1. Mesopotamia

2. The Ancient Fertile Crescent
The Middle East: “The Cradle of Civilization”

3. Why Mesopotamia? Frequent flooding from two rivers
Instability of daily life leads to a need for a strong government
protection from floods

4. Positives Its Location
Easy to get to--“Cultural Crossroads”
Trade and cultural diffusion

5. Negatives of Location Easy to get to  easy to invade
numerous small empires over time
Sumerians
Akkadian
Babylonians
And Many More!!

6. Sumer—the first “Civilization” in Mesopotamia

7. Sumerian Religion - Polytheistic
Enki
Innana

8. Advanced Technology and Architecture
Ziggurats
What do you think it was used for?
How do historians know it was a religious site?

9. Stairway up to the top of the Ziggurats

10. What does the large size and complex design tell us about Sumerians?

11. Afterlife How do we know they were very religious? Seen as evil place
Size of the Ziggurat (shows importance they placed on religion)
Seen as evil place
Epic of Gilgamesh
How does this compare to the Egyptian view?

12. Sumerian Scribes were smart!
Designed buildings!
Invented Modern Day Math
All was based on number 6
1 hour = 60 minutes
1 circle = 360 degrees
Calendar developed – for crops

13. Sumerian Social Class King
Same basic class system for all river valley civilizations
King
Nobles &Priests
Skilled Works (artists, scribes, merchants)
Farm Laborers and Slaves

14. Babylonian Empire – 1790 BCE
Used Sumerian ideas and created an empire

15. King Hammurabi

16. First written code of law Goal? Benefits to written laws?
Hammurabi’s Code
First written code of law
Goal?
Benefits to written laws?

17. Cuneiform: “Wedge-Shaped” Writing

19. Analyzing Hammurabi’s Code…
Does the punishment fit the crime?
Translate the law—what are they saying?
Analyze the law—does the punishment fit the crime?
Modify the law—if its not fair, change it!!