1. Mesopotamia
K. Roberts

2. MESOPOTAMIA Located in modern-day Iraq Means “between the rivers”
Tigris and Euphrates Rivers
Fertile Crescent
caused by annual, unpredictable floods
left rich layer of soil, or silt
caused irrigation systems to be created

3. MESOPOTAMIA Different groups of people throughout Mesopotamia:
Sumerians, Akkadians, Babylonians, Assyrians, Persians
Some Indo-Europeans in area:
Hittites, Phoenicians, Israelites

4. MESOPOTAMIA Sumerians Writing: Cuneiform Epic of Gilgamesh
City-States: Ur and Uruk
Government: theocracy
ziggurat
Religion: polytheistic
Discovered bronze
Invented the wheel
Social Groups:
Nobles
Commoners
Slaves
Writing: Cuneiform
Epic of Gilgamesh

5. MESOPOTAMIA Akkadians Babylonians Assyrians North of Sumer Sargon
set up first empire
Fell to Babylonians
Babylonians
Hammurabi
Gained control of Sumer and Akkad
Code of Hammurabi
System of strict justice
Assyrians
covered most of Middle-East
strong, effective military
fast messaging system

6. MESOPOTAMIA Indo-European groups: Phoenicians Hittites
empire in western Asia (Anatolia)
first I-E people to use iron
took over Egypt
Destroyed by “Sea Peoples”
Phoenicians
modern-day Palestine
focused on trade
known for ships and alphabet
Israelites
most known for religion
the kingdom united, then divided

7. MESOPOTAMIA Judaism First monotheistic religion
everything belonged to God
foundation by patriarch Abraham
His two sons created Judaism and Islam
Ten Commandments - set of Laws
Persians
Darius-most popular leader
not a great military leader, great government
created satrapies
Darius dies, throne is in jeopardy
Religion: Zoroastrianism