Transcript Mesopotamia intro presentation

Mesopotamia Geography
-read introduction on page 34-
Mesopotamia
Chapter 2
Mesopotamia: Cradle of Civilization
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Because of the contributions empires in
that region made to later empires it got
the name “Cradle of Civilization”.
Meso = between
 potamia = rivers
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Means “land between the rivers”
What rivers?
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Civilization developed between the Euphrates
and the Tigris Rivers
Now present day Iraq.
The Fertile Crescent
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Because of the flooding of the rivers the
soil became very rich.
Earned the name “Fertile Crescent”
Mesopotamia served as the site for some
of the world’s earliest settlements.
Why would this encourage settlement?
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It allowed for settlements to produce their
own food.
Role of the Environment
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Created a region where agriculture is
possible- IMPORTANCE?
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Irrigation and drainage possible- HOW?
Forced people to work together and formed
communities
Role of the Environment
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People drew their source of life from the
Tigris-Euphrates river system in Asia.
Rivers supplied basics for existence
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food
Water (drinking, irrigation, and drainage)
sanitation
Also provided for shelter
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How?
basics of building?
Homework
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Page 38 #1, #3
Read pages 39-46
P. 40-41 developments
Problems with living near a river
valley?
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The environment is unpredictable:
frequent floods, scorching heat, winds,
torrential rains.
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Would destroy everything.
restrained political development (Sumer
was a geographical maze)
Communication amongst the various
isolated cities was very difficult
Invention of Writing
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Origins of Writing probably go back to the
ninth millennium B.C.
4th Millenium the development of
cuneiform:
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“wedge-shaped”
pictographic system
Cuneiform
Sumerian Society
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Sumer was different from all other earlier
civilizations
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Advanced cities
Specialized workers
Complex institutions
Record keeping
Advanced technology
Developed city-states
Food surplus increased population expanded
trade expansion of Sumerian society
Sumerian Society
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Polytheistic – meaning they worshipped many
gods.
Kings believed that they were representatives of
a god.
Famous leader was Sargon “the Great” 1st to
conquer many lands and city states so, he was
the 1st to create an empire.
Had social classes
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Priests and kings were at the top
Slaves were at the bottom
Women probably couldn’t attend school but had
many other rights
Advances in mathematics
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Number system based on 60 (60 seconds=1 minute)
Sumerian Inventions
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Wagon wheel
Potter’s wheel (shape
containers)
Number system
12 month calendar
Metal plow
Sail
Some of the earliest
known maps
New architecture
Babylonian Empire
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2000-1600 BC
Located in modern day Syria
Conquered many parts of old Sumeria
Famous leader was Hammurabi--created a law
code with harsh punishments. Basis was “an eye
for an eye, a tooth for a tooth.”
Borrowed heavily from Sumerian culture
After Hammurabi’s death Babylon declined
Assyrians
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Started to gain
strength about 900
BC.
Emperor was
Ashurbanipal. He
was very aggressive.
Powerful army
Treated conquered
people cruelly
Large empire with
good roads
Collapsed about 612
BC
Chaldeans
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Defeated the Assyrians in
about 612 BC
Descended from
Hammarabi’s Babylonians
At its height during the rule
of Nebuchadnezzar
(605-562 BC)
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Spent a lot of money on
Babylon
Built Hanging Gardens
Empire collapsed in 539 BC
after being defeated by the
Persians
Hanging Gardens of Babylon
Persians
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Were Indo-Europeans
Cyrus (conquered from the
Nile to the Indus)
Darius I
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Administered the empire using
satraps (governors)
Tolerant to those who were
conquered
Increased trade and built roads
Lost to the Greeks in 480 BC