male/female roles

The Ancient Near East Section 1 Draw Conclusions Why was the Sumerians’ development of cuneiform a major turning point in history? Answer(s): After the development of cuneiform, humankind moved from prehistory into the historical age.

Section 1 The Ancient Near East Empires in Mesopotamia • Each conquering invader adapted aspects of Sumerian culture. • Thus Sumerian civilization continued to influence life in Mesopotamia. Sargon’s Empire • Sargon I: – Around 2330 BC, created first permanent army – Conquered Sumer and northern Mesopotamia – Established world’s first empire, which lasted about 100 years • Sumerian culture spread far beyond Tigris and Euphrates valleys The Babylonian Empire • Hammurabi became king in 1792 BC • United all of Mesopotamia • Able ruler and administrator • Hammurabi’s Code: – 282 laws covering everything from trade to murder – Written for all to see – Babylon became Mesopotamia’s greatest city

Section 1 The Ancient Near East Sequence Who ruled Mesopotamia after Sumer, and in what order? Answer(s): Akkadians, Amorites, Babylonians

The Ancient Near East Section 1