Transcript Civilization Begins in Mesopotamia

Civilization Begins in
Mesopotamia
The Fertile Crescent
Between the Rivers
• “The Fertile Crescent”
• Mesopotamia
– Means “between the
rivers”
• Tigris and Euphrates
– They flood and deposit silt
that was ideal for farming.
• Floods were unpredictable
– Used irrigation to control
water
• Can grow a large
amount of food
– Cities could become
larger
Sumer
• First Mesopotamian civilization was Sumer
(Around 3000BC)
– Religion and Government
• Were polytheistic
– Belief in many gods.
– Humans were supposed to obey and serve the gods.
– Gods and Goddesses owned the cities
• Theocracy
– A government by divine authority.
City-States
• Large cities that had
control over
surrounding
countryside.
– Surrounded by walls.
– Homes were built of
sun-dried mud bricks.
– Every city had a
ziggurat – temple
devoted to the gods.
Ziggurat at Ur
Economy and Trade
• Economy was based on farming and trade.
– Traded with India and the Mediterranean.
• Made pottery, cloth, and metalwork
– Used Gold, Copper, Silver, Bronze
Writing and Technology
• The Sumerians greatest invention was
their writing, called cuneiform.
Writing and Technology
• Used cuneiform mostly
to keep records.
– Scribe became an
important position for
wealthy boys only.
• Also had several other
inventions…
– Wheel (Wagon and
Potters)
– Sundial
– Arch
• Devised a number
system based on 60
Standard of Ur
Standard of Ur - Front
“War”
Standard of Ur
“Peace”
Creation of Empires
• Akkadians invade
and overtake the
Sumerian city-states.
(2340BC)
– Sargon I
– First Empire
• Akkad falls in
2100BC
• City-states fought
until 1792BC when
Babylon took power
under Hammurabi
Sumer