Transcript Early River Valley Civilizations 3500 BC

Early River Valley
Civilizations
3500 B.C. – 450 B.C.
Chapter 2
City-States
in
Mesopotamia
Chapter 2 Section 1
Objective
• Students will know the
characteristics of Mesopotamian
society.
• Between the Tigris and Euphrates rivers was a fertile plain
known as Mesopotamia. Every year the rivers would flood,
and provide Mesopotamia with a rich new soil. Farmers were
able to plant rich harvests of wheat and barley.
Environmental
Challenges
• Until about 100
years ago, the
history of the
Sumerian people
was lost. Since
we have found
them, we have
slowly been
piecing together
what life was like
for these people.
The Sumerians
moved into the
Southern
Mesopotamia
around 3500 B.C.
There were three problems for
the Sumerians.
• 1st was that it was impossible to predict when the
rivers would flood.
• 2nd was that the region of Sumer was small and it was
difficult to defend.
• 3rd natural resources were limited. The plains of
the southern Mesopotamia were not loaded with
stone, wood, or metal. Things the Sumerians needed
to make buildings and tools.
• To solve the 1st problem the Sumerians discovered
Creating
that by digging irrigation ditches they could divert
water from the rivers to water their crops.
Solutions
• To solve the 2nd problem of protecting their village,
the Sumerians built walls around their city with
mud bricks.
• To solve the 3rd problem of natural resources the Sumerians
began to trade grain, cloth, and crafted tools for the things
they needed.
• By 3000 B.C., the Sumerians had built several cities. Each of the cities
was surrounded by fields of wheat and barley. They each had their own
ruler and government. Each city and its surrounding lands became known
as a city-states.
• They basically operated the same as an independent country
would. Sumerian city-states; Uruk, Kish, Lagash, Eridu, and
Nippur
• The Priests ran the first
cities. The people
believed that they were
in contact with the gods,
who controlled the rain,
which watered their
crops.
• This changed as the cities
began to wage war against
one another. Strong
warrior leaders emerged
and took charge.
• These military leaders
became full time leaders
or monarchs. When these
rulers would die they
would turn the power over
to their sons.
• A series of rulers from a single family is
called a dynasty.
• By 2500 B.C.
cities all over the
Fertile Crescent
had emerged.
• Trade between
the cities
flourished, and
new ideas such as
religious beliefs
were exchanged.
• The process of a
new idea or
product spreading
from one culture
to another is
called cultural
diffusion.
• Religion
• The Sumerians believed
that different gods
controlled different
aspects of nature.
• The belief in many gods is
called polytheism.
• The Sumerians believed in over 3000 gods.
• To make the gods happy the people built mighty ziggurats to
appease them. Here they would offer sacrifices such as
babies, animals, wine, and food.
• In the poem the Epic of Gilgamesh, the beliefs and concerns
of the Sumerian people are expressed throughout the
heroic adventures of the legendary life of King Gilgamesh.
In the poem Gilgamesh is unsuccessful at obtaining
immortality. The Epic of Gilgamesh is one of the earliest
works of literature in the world.
• In the 1850’s, the royal libraries of Nineveh were discovered by
archeologists. The Epic of Gilgamesh was found to be 3600 years old. In
the climax of the story there is a great flood that parallels that of the
one found in the biblical story Noah’s Arc
Life in the Sumerian Society
• Priests and Kings
made up the
highest levels of
society
• Wealthy merchants
were next
• Slaves were at the
bottom of society
• Most of the slaves were
captured in battles.
• Some children became
slaves when there poor
parents sold them to
repay debts.
• Some slaves could earn
their freedom if they
were good workers.
Women in Sumer
• Sumerian women
could have many of
the same jobs that
men had (ex.
Merchants,
farmers, artisans).
• Women could own
property.
Women in Sumer
• They could even be
low level priests.
• Scholars don’t
believe girls were
given the chance to
read and write.
Science and Technology
• Sumerians invented
the wheel, sail, and
plow.
• They were the
first to use bronze.
• First to develop a
system of writing.
Science and Technology
• Cuneiform tablets
have been found to be
as old as 2300 B.C.
• Some of the tablets
talk about astronomy,
chemical substances,
and symptoms of
diseases.
Science and Technology
• The Sumerians
came up with
arithmetic and
geometry to figure
out how to build
city walls, buildings,
and irrigation
systems.
Architecture
•
•
•
•
Arches
Columns
Ramps
Pyramids
• Around 2000 B.C., a group called the Amorites invaded
Mesopotamia. They overwhelmed the Sumerians and
established a capital at Babylon.
Babylonian
Empire
Babylonian
Empire
• The Babylonian
Empire reached
its zenith during
the reign of
Hammurabi, 1792
to 1750 B.C.
• He is famous for
his code of laws.
Hammurabi’s Code
• Other cities had
developed laws, but
Hammurabi’s was one
code for all the people
to follow.
• His code of laws was
put in stone and passed
out throughout his
empire.
Hammurabi’s
• Hammurabi’s code
of laws had 282
Code laws dealing with
community, family
relations, business
conduct, and crime.
• There were
different
punishments for
the rich and poor,
and men and
women.
If a child strikes his father his
hand shall be cut off.
• An eye for an eye and
tooth for a tooth was
in place for many
crimes.
• If criminals were not
caught, the
government would try
and compensate the
victim for his loss.
• After two centuries the Babylonian Empire began
to fall to Nomadic warriors.