1. Mesopotamia

2. Mesopotamia means "land between the rivers" & is often called the "Fertile Crescent".
The Tigris and Euphrates Rivers flooded once per year, leaving behind fertile soil ideal for farming. The flooding however, was unpredictable. 

3. The first civilization developed in the Fertile Crescent: Sumer
But, surrounding deserts & the lack of natural barriers attracted outsiders to Mesopotamia made the Sumerians vulnerable to attack

4. Lasting Contributions
Advanced cities:
Sumerian city-states were protected by high walls
At the city center was a temple called a ziggurat

5. Monumental Architecture
Ziggurats- large, flat-topped pyramids built of clay bricks– were constructed as temples and shrines to various gods.
They were not places of public worship: ziggurats were believed to be the dwelling-places of gods on Earth.

6. Religion Sumerians and Babylonians were polytheistic.
Believed that gods controlled the natural forces 
Made offerings and prayer for favor
Did not believe in reward or punishment after death
Only during life

7. Religion and Culture
Sumerians worshipped any number of different gods and goddesses, depending on where they lived.  Individual cities might have different gods.
Gods were understood to have enormous power, particularly over natural disasters (e.g. floods, droughts).
Priests had extremely high social status in Sumerian culture; early Sumerian society was essentially a theocracy.

8. Social Structure Royalty, priests, officials, and warriors
Merchants, some artisans, and shopkeepers
Dependent farmers and artisans
Slaves

9. City Centers
As cities grew they began to compete with each other for land and water.
As a result
Armies were organized, Weapons improved
Kings grew in power

10. Specialized Workers What allowed the specialization of workers?
With the surplus of goods, cities can begin to engage in trade with others.

12. Lasting Contributions
Writing:
Sumerians developed the first known case of human writing called cuneiform 
Phoenicians simplified cuneiform to a 22 letter alphabet
Scribes were those who wrote and kept records
Phoenician merchants spread the alphabet throughout the Mediterranean world
The alphabet influenced Greek, Latin, & English  

13. Lasting Contributions
Science was quite advanced in Sumer: astronomical studies and advanced mathematics led to a very accurate calendar system.
Sumerians used a base 60 counting unit, and used multiplication, division, square roots, and geometry.
Sumerian technology included: the wheel, irrigation systems, glue, bronze, the plow, water skins, animal harnesses, and metal weaponry.

14. The Babylonian Empire
Established around 1900 BCE, the Persian people (today Iran) invaded and took over.
Included many diverse cultural groups
Mesopotamia would then be united under King Hammurabi.

15. Lasting Contributions
Government:
Babylonian King Hammurabi created the first legal code
Hammurabi’s Code had 282 laws to protect people’s rights. Built on the idea of “an eye for an eye”.
Property rights, contracts, marriages, wages, crimes…
The code had different punishments for the various levels of society