1. The Fertile Crescent
CHW 3MR
Lesson 4

2. The Fertile Crescent
Learning Goal: recognize the factors necessary for the development of early societies
Discuss Canada’s ‘civilization’
Fertile Crescent note and discussion
Textbook work (hand in)

3. The Fertile Crescent A rich, food growing region of the Middle East
Surrounded by desert and other poor quality soil
From the Mediterranean to the Persian Gulf
The area between the Tigris and Euphrates rivers was called “Mesopotamia” by the Greeks

4. Mesopotamia Land between two rivers
present day Iraq
severe flooding every spring
however, levees along the river provided fertile pockets that encouraged settlement (text p 40)

6. several distinct peoples settled independent states emerged
needed irrigation
several distinct peoples settled
independent states emerged
democratic
built and maintained roads and canals
laws were made and enforced
became prosperous
rivalries developed and wars happened

7. 1)Sumer possibly nomads who found their way to the fertile land
learned to farm, herd, and irrigate
Sumer was made of several city-states surrounded by walls
Farms were outside the city
The people were polytheistic (believed in many gods)
Built temples called ‘ziggurats’ to honour the city’s god

10. 2) Babylon reunited Mesopotamia
King Hammurabi came to the throne in 1750 BCE
Conquered Akkad and Assyria
First written laws “Hammurabi’s Code”
On a stone pillar in public
This code gives us a real glimpse of society
Punishment fit the crime
Ex. If a son hit his father, the son’s hand would be cut off
By 1550 BCE, Babylon was in decline

12. Hammurabi’s Empire

15. 3) Assyria
Were illiterate but powerful… they conquered all of Mesopotamia
Had iron weapons and large armies, chariots and battering rams
Dammed the rivers above Babylon… so Babylon was weakened
Over extended themselves and terrorized the conquered states
The states revolted and this led to the ultimate collapse
Eventually conquered by the Persians

16. Mesopotamia’s Legacy Writing Development of Tools and Techniques
The wheel
Religion
Written law
Textbook pages 43-49

17. Hammurabi Activity