1. Sumer and Babylon

2. 3000 B.C.
Around the time that Menes unified Egypt, about a dozen small cities dotted Mesopotamia. This area was known as Sumer.

3. The Sumerians Valued Independence Fought against being ruled by others
Shared a rich cultural heritage
Worked to control Tigris and Euphrates
Worshiped similar gods
Made some of the first wheeled vehicles and sailboats

4. Cuneiform
Invention of writing helped to bring _________ _____________ together.
Ancient cities

5. Cuneiform First developed to record farm surpluses.
Used sharp reeds to scratch the records into wet clay tablets
3500 B.C.- oldest tablets
1st symbols looked much like pictures of what they were describing
Over time, symbols were simplified
500 signs were used

7. School in Sumer Few people could write, not even kings
It was an honor to go to school and learn to be a scribe
Boys and VERY few girls

8. Steps in School 1.) Learned how to make clay tablets and reed pens
2.) Practiced over and over how to write basic signs of cuneiform
3.) Also had to study mathematics so they could keep accurate records

9. Trained Scribes Could write most anything
Even wrote love letters and sealed them in clay envelopes.
Recorded stories, laws, and songs
Through cuneiform, we know about an early Sumerian mythical hero named Gilgamesh.

10. City-States of Sumer
City-state: self-governing city that also governs surrounding villages.
City-States often went to war to gain control of floodwater
Because of this, large walls were built around the city for protection

11. Sumerian Kings
King’s palace could be seen from almost everywhere in the city
Kings served as generals, judges, and canal overseers
Sumerian kings were not considered to be gods

12. RELIGION Ziggurat- large building with a temple on its peak
Ziggurat stood in the center of town
Sumerians believed in polytheism
Polytheism-belief in more than one god
Ishtar- goddess of love and war
Enki-god of water

13. Uniting the city-states
City-states were united under Sargon, king of city-state Kish in 2300 B.C.
Sumerians traded with the Phoenicians.
Phoenicians sent wine and timber and received Mesopotamian farm products and other goods.
Cuneiform was used throughout Sargon’s empire, and he could send instructions and govern over great distances.
Sargon’s rule lasted 56 years, until city-states rebelled.

14. The Rise of Babylon
Almost 500 years passed before another empire controlled.
A group of people moved into Mesopotamia and created the city of Babylon
1800 B.C. Hammurabi began a drive to gain control over the old Sumer and created a huge empire.

15. Babylonia Rich and Powerful Still used cuneiform
First dictionaries were created so Babylonians could adopt Sumerian culture and language.

16. Code of Law
1901- Archaeologists found a stone pillar from ancient Babylon
Pillar was inscribed with over 200 laws in cuneiform.
4000 years old
Known as the Code of Hammurabi

17. Code of Hammurabi World’s oldest codes of law
Code of law- written set of laws that apply to everyone under a government
Slavery existed
Not everyone was treated equal

18. The “New” Babylonia
After Hammurabi died, about 1750 B.C., Babylon began to fall apart.
689 B.C. Babylon was completely destroyed by powerful rulers from Nineweh.
60 years later, Babylon was rebuilt and soon became the world’s largest city.

19. New Babylon Great Beauty and Technology
Two massive walls and a moat protected the city
City was split in two by Euphrates River
Connected by moveable bridge and an underwater tunnel
Huge ziggurat
Grid-style streets, sewer and water systems
Three/Four Story Homes
Hanging Gardens

20. SORROW Not everyone thought of Babylon as a wonderful place
These newcomers were prisoners from what is today Israel.