Mesopotamia

Settled Agriculture in an Unstable Landscape Mesopotamia is the alluvial plain area alongside and between the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers. Modern day Iraq, Northern Syria and Turkey. The earliest people of Mesopotamia were the Sumerians Approx. 5000 B.C.E

Climate little rainfall warm climate and good soil. Sudden and violent floods destroyed crops in the Spring as well as cutting off communication and population centers from supplies of water. Shortly after 3000 B.C.E the people learn to utilize canals for irrigation.

Economy By 4000 B.C.E. farmers used plows pulled by cattle Barley was the main crop in southern Mesopotamia. Rotated fields. Reeds next to the rivers used to make mats, baskets, huts and boats. Fish also were utilized. Wool and Milk

Semites Spoke Semitic languages: Spoken in Asia and Northern Africa…Hebrew, Aramaic and Phoenician. Nomadic people who migrated to the Mesopotamian plain from the Western Desert. Assimilated into Sumerian culture and by 2000 B.C.E. Akkadian took precedence over Sumerian. Sumerian-Akkadian dictionaries were created. Cultural synthesis.

Early Mesopotamian society was a society of villages and cities linked together in a system of mutual interdependence City States Developed- independent urban center and the agricultural territories it controlled. Wars would break out among the city states causing them to construct defensive walls of mud bricks. Cities did cooperate and shared water and traded goods. Sophisticated irrigation techniques enabled the cities to expand and encouraged agriculture. Larger Territorial states would develop

Political System The Temple and Palace of the King were two centers of power. Cults- set of religious practices housed in a temple. Temples owned land and stored gifts. Temple was controlled by priests who controlled considerable wealth.

Lugal- King, possibly chosen by a community to lead due to the frequency of war. Army backs the Lugal. Deity’s earthly representative. Three Classes of people 1. Free landowning people(Soldiers rewarded land) 2. Dependent farmers and artisans 3. Slaves (Prisoners of War)

Akkadian Fall The state of Akkadian falls around 2230 B.C.E. Sumerian language and culture become dominant again under the 3rd Dynasty of Ur Tight government control. Good roads=good communication Standard weights and measures.

Hammrabi’s Code Hammurabi- Takes over after Ur dynasty. Creates a code (law). The punishments were harsh, especially if you were lower class.

Overview of Ur Overview of Ur This photograph gives a good idea of the size and complexity of Ur, one of the most powerful cities in Mesopotamia (present Iraq). In the lower right-hand corner stands the massive ziggurat of Umammu. (Georg Gerster/Photo Researchers, Inc.) Copyright © Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.

Development of Writing http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rhYS- nSZgMU

A Sumerian cuneiform tablet from the city of Lagash, 2112-2004 B. C A Sumerian cuneiform tablet from the city of Lagash, 2112-2004 B.C., from the Ur III period. This tablet contains calculations of the area of fields for the town of Lagash.

Women’s Status Development of agriculture brought about a decline in the status of women Men did the value-producing work of plowing and irrigation Women had no political role They could own property, control their dowry, and engage in trade. Women’s social status would continue to decline with the rise of urban merchant class

Mesopotamian Religion Anthropomorphic Deities (Human Characteristics For Animals or Inanimate Things) Tutelary Gods (Gods that protect Each city)

Temples (Ziggurat) Priesthood served the Gods Common people possibly had beliefs in magic

Technology and science Cuneiform- evolved from the use of pictures to represent the sounds of words or parts of words. System of tokens used to represent sheep, cattle, or wagon wheels which represented property ownership. Barges and boats to move items back and forth. Bronze tools 60 minute time system. Chariots