1. City-States in Mesopotamia Chapter 2 Section 1

2. Geography of the Fertile Crescent  Fertile Plains Mesopotamia was also known as the Fertile Crescent because after the yearly flood a thick bed of mud called silt was deposited. Huge amounts of wheat and barley were grown in the rich, new soil allowing villages to grow.

3. Environmental Challenges Sumerians arrived in South Mes. Around 3500 BC, probably attracted by the good soil. There were, however, three disadvantages to their new environ:

4. 1) River floods were unpredictable and left the field dry after the water dried up. 2) The little huts they lived in had no protection. 3) Natural resources of stone, wood, and metal were limited.

5. Creating Solutions They began to dig irrigation ditches that carried river water to their fields, they built city walls of mud brick for defense, and they traded with mountain people.

6. Sumerians Create City-States Sumerians built a number of cities, these and the surrounding land it controlled formed a city-state.

7. The Power of Priests Sumer’s earliest govts were controlled by the temple priests, who took a portion of every farmer’s crop as taxes.

8. Monarchs Take Control In time of war, the men of the city chose a tough fighter to lead the city’s soldiers. Eventually, because of frequent wars, control of standing armies was left in the permanent control of these men.

9. In time, some military leaders became full- time rulers, or monarchs; sometimes passing rule to their rule sons – and so on… such a series of rulers from a single family is called a dynasty.

10. The Spread of Cities Along with trade of goods came the trade of religion and culture. This process of a new idea or a product spreading from one culture to another is called cultural diffusion.

11. Sumerian Culture A Religion of Many Gods Polytheism is the belief in many gods. Sumerians believed that many different gods controlled forces of nature, about 3,000 of them. They also believed these gods did many of the same things humans do – so to make them happy they built wonderful ziggurats and offered sacrifices of animals, food, and wine.

12. The Epic of Gilgamesh is a Sumerian long poem, one of the earliest works of literature in the world. The beliefs and legends found in this poem greatly influenced other ancient cultures.

13. Life in Sumerian Society Social class society – Priests and kings made up the highest level, wealthy merchants ranked next, the majority worked with their hands and made up the third level, slaves were the lowest level.

14. Some slaves were captured from other places, others were Sumerians sold into slavery as children to pay the debts of their parents. Slaves could earn freedom. Women could hold the same jobs as men, hold property in their own name, and join the lower ranks of priesthood. They probably could not go to school.

15. Sumerian Science and Technology Invented wheel, sail, and plow. First to use bronze and the first system of writing (cuneiform). Maps, early arithmetic and geometry; and in architecture – arches, columns, and ramps, were also invented.

16. The First Empire Builders City-States were almost at constant war with each other.

17. Saron of Akkad About 2350 BC, a conqueror named Sargon defeated Sumer. Sargon was from Akkad, a Semitic (spoke a language related to Arabic and Hebrew) city-state north of Sumer.

18. By taking control of both n. & s. Mes, Sargon created the world’s first empire – brings together several peoples, nations, or previously independent states under the control of one ruler. Lasted about 200 years, declined due to internal fighting, invasions, and a severe famine.

19. Babylonian Empire Around 2000 BC, nomadic warriors known as Amorites, also Semitic, took over Sumeria and established their capital at Babylon. The Babylonian Empire reached its peak during the reign of Hammurabi (1792- 1750 BC), known for the code of laws he put together.

20. Hammurabi’s Code Used a single, uniform code that helped unify the diverse groups within his empire. Had these laws engraved in stone and copies placed all over his empire. Used the “Eye for an eye, tooth for a tooth” punishments, and the responsibility of govt to its citizens (If thief not caught, govt pays for loss)