Mesopotamia and Sumer Preview Starting Points Map: Fertile Crescent Main Idea / Reading Focus Geography Promotes Civilization Sumer Map: Ancient Mesopotamia Sumerian Culture Empires in Mesopotamia Quick Facts: Mesopotamian Achievements

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Mesopotamia and Sumer Main Idea Reading Focus The first known civilization arose in Mesopotamia, and its culture and innovations influenced later civilizations in the region for thousands of years. Reading Focus How did geography promote civilization in Mesopotamia? What features defined the civilization of Sumer? What were Sumer’s main cultural achievements? What events led to later empires in Mesopotamia?

Geography Promotes Civilization Fertile area between the Tigris and Euphrates rivers became site of world’s first civilization Fertile Crescent well suited for agriculture Farming in Mesopotamia posed challenges: If water levels too high, crops washed away If water levels too low, crops died People developed methods to control water: Basins, canals, and dikes Organization: assigning jobs, allocating resources

What factors influenced the rise of civilization in Mesopotamia? Summarize What factors influenced the rise of civilization in Mesopotamia? Answer(s): fertile land; plentiful food; need to organize people for jobs

Religion and Government Sumer Large cities developed by 4000 BC Structures made of mud bricks Ziggurat: pyramid-shaped temple Massive wall encircled each city Each city and its land formed a city-state, with its own government The Cities of Sumer Shaped life in city-states Polytheism: worship of many gods Priests had high status and were the first rulers War chiefs began to rule as kings Dynasty: series of rulers from one family Religion and Government

Sumerian Culture Writing Math and Sciences The Arts Trade and Society Cuneiform: Sumerian writing Business accounts and records Law, grammar, literature Scribes Math and Sciences System based on number 60 Geometry May have been the first to use the wheel Invented the plow Basic surgery The Arts Arches, ramps, columns Sculpture Cylinder seals Trade and Society Traded for wood and metals Social hierarchy Distinct male/female roles

Draw Conclusions Why was the Sumerians’ development of cuneiform a major turning point in history? Answer(s): After the development of cuneiform, humankind moved from prehistory into the historical age.

Empires in Mesopotamia Each conquering invader adapted aspects of Sumerian culture. Thus Sumerian civilization continued to influence life in Mesopotamia. Sargon I: Around 2330 BC, created first permanent army Conquered Sumer and northern Mesopotamia Established world’s first empire, which lasted about 100 years Sumerian culture spread far beyond Tigris and Euphrates valleys Sargon’s Empire Hammurabi became king in 1792 BC United all of Mesopotamia Able ruler and administrator Hammurabi’s Code: 282 laws covering everything from trade to murder Written for all to see Babylon became Mesopotamia’s greatest city The Babylonian Empire

Who ruled Mesopotamia after Sumer, and in what order? Sequence Who ruled Mesopotamia after Sumer, and in what order? Answer(s): Akkadians, Amorites, Babylonians