From Village Community …to City-State

Transition to settled communities began about 10,000 B.C.E.Transition to settled communities began about 10,000 B.C.E. Why change?Why change? Villages promoted agricultural productivity as well as cultural creativityVillages promoted agricultural productivity as well as cultural creativity

First villages appeared in “Fertile Crescent”First villages appeared in “Fertile Crescent” Based on domestication of plants and animals (peas, lentils and goats)Based on domestication of plants and animals (peas, lentils and goats) Different regions of world focused on other speciesDifferent regions of world focused on other species Era of villages labeled Neolithic or New Stone AgeEra of villages labeled Neolithic or New Stone Age

Tools needed for cutting, grinding, chopping, etc.Tools needed for cutting, grinding, chopping, etc. Pottery developed for storagePottery developed for storage Variation of pottery design and decoration is one way to identify the people who occupied early villagesVariation of pottery design and decoration is one way to identify the people who occupied early villages

The Fertile Crescent The Tigris and Euphrates rivers gave life to the first known agricultural villages, about 10,000 years ago, and the first known cities in human history, about 5000 years ago.

The Fertile Crescent Parts of Israel, Jordan, Lebanon, Turkey, Syria, and Iraq Eastern part was called Mesopotamia

Tigris & Euphrates Rivers Flooded often Caused destruction – swept away villages & fields Mesopotamians cooperated to control floodwaters – built dams, escape channels, canals, & ditches Easy to invade – led to constant war

The First Cities Appeared on sites of early villagesAppeared on sites of early villages Mesopotamia site of earliest cityMesopotamia site of earliest city Appeared in seven separate places around the worldAppeared in seven separate places around the world

Cities transformed human life with innovations New transportation modes (wheel)New transportation modes (wheel) Metallurgy (led to era known as the Bronze Age)Metallurgy (led to era known as the Bronze Age) New ideas for administering daily life (bureaucracy)New ideas for administering daily life (bureaucracy) Armies and diplomatsArmies and diplomats In short: specialized organizations, centralized state, and a powerful armyIn short: specialized organizations, centralized state, and a powerful army

Traits of a Civilization to accompany that rise of city-states Specialization of labor (from surplus of food)Specialization of labor (from surplus of food) Record keeping with a written languageRecord keeping with a written language Complex institutions – government, social hierarchy, religionComplex institutions – government, social hierarchy, religion Trade & technologyTrade & technology Advanced citiesAdvanced cities

Mesopotamia: The Sumerians

Indo-European Migration

Sumerian Civilization Settled in the lower part of Fertile Crescent – a.k.a. Sumer Birthplace of cities Created 12 city-states Including Ur, Uruk, & Eridu Science: astronomy, calendar (aided agriculture)

Sumerian City-States Sumer region included 500,000 people, with eighty percent living in cities by 2500 B.C.E Shared a common culture Built ziggurats for religious purposes – dedicated to chief deity of the city

Religious leaders strongly supported city leaders vice- versaReligious leaders strongly supported city leaders vice- versa Priests built imposing temples--ziggurats--to reflect their power and impress the populationPriests built imposing temples--ziggurats--to reflect their power and impress the population Rituals reaffirmed power with public ceremoniesRituals reaffirmed power with public ceremonies

Sumerian Culture Practiced polytheismPracticed polytheism Had one chief god for each city-stateHad one chief god for each city-state Gods were unpredictable, angry, & selfishGods were unpredictable, angry, & selfish

Sumerian Government Competition for land and water rights with foreign invaders led to the development of a monarchy (king) King was a religious & political leader King enforced law and set penalties (usually a fine)

Sumerian Culture Men – could sell wife and children to pay a debt; could divorce easily Women – could buy and sell property; operate own businesses; own slaves

Writing! Epic poem – Gilgamesh story of a godlike man who performs heroic deeds Developed pictograms, then cuneiform – 1 st known writing system in the worldDeveloped pictograms, then cuneiform – 1 st known writing system in the world

1 st used for record keeping, Sumerians were soon producing literature and government decrees!

Invention/technology Invented wagon wheel, arch, potter’s wheel Developed a number system based on 10,60, & 360 (for degrees in circles) and 12 month lunar calendar Silver coinage etc

Famous Leaders Sargon I – built the Akkadian Empire by uniting all of the Mesopotamian city-states (predated Egypt) …and..

The Code of Hammurabi Hammurabi – created a code of law Dealt with most aspects of daily life Penalized wrongdoers with an “eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth” approach

The Code of Hammurabi Protected the less powerful & property Laws varied according to class

The First Cities: What Difference Do They Make? Cities facilitated important accomplishments including population increase, economic growth, organized life, new technologies, legal codes, and literatureCities facilitated important accomplishments including population increase, economic growth, organized life, new technologies, legal codes, and literature Not all cities succeededNot all cities succeeded Cities raised new questions of appropriate size and how best to achieve the good lifeCities raised new questions of appropriate size and how best to achieve the good life