1. Ch 1, Sec 2: Mesopotamian Civilization

2. Civilization Complex societies that have: Cities Organized Governments
Art
Religion
Class Divisions
Writing system

3. How were rivers helpful?
provided fertile farm land
helped people trade with each other
Spread ideas to new places
Rise of cities

4. Role of Government Helped distribute food
Built buildings and other projects
Created laws
Made armies for defense

5. New inventions
Writing systems
calendars

6. Mesopotamia In present day Southern Iraq Earliest known civilization
Created between the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers
Unpredictable weather made farming a problem

7. Farming in Mesopotamia
Rivers flooded lands for rich soil
Farmers built dams to control the water
Created irrigation ditches to water fields away from the rivers
Led to lots of cities to develop in the region of Sumer

8. City-States Cities were far from each other Did not talk to each other
City-State: Individual city with the surrounding land run by their own government
Went to war with
each other
Built mud walls
for protection

9. Religion Believed in many gods Built ziggurats (temples) to each god
Biggest buildings in a town
Means “Mountain of god” or “hill of heaven”
Priests and priestesses ran the temples
Only people to go to the top for ceremonies
Priests and priestesses ran the government

10. Sumerian Kings Priests and priestesses-first rulers
War heroes-second rulers
Position was passed along through family
Ran the gov’t
Led the army

11. Life in Sumerian Cities
Kings lived in palaces
Common people farmed and lived in mud brick houses
Artisans specialized in making tools, clothes, and pottery
Traders moved goods between cities

12. Social Classes 3 groups:
1. Upper class: priests, kings, gov’t officials
2. Middle Class: artisans, merchants, farmers, and fishermen
3. Lower class: slaves
Slaves were property
Slaves were could be prisoners of war, criminals, or owe someone money

13. Men and Women Men: Women: Could go to school Could run businesses
Head of the house
Women:
Had some rights
Could buy and sell property
Raised the children

14. Cuneiform Helps keep records and pass on ideas
a system of writing using wedge shaped marks cut into clay tablets
Scribes were rich boys that kept gov’t records using cuneiform

15. Literature Epic of Gilgamesh: Oldest known story
A poem that tells the story of a hero
A story of a king who searches for a way to live forever

16. Advances in Math and Science
Irrigation
Wagon Wheel
Plow
Sailboat
Breakthroughs in Geometry
A new number system based on 60
60 min in an hr, 60 sec in a min
Created a 12 month calendar based on the moon

17. The End of Sumer City-states fought each other
Outside groups attacked the city-states
The Akkadians, led by Sargon, attacked Sumer
Defeated Sumer
Set up an empire by 2340 B.C.

18. Babylonians Took over Sargon’s empire in 1800 B.C.
City of Babylon was center of trade
Ran by King Hammurabi
Created a justice system called the Code of Hammurabi