1. Complex Institutions – describe their government, religion and economy
Record Keeping – Name and describe their record keeping system
The rest of the characteristics can be bulleted points

3. The Fertile Crescent / Mesopotamia

4. SCAAR • Sumerians • Akkadians • Babylonians
Mesopotamia
SCAAR
• Sumerians
• Akkadians
• Babylonians

5. Geography of the Fertile Crescent
Area of land in the middle of a desert climate
Lies between the TIGRIS and EUPHRATES RIVERS
“Mesopotamia” means “land between the rivers” in Greek

6. Environmental Factors
Tigris and Euphrates Rivers deposit a rich mud called SILT that allows farmers to harvest large quantities of wheat and barley
Area has ENVIRONMENTAL CHALLENGES:
Flooding of rivers was unpredictable
Sumer was a small region with no natural barriers for protection
Limited natural resources

7. SOLUTIONS Irrigation ditches City walls for defense
Traded with the peoples of the mountains for the things they lacked
Cooperation, organization, and leadership were required to accomplish these tasks

8. Specialized Workers Priests
Rulers (Kings) – at 1st chosen for war time only, then became full-time monarchs, establishing dynasty.
Merchants
Artisans
Scribes
Farmers
Slaves

9. Complex Institutions Law system to govern the people.
Governments controlled by temple Priests.
Polytheism – believed in many gods – Enlil was most powerful.
Schools for upper-class boys.
Akkadians created 1st empire.
Hammurabi’s Code - Babylonians led by Hammurabi who created a uniform code of laws to unify the people. 1st to be written down and applied to everyone, but differentiated between classes and sexes.

11. Advanced Cities Built walled cities.
City-states – city and surrounding land.
Uruk, Kish, Lagash, Umma and Ur.

12. Advanced Technology Irrigation ditches to water fields.
Walled temples with ziggurat at the center.
Invented the wheel, plow, sail.
1st to use bronze
Sciences – astronomy, chemical substances, studied disease.
Arithmetic and geometry.
Number system based on 60 (60 seconds=1 min. and 360 degrees in circle)
Mud bricks and mortar, arches, columns, ramps.

13. Record Keeping 1st writing system in history – Cuneiform.
Taxes in the form of crops.
Epic of Gilgamesh – epic poem about the adventures of King Gilgamesh.
Maps.