Warm up- 9/17/13 What is a civilization? Describe what you believe to be all the key characteristics of a full functioning civilization!
Mesopotamia Also known as… Fertile Crescent Cradle of Civilization Mesopotamia means – “Land Between Two Rivers” In between Tigris and Euphrates river
Climate A very hot and semiarid climate. Less than 10 inches of rain fall per year! So….why are crops able to grow?
Location, Location, Location Located between Tigris and Euphrates river Why is this important? Modern Day Iraq!
Water & Soil Between the fertile soil (silt) and water, Mesopotamia was a land great for crops! Steady supply of fresh water Drought & Floods If crops failed during drought, people starved If floods came, crops ruined! SOOOOOO……they developed….. Irrigation & Dams Mesopotamians set up irrigation systems for farming and food supply! Agriculture in Mesopotamia relied on irrigation!! Built dams to hold back flood waters
Think: Besides the river, are there any other physical features around Mesopotamia?
Lack of Resources Very few mountain ranges around them Easy to invade! Easy to steal! Built mud walls and villages for protection. No forests! No wood=no building material Resorted to mud What’s a problem with mud?
Lack of resources…fixed! They would trade their surplus grain for metal, stone and wood! Had men continually building walls and trading. Community leaders organized groups to do these things. So… Why was trade important to Mesopotamia?
In Summary… The Tigris and Euphrates rivers made the soil of Mesopotamia good for growing crops. The people of Mesopotamia developed an irrigation system to bring water to crops. Mesopotamia had few resources. People traded surplus crops to get what they needed.
Rest of class Map of Mesopotamia Mesopotamia Culture Web
Religion in Mesopotamia Polytheistic – worship or belief in multiple deities Believed that gods and goddesses were all aspects of the universe! Identified 3,000 gods and goddess
Foundations OOrigins of Sumerian people remain a mystery! IIndependent cities established in southern Mesopotamia UUruk, Ur and Eridu. FFormed C ITY-STATES– a state with political and economic control over the surrounding countryside
Words to know! Ziggurat – Large step-like temple of mud brick built in ancient Mesopotamia
Words to know! Theocracy – A government by divine authority. AKA Priests rule in the name of God.
Words to know! Cuneiform – “wedge-shaped” system of writing!
Words to know! The Epic of Gilgamesh - epic poem recording actions of a legendary king (Gilgamesh) whom is part man, part god. Moral of the story: Everlasting life is only for the gods.
Words to know! Empire – A large political unit or state, usually under one leader, that controls many peoples or territories.
Shift of power Sumerian city states fall to Akkadians. Akkadian Empire falls to Hammurabi. Hammurabi dies and it falls again, to new invaders!
The Code of Hammurabi Collection of laws System of strict justice! Penalties were severe! Varied based on social class of the victim. “ An eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth” ncient-law/
Words to know! Patriarchal - men dominated the society