Mesopotamia “The Land between Two Rivers” Tigris and Euphrates Rivers

River Civilization With your elbow partner discuss: Why would people group up and settle near rivers? What challenges might they face? ________________ _____________

What do you think the words “cultural diffusion” mean? process of a new idea or a product spreading from one culture to another culture as trade began to develop from one city-state to another

city-state vs. empire City-state and all its surrounding lands that function as an independent political unit ---City-states evolved into empires Empire- controlled by a single ruler aka a monarchy

Mesopotamia “land between two rivers” - the Tigris and Euphrates Fertile Crescent - area of rich soil in the Middle East where the agricultural revolution took place Tigris and Euphrates had unpredictable flooding

With a partner list some positives and negatives to living in the Fertile Crescent. Good soil for farming Which leads to… More food, better health, longer life expectancy Near the river Negatives Unpredictable flooding which leads to… crop failures, drowning, invasions, overly populated

Contributions of Mesopotamian Cultures

Major Groups in Mesopotamia Sumerians Babylonians Chaldeans Assyrians Persians Hebrews Phoenicians                

Sumerians Technology arch, wheel, plow, & sail astronomy & fortune telling number system - 6’s & 12’s Ziggurat – Temple “Mountain of God” Cuneiform – Form of writing using stylus and wet clay tablet

FUN FACT Sumerian cylinder seal is a small round cylinder, typically about one inch in length, engraved with written characters or figurative scenes or both, used in ancient times to roll an impression onto a two-dimensional surface, generally wet clay. they were used as commercial receipts--could identify ownership of the object or to notarize or attest to multiple impressions of clay documents

Babylonians Hammurabi’s Law Code 1st written code of laws imperial government One of the 7 wonders of the world: Babylon's hanging gardens

Hittites Iron, chariots, hunters.

Phoenicians alphabet & writing with phonetic symbols commerce & shipbuilding, sailing, trade (trade =$$) dyes and other products Murex (sea snail)

Phoenicians In early civilization, explain how creating a universal phonetic symbols or the alphabet would be a helpful tool? Explain how being an experienced sailor was beneficial in a rising economy for the Phoenicians?

Hebrews (Israelites, Jews) Monotheism – One God Torah-Holy Book-Old Testament concept of human dignity Judaism

Assyrians warfare: weapons, armor, cavalry, tactics, catapult and other siege tools postal service some roads built city of Nineveh improved writing

Assyrian Treasures

The Bronze Age begins in 2500 BC in Mesopotamia time when people used bronze (mix tin and copper) rather than stone, bone, or copper which was used during the Neolithic Era

polytheism monotheism a belief in many gods a belief in one god (originated with the Hebrews – Judaism)

EARLY LAW CODES

What laws would you establish if you were the king of one of the early civilizations?

HAMMURABI’S CODE OF LAWS first set of written/codified laws (282) In cuneiform deal with what Mesopotamians value: family relations, crime, and property issues follow “eye for an eye” philosophy Emphasizes government responsibility for society This document made the laws more consistent and predictable.

LAW OF MOSES Includes Ten Commandments

LAW OF MOSES cont. Transcribed by Moses on Mt. Sinai Sometimes resembles “eye for an eye” strict justice softened by expressions of God’s mercy Goal: moral life in accordance with God’s laws

Think - Pair - Share What modern legal ideas can be traced to ancient civilizations? Do you think that religious philosophies were integrated into ancient political systems?

Exit Ticket: In a well developed paragraph, summarize how having laws would create a safer community to live in during the early civilizations? Be sure to use at least TWO examples from today’s lesson (turn in on notebook paper)

Heinz Dilemma In Europe, a lady was dying of a very rare disease. There was one drug that the doctors said might save her. The medicine was discovered by a man living in the same town. It cost him $200 to make, but he charged $2000 for a small quantity of the drug. The lady’s husband, Heinz, tried to borrow enough money to buy the drug. He went to everyone he knew, as well as the banks, to borrow the money. But he could only borrow half of what he needed. He told the man who made the drug that his wife was dying, and asked him to sell the medicine cheaper or to allow Heinz to pay half now, half later. The man turned down Heinz saying, “I made the drug, I am the only one who knows the formula, and I plan on making a great deal of money.” Heinz was in a dilemma and decided his best recourse was to break into the story and steal the drug.

Heinz Delimma Should Heinz have stole the drug? Consider what YOUR reaction would be to this question. Does Heinz deserve to be punished? Or is his act allowable?  Now, take on the persona of Hammurabi. How do your answers change? What specific laws in the Code of Hammurabi support your decisions?  Lastly, consider how a judge of the Old Testament would answer these questions. How would his answers be different? Write a paragraph that details your ideas and answers to this situation.