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Published byEddy Hampson Modified over 9 years ago
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Mesopotamian Civilization: Part 1 Begun 8/18/2014 Need more help? Email me or come to office hours- Wed. AM or Thur. PM
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What happened before Mesopotamian Civilization? * Paleolithic Age 2.5 million years ago to @ 8000 B.C. *Neolithic Age @ 8000 B.C. to @ 3000 B.C.
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Development of Ancient River Valley Civilizations ●aka = “Cradles of Civilization o 3500 BCE ●Rivers needed for irrigation of crops 1.Mesopotamia o –1.Tigris R. & Euphrates R. 2.Egypt o –1.Nile R. 3.India o –1.Indus R. 4.China o –1.Huang He
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First Four River Valley Civilizations Cradles of Civilization
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Nile River
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Mesopotamia
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Nile River Mesopotamia Indus River
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Nile River Mesopotamia Indus River Huang He
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Nile River Mesopotamia Indus River Huang He Why are they called ‘Cradles of Civilization?’
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Characteristics of Civilization ●Complex Social Institutions o Government Organized o Complex Religions Polytheistic ●Advanced Technology o Irrigation Systems o Engineering Palaces/Temples ●Division of Labor o Specialization of Labor o Artisans ●Calendar o Keep track of flooding & religious ceremonies ●Written Language o Keep records of agriculture/taxes
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Mesopotamia Meso = Middle Po = River Tamia = Land Part of an area known as the Fertile Crescent
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What is a city-state? ●Independent city surrounded by farmland ●Ruled by individual rulers
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Farmland City Oldest cities in the World are thought to be Sumer’s. Farmland
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What types of governments began during this time? Dynasties – * series of rulers from the same family *usually a Monarchy
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Besides rulers, who ranked at the top of social classes? Priests – people believed they spoke with the gods.
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What were the Sumerian temples? Ziggurats
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What were the Sumerian temples? Ziggurats – ●temple & religious center ● stored grain ● housed priests
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1. Known as a step pyramid 2. Emphasis(?) = altar at the top Actual Sumerian Ziggurat
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Sumerian Ziggurat ca. 3500 B.C.E. Mayan Pyramid ca. 700 C.E.
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What inventions can be attributed to the Sumerians? wheel sail plow And….
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The City And….
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The umbrella!
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The most important invention?.... World’s first form of written language… Cuneiform
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Examples Created using small wedge- shaped stylus on clay tablets
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(1:08) Sumer (5:29)
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The Epic of Gilgamesh * Oldest known written story *Follows the adventures of the Sumerian King of Uruk
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Mesopotamian Civilization: Part 2 Need more help? Email me or come to office hours- Wed. AM or Thur. PM- Quiz Friday!
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Essential Knowledge 13. What were the 1st 4 River Valley Civilizations? 14. What was the name of the earliest known civilization? 15. What is an independent city surrounded by farmland? 16. What is the earliest known written language?
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What other civilizations came about during/after the Sumerians? 1.Akkadians 2.Babylonians 3.Phoenicians 4.Assyrians 5.Hebrews
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Akkadians ●Greatest Leader = Sargon ●1st to create an Empire o conquered city-states of Sumer ●Lasted only 200 years o fighting within empire o famine
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Sargon of Akkad – 1st Emperor
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The Babylonians ●Overtook Sumerians ●Capital city = Babylon ●Greatest Ruler = Hammurabi ●Hammurabi’s greatest contribution = World’s first law code.
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Hammurabi’s Law Code ●Specific punishments for specific actions ●Property issues ●Harsh punishments. ●Social classes punished/rewarded differently Think/raise/speak (30 seconds)- Is this fair? Why or why not?
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Eye for an Eye mentality. Upper classes treated differently from lower classes
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Essential Knowledge 17. Who was the World’s 1st Emperor? 18. Which Mesopotamian Civilization had Hammurabi as their greatest ruler? 19. What was Hammurabi’s greatest achievement? 20. True or False: All people were equal under Hammurabi’s Law Code?
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Okay, Let’s Review!
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What is the term for an independent city which is surrounded by farmland? A city-state
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What was the first civilization to create cities? Sumer
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What were some of the inventions of the Sumerians? 1. Plow 2. Umbrella 3. Wheel 4. Cities 5. Language
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What was their written language called? Cuneiform
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Who was the Akkadian leader who first created an empire? Sargon
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What civilization created a great capital on the banks of the Euphrates? The Babylonians
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What great Babylonian leader created the first law code? Hammurabi
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