Complex Institutions – describe their government, religion and economy Record Keeping – Name and describe their record keeping system The rest of the characteristics can be bulleted points

The Fertile Crescent / Mesopotamia

SCAAR • Sumerians • Akkadians • Babylonians Mesopotamia SCAAR • Sumerians • Akkadians • Babylonians

Geography of the Fertile Crescent Area of land in the middle of a desert climate Lies between the TIGRIS and EUPHRATES RIVERS “Mesopotamia” means “land between the rivers” in Greek

Environmental Factors Tigris and Euphrates Rivers deposit a rich mud called SILT that allows farmers to harvest large quantities of wheat and barley Area has ENVIRONMENTAL CHALLENGES: Flooding of rivers was unpredictable Sumer was a small region with no natural barriers for protection Limited natural resources

SOLUTIONS Irrigation ditches City walls for defense Traded with the peoples of the mountains for the things they lacked Cooperation, organization, and leadership were required to accomplish these tasks

Specialized Workers Priests Rulers (Kings) – at 1st chosen for war time only, then became full-time monarchs, establishing dynasty. Merchants Artisans Scribes Farmers Slaves

Complex Institutions Law system to govern the people. Governments controlled by temple Priests. Polytheism – believed in many gods – Enlil was most powerful. Schools for upper-class boys. Akkadians created 1st empire. Hammurabi’s Code - Babylonians led by Hammurabi who created a uniform code of laws to unify the people. 1st to be written down and applied to everyone, but differentiated between classes and sexes.

Advanced Cities Built walled cities. City-states – city and surrounding land. Uruk, Kish, Lagash, Umma and Ur.

Advanced Technology Irrigation ditches to water fields. Walled temples with ziggurat at the center. Invented the wheel, plow, sail. 1st to use bronze Sciences – astronomy, chemical substances, studied disease. Arithmetic and geometry. Number system based on 60 (60 seconds=1 min. and 360 degrees in circle) Mud bricks and mortar, arches, columns, ramps.

Record Keeping 1st writing system in history – Cuneiform. Taxes in the form of crops. Epic of Gilgamesh – epic poem about the adventures of King Gilgamesh. Maps.