1. ANCIENT MESOPOTAMIA- “THE LAND BETWEEN TWO RIVERS”

2. ANCIENT MESOPOTAMIA- DEFINITIONS
CITY STATES- self-governing unit made up of a city and its surrounding villages and farmland.

3. ANCIENT MESOPOTAMIA-GEOGRAPHY
LOCATED BETWEEN THE TIGRIS-EUPHRATES RIVERS
BOTH RIVERS FLOW INTO THE PERSIAN GULF
LOCATED IN PRESENT DAY IRAQ

4. Fertile Crescent
Fertile Crescent
SW Asia
(the Middle East)

5. ANCIENT MESOPOTAMIA- GEOGRAPHY
POSITIVE
abundant amount of clay
easy till-able soil
water supply from Tigris-Euphrates Rivers
NEGATIVE
few natural resources
minimal protection from deserts and mountains

6. ANCIENT MESOPOTAMIA- SUMERIAN CIVILIZATION
BELIEVED TO BE SETTLED CA B.C.
DIVIDED INTO CITY-STATES
HELPED TO DEVELOP THE FIRST FORM OF ORGANIZED RELIGION
CREATED ONE OF THE EARLIEST FORM OF WRITING

7. ANCIENT MESOPOTAMIA- SUMERIAN CITY-STATES
ALWAYS IN CONSTANT CONFLICT OVER WATER RIGHTS AND LAND
CREATED WALLS FOR PROTECTION, WITH MOATS ALONG THE OUTSIDE
FARMS WERE LOCATED ALONG THE OUTSIDE OF THE CITY

8. Sumerians invented: Wheel
Time – 60 minutes in an hour, 60 seconds in a minute
12 month lunar calendar
arch
ramp

9. ANCIENT MESOPOTAMIA- SUMERIAN RELIGION
Ziggurats: pyramid site of the temple of the main gods.
Each city-state had their own gods and goddesses
Sun god – most important.
Life after death was an extension of life.

10. Ziggurat Large pyramid shaped structures Connected to heaven and earth
Ziggurat: “center for learning and religion”

11. Sumerian Religion Monotheism: worshiping one god.
Sumerians were Polytheistic
The Sumerians viewed their gods as hostile and unpredictable - similar to the natural environment around them.)
Gilgamesh Epic, one of the earliest works of literature.
Contains a “flood story” that predates the Hebrew Old Testament story of Noah by at least 2,000 years.
Monotheism: worshiping one god.
“Mono” – means one
Polytheism: worshiping many gods.
“Poly” – means many

12. ANCIENT MESOPOTAMIA- SUMERIAN WRITING
CALLED CUNEIFORM (LATIN FOR WEDGE)
WRITTEN ON CLAY TABLETS
NEEDED FOR RELIGION, GOVERNMENT, AND TRADE
LEARNED IN SCHOOL, BY MALES THAT LASTED FROM SUNRISE TO SUNSET

13. Sumerian Writing: cuneiform
CALLED CUNEIFORM (LATIN FOR WEDGE)
WRITTEN ON CLAY TABLETS
NEEDED FOR RELIGION, GOVERNMENT, AND TRADE
LEARNED IN SCHOOL, BY MALES THAT LASTED FROM SUNRISE TO SUNSET
Cuneiform is created by pressing a pointed stylus into a clay tablet.

14. Cuneiform

15. ANCIENT MESOPOTAMIA- SUMERIAN ECONOMY
Make, sell or barter goods.
Trade helped expansion.
Development of money
Will evolve over time.
RICH
government officials
religious leaders
traders
POOR
Farmers
craftsman

16. ANCIENT MESOPOTAMIA- SUMERIAN PASTIMES
Entertainment
No longer had to hunt and gather.
More time for fun times.
Rich had more time than poor.
Activities:
BOARD GAMES
INSTRUMENTS
BARE FISTED BOXING
Activities geared toward young and used for socializing.

17. The invention of Agriculture changed the way people lived.
Agriculture (Farming)
Growth of Cities
Division of Labor (Specialization)
Trade
Writing and Mathematics

18. Hammurabi’s Code Early legal code written by King Hammurabi of Babylon
282 laws.
Harsh punishment for crimes.
Based on equal retaliation.
“ If a man bring an accusation against a man and charge him with a capital crime, but cannot prove it, the accuser, shall be put to death”
“If the slave of a freed man strike the body of a freed man, his ear shall be cut off”
Laws were varied for the wealthy and powerful.

19. What do you think?
“ If a man bring an accusation against a man and charge him with a capital crime, but cannot prove it, the accuser, shall be put to death”
“If the slave of a freed man strike the body of a freed man, his ear shall be cut off”
If a man strike a free-born woman so that she lose her unborn child, he shall pay ten shekels for her loss.
“If the woman die, his daughter shall be put to death.