STANDARD SSWH1 The student will analyze the origins, structures, and interactions of complex societies in the ancient Eastern Mediterranean from 3500 BCE to 500 BCE. ELEMENT a.Describe the development of Mesopotamian societies; include the religious, cultural, economic, and political facets of society, with attention to Hammurabi’s law code.

PP Design of T. Loessin; Akins H.S. ANCIENT MESOPOTAMIA

Mesopotamia was located in the Middle East. USA

Mesopotamia was located in what is now the country of Iraq.

PP Design of T. Loessin; Akins H.S. Geography  Dry desert Climate  Mesopotamia  A flat plain between the Euphrates and Tigris rivers  Known as the Fertile Crescent

GEOGRAPHY CONT’D Disadvantages PP Design of T. Loessin; Akins H.S. Environmental: Unpredictable flooding Dry summer months No natural barriers: No natural protection small villages lying in open plain were defenseless Limited Resources: stone, wood, metal PP Design of T. Loessin; Akins H.S.

City-States Formed along the rivers States had: Own government Own gods Own kings. Sumer = The region where the two rivers meet Sumerians: The people who lived in the Sumer City states constantly at war with one another

‘Civilization’ Farming Fertile soil = surpluses Surpluses = not everyone had to farm Social hierarchy develops Skilled labor develops Cultural and economic prosperity ‘civilization’ emerges

City-States City States = Inside walls and surrounding farm land walls = mud bricks Traded with other city states Initiated Bronze Age. Irrigation ditches

City Life  Hot nights = sleep on flat roof tops  Burned oil lamps  Indoor plumbing  Underground clay pipes carries waste away  1000yrs before other parts of the world had plumbing Courtyard area

PP Design of T. Loessin; Akins H.S. Government  Ziggurat  At the center of each city  Walled temple  Political/religious center  Pyramid shaped structure  Theocracy-  seamless combination of religious and political authority  Rule passed down to heirs  Dynasty – a series of rulers descending from a single family line.

The Ziggurat at Ur was first excavated by British archaeologist Woolley in The Iraqi Directorate of Antiquities restored its lower stages in the 1980s.

Writing first began in Sumerian cities. The first schools were set up in Sumer over 4,000 years ago. (2,500 B.C) Sumerian schools taught boys (wealthy) writing, by coping the same writings over and over again. Those who graduated became professional writers called scribes, and were leaders of their cities, temples, and armies. Scribes were the only people who could keep records for the kings and priests. Boys that wanted to be scribes had to attend school from the age of 8 to the age of 20. CUNEIFORM : (Wedge-shaped) the Sumerian system of writing.

PP Design of T. Loessin; Akins H.S. SUMERIAN RELIGION Tablet XI Powerful priests held most of the power Polytheism Belief in many gods Direct result of unpredictable flooding. gods = hostile and unpredictable like nature GILGAMESH Great website to visit:

PP Design of T. Loessin; Akins H.S. Epic of Gilgamesh Tablet XI Oldest written Flood story Written on 12 clay tablets It is about the adventures of the cruel King Gilgamesh of Uruk (ca and 2500 BCE). In tablet XI we read about Pernapishtim, a man who built a boat and was saved from a great flood brought about by angry gods. GILGAMESH Great website to visit:

Statue of Sumerian woman with hands clasped at chest, ca B.C. Gypsum statue of man and woman at Inanna Temple at Nippur, circa B.C. Sumerian Society  Patriarchal- a society dominated by men.  Three social classes  Priests and royalty (kings)  Wealthy merchants  Ordinary workers

Statue of Sumerian woman with hands clasped at chest, ca B.C. Gypsum statue of man and woman at Inanna Temple at Nippur, circa B.C. Sumerian Society  Slaves  were not free citizens  not included in class system  Women  Could own property  Allowed to join lower ranks of priesthood  Illiterate - Not allowed to attend schools

PP Design of T. Loessin; Akins H.S. Roll This Science and Technology  Cuneiform writing  Invented  the wheel (wagon and potter’s)  Sail, Arch, plow  Calligraphy- one of the earliest sketched maps  astronomy  a number system in base 60  Used today for measuring time from  360 degrees of a circle.  First to use Bronze (copper and tin)  Cylinder seals = ancient impressions used on administrative documents and locking devices

Key Terms  City-state: cities and the countryside that surrounds them and were the basic units of Sumerian civilization.  Ziggurat: Massive, stepped pyramid with a temple on top. The political/religious center of Mesopotamia.  Empire: a large political unit/state, usually under a single leader, that controls many people and territories.  Patriarchy: a society dominated by men.  Polytheism: a belief in many gods.  Cuneiform: “wedge-shaped” the Sumerian system of writing.  Theocracy: government by divine authority  Mesopotamia: “the land between the two rivers”- the Tigris and Euphrates  Dynasty: a series of rulers descending from a single family tree.  Cultural Diffusion: the spread of the elements of one culture to another, usually through trade.

STANDARD SSWH1 The student will analyze the origins, structures, and interactions of complex societies in the ancient Eastern Mediterranean from 3500 BCE to 500 BCE. ELEMENT a.Describe the development of Mesopotamian societies; include the religious, cultural, economic, and political facets of society, with attention to Hammurabi’s law code. List 5 facts which will help you remember this lesson: