1. From City-States to Gilgamesh
Mesopotamia
From City-States to Gilgamesh

2. Essential Questions
How did environment affect the early Mesopotamian civilizations, including culture and technology?
How did the Mesopotamian system of city-states affect technology, culture, and modern Middle East relations ?

3. Mesopotamia Land between the rivers (Tigris and Euphrates)
“Fertile Crescent”
Modern day Iraq
Sumer

4. The Rise of City-States
Neolithic Rev. led to sedentary farmers
City-state = a city with political and economic control over the surrounding area
Huh?
In English = small like a city but has own government, military, economy, and identity (not part of a state or country)
Kish, Ur, Uruk (Erech), Eridu

5. Building of city-states
Walled cities (made of mud brick)
Why mud brick?
Invented (?) arch
Close to water
Euphrates flooded
Explanation
Angry gods
How do you appease them?

6. Ziggurats
Physical, economic, political, and spiritual center of city-state
Top of ziggurat was a temple
Gods and Goddesses in complete control
Allowed mortals power (kingship was divine theocracy = gov’t by divine authority)
Uruk dedicated to Ishtar

7. Accommodated Farming Economy based chiefly on farming until…
Trade and industry develop…leads to
Development of technology such as…
Wheel (Wheeled carts for easier transportation) and…
Advanced weapons which leads to…
Warfare and competition

8. Social Structure
4 social classes (nobles, middle class, peasant farmers, slaves)
Slavery very common in ancient world (agriculture-based societies)
NOT racially based

9. Mesopotamia
Part Deux

10. Writing Cuneiform (wedge-shaped writing) Why do you need writing?
Business transactions
Stories and traditions

11. The Epic of Gilgamesh Gilgamesh King of Uruk (2800 B.C.)
Story accomplishes 2 things
1) The first epic story
2) Sumerian (Mesopotamian) outlook on life
Life is brutal, harsh, and ultimately depressing

12. Other Mesopotamians Akkadians Sargon I (2300 B.C.)
First Empire (unify all city-states)
100 years
Brief Sumerian resurgence
Defeated by…

13. Amorites (Babylonians)
Centered at Babylon
Famous for Hammurabi
- Famous for law code (1800 B.C.) – 282 laws
- Laws written in important cities (2 survive)
- Emphasize brutal nature of Mes. society

14. Others Hittites Iron weapons Less brutal law (pay fines) Assyrians
Warriors
First effective governing of large empire
King (absolute), priests, governors, army