Mesopotamia 5 Characteristics Of Civilization

Bell Ringer For 11/14/2011 What are the 5 characteristics of civilization?

Mesopotamia Mesopotamia = Greek for “Land between rivers” – Tigris & Euphrates Located in what is called Fertile Crescent – Sumerians (Began about 4000 B.C.E.) – Assyrians – Babylonians No Natural Boundaries – Difficult to defend – Lacked stone & wood, built walls out of mud bricks

Fertile Crescent

Five Characteristics Of Civilization 1.Advanced Cities 2.Specialized Workers 3.Complex Institutions 4.Record Keeping & Writing 5.Advanced Technology 2 Important Rulers 1.Sargon of Akkad – Unified Mesopotamia in 2360 BCE 2.Hammurabi – Babylonian emperor, code of laws

1. Advanced Cities City-State – A city surrounded by farm land – Economic, Political, & Religious Center Rulers of city-states had absolute power & treated like gods Every city had a ziggurat (temple at the center). Ex. Of City-States: – Ur & Uruk

2. Complex Institutions Ways of organizing people Religion: – Polytheistic – believe in many gods Only gods were immortal After death people enter a realm of shadows Feel no pleasure or pain – Theocracy – Religious leaders run the government

2. Complex Institutions Ziggurat = city hall & temple – Believed gods controlled nature Ex. Angry gods = natural disaster – Worshipped gods for protection & good harvests Laws: – Hammurabi’s Code of Laws – 285 laws for society

3. Specialized Workers Traders/Merchants –Goods from distant regions; leads to new cities –Cultural diffusion – spread of ideas from culture to culture –Participated in bartering (trading goods & services for other goods & services)

3. Specialized Workers Artisans –Jewelry, metal-work, pottery, clothing, weapons.

3. Specialized Workers Scribes –Educated –Understood writing system and record transactions Priests – carryout & maintain religious tradition

4. Record Keeping & Writing Writing made its first appearance in Mesopotamia Cuneiform – means “wedge-shaped” – Was written on clay tablets using a reed – The impressions were wedge-shaped

5. Advanced Technology 3000 BCE The Plow – Could raise more crops The Sailboat & The Wheel – Able to move goods quickly The 360 Degree circle & math system based on 60 Bronze Working Calender

5. Advanced Technology

Hammurabi’s Code 1792 B.C.E. 282 Laws Copies engraved on stone Uniform code of laws

Hammurabi’s Code Brought unity to Mesopotamia Punishments from fines to death Protected: – Family, Property, Business

Hammurabi’s Code Intro To The Code Of Laws: – “When Marduk [a god] sent me to rule the people and to bring help to the country, I established law and justice in the language of the land…”

Hammurabi’s Code 4. “If a man bear false witness [lies] in a case….if that case be a case involving life, that man shall be put to death.” 22. “If a man practices robbery and is captured, that man shall be put to death.” 129. If a man's wife be surprised (cheating) with another man, both shall be tied and thrown into the water, but the husband may pardon his wife and the king his slaves.

Hammurabi’s Code 195. “If a son strike his father, they shall cut off his hand.” 196. “If a man destroy the eye of another man, they shall destroy his eye.”

Ten Commandments Around BCE The biblical story of Moses Given to Moses on Mount Sinai Meant as a guide to people’s lives

Ten Commandments Ten Commandments: 1.I am the Lord your God. You shall have no other gods before me. 2.Thou shall have no false gods 3.Thou shall not use the lord’s name in vain 4.Remember the Sabbath & keep it holy 5.Honor your father & mother 6.Thou shalt not kill

Ten Commandments 7.Thou shalt not commit adultery 8.Thou shalt not steal 9.Do not wear bear false witness against your neighbor 10. Thou shalt not covet thy neighbor’s wife

Hammurabi vs. Ten Commandments What are similarities? What are differences?

Class Activity You will be numbered off into groups. You will come up with 5 rules for a successful classroom You have 10 minutes to come up with your rules You will then share your rules with the class