1. Life in Mesopotamia 8 September 2010

2. City-State of Ur Located on the banks of the Euphrates River Thriving metropolis around 3,000 BCE Agricultural city-state with a sophisticated irrigation system

3. City Life Living Quarters Average Citizen Small, windowless, one-story, boxlike houses, tightly packed together

4. City Life Living Quarters Wealthy Citizens Two-story houses with inner- courtyards

5. Thriving Trade Took place at the bazaar or market Money has not been invented Use of bartering

6. Center of City Life Ziggurat (Mountain of God) Tallest and most important building Like a city within a city Surrounded by a wall

7. Center of Life (cont’d) Ziggurat Exterior Flight of stairs leading to top Peak Rituals conducted to city god Served as a storage area for goods

8. City-States City and Surrounding area functioning as independent political unit

9. City-States Common culture; but different Each had its own government and rulers Much like a country today EX. Uruk, Kish, Lagash, Umma, Ur

10. Power in the City-State Early gov’t controlled by priests Because of farmers beliefs Managed irrigation systems

11. Shift in Power During times of war, priests turned power over to a “tough fighter” – leader of the army

12. Shift in Power Because of frequency, commanders given permanent control Led to the establishment of dynasties

13. Cultural Diffusion Process of a new idea or product spreading from one culture to another How do ideas spread in today’s society?

14. Religion Polytheistic (3000 gods) Did many of the things human did Animal sacrifices performed to please gods

15. Religion (cont’d) Afterlife “Land of no return” Dismal and gloomy Located between earth’s crust and ancient sea Dust is their fare and clay their food

16. Society Social Classes Priests and Kings Wealthy merchants Common folk Slaves

17. Society (cont’d) Women Able to pursue most occupation Own property Join lower ranks of priesthood Unable to attend schools where reading and writing were taught

18. Technology Wheel, sail, plow First system of writing First map Developed a number system

19. First Empires Sargon of Akkad 2350 BCE conquers Sumeria United northern and southern Mesopotamia creating the first empire

20. Empires (cont’d) Hammurabi Babylonian Hammurabi’s Code Single, uniform code Engraved into stone and placed throughout the empire

21. Empires (cont’d) Hammurabi Hammurabi’s Code (cont’d) Reinforced the principle that the government had a responsibility for what occurred in society