Transcript Mesopotamia

Warm Up:
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What do you think the first civilization
looked like? Be descriptive in your
response. (Tell me details)
Mesopotamia
The Land Between Two Rivers
Development
of Cities
Timeline
Mesopotamia was ruled by four different empires
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Sumerian
Akkadian
Babylonian
Assyrian
3,500
2,300
1,900
1,300
BC
BC
BC
BC
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2,300 BC
1,900 BC
1,300 BC
612 BC
The Sumerians moved to the Tigris and Euphrates
Rivers about 3500BC, but we do not know where they
came from. They were probably nomads who
discovered the fertile land between the rivers. Many
different civilizations developed in this small region.
Geography
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Mesopotamia is a Greek
word meaning between
the rivers
Ancient Mesopotamia
was located between
the Tigris and Euphrates
Rivers
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Most of Mesopotamia
was located in present
day Iraq
The hot dry climate was
mixed with seasonal
flooding from the rivers
Mesopotamia
(Land of Firsts)
Mesopotamia is known as, “The Cradle of Civilization,” because it
was first in many things:
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Eventually the Sumerians developed a civilization. They learned that by planting
seeds and plowing their land, they were able to grow crops. They learned to
domesticate, or tame animals to help them plow their lands. The Sumerians
learned to use irrigation, or a system of watering crops, to grow more food. The
Sumerians also made a very important invention--the wheel. The invention of
the wheel made it possible to pull heavy loads.
First to invent the wheel
First to use sails on boats
One of first to make up a story (Gilgamesh)
First to use cuneiform (writing)
First to use the calendar
First to use the seeder plow
First to give a number place value and recognize the
concept of zero
Agriculture
(The Fertile Crescent)
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Farmers turned the land into a
rich food growing area by using
irrigation and the plow
Farmers grew wheat, barley,
dates, and other vegetables
and fruit
They raised goat, pig, sheep
and cattle
Irrigation created a surplus of
food which led to the growth of
cities
Surplus led to a flourishing
system of trade
Economy
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The Mesopotamian plain was lacking in resources such
as metals, timber, stone, and grapevines, so the
Sumerians had to trade abroad to get them
At first, the Sumerians traded surplus barley for these
goods
Later, the Sumerians began to manufacture trading
goods that they could transport more easily, such as
cloth and bronze ornaments
The Mesopotamians made written contracts, loans and
created a credit system
They used a barter system
Trade Routes
Language
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Mesopotamians were the
first to use writing
(around 3,000 BC)
The system of writing
was called cuneiform
Cuneiform was wedge
shaped symbols pressed
into clay tablets
The Mesopotamians
wrote many myths
The most famous was the
epic poem called
Gilgamesh
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Writing allowed people to
keep records of their
transactions
People could send
messages with couriers to
far away lands without
traveling
Writing allowed people to
pass on their
accumulated knowledge
to future generations
Cuneiform Tablets
Religion
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The people of Mesopotamia believed in many gods
Each town was protected by its own, unique deity or god
The temple, the center of worship, was also the center of
every city
Around the year 2000 B.C., temple towers called ziggurats
were built to link heaven and earth
Government
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The Mesopotamians had
written laws that everyone in
the empire had to follow
There were 282 laws created
by King Hamurabi
Known as Hamurabi's Code,
the laws were written in stone
and placed in a public location
The Mesopotamians believed
the gods called the king to
establish justice and order;
whoever disobeyed the king
disobeyed the gods
Social Organization & Daily Life
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The King held military
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powers.
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The Governors governed
the territories of the
kingdom. They were
generals and judges at the
same time.
The aristocracy were
priests and traders.
The peasants worked the
land.
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Sports, games and
entertainment were part of
their everyday life
Boxing and wrestling were
popular sports
Board games were also
popular
The kings were famous
hunters of lions, elephants,
ostriches, wild bulls
Harps and lyres were played
Mesopotamian Banquet
Art
Art