Mesopotamia and The Sumerians

The Fertile Crescent The Tigris and Euphrates rivers form a narrow strip of fertile land in the Middle-East This region, called the Fertile Crescent, attracted settlers beginning around 4500 B.C.E. due to the good agricultural conditions The Sumerians moved in around 3300 B.C.E.

The Fertile Crescent

Problems and Solutions The fertile crescent had the following disadvantages: Unpredictable flooding and frequent drought Poor natural defenses Limited natural resources The Sumerians devised these solutions: Irrigation ditches were created to provide a stable water source Walls were constructed around cities using mud bricks Trade networks were established to get resources that didn’t occur naturally in the Fertile Crescent

City States Emerge These public projects required organization, which led to the emergence of local governments Initially these governments were organized into City States, a single city with its own independent government and laws The various city states of Mesopotamia were frequently at war with each other

Religion and Government Most of the time the priests were in charge, ruling from a large temple called a Ziggurat Mesopotamians believed in a large number of gods who controlled various aspects of their lives Each city state had its own gods, and in order to please their gods they fought with other city states, built large temples, and made sacrifices During times of war the priests would turn control of the military over to a strong warrior Over time some of these military leaders began to lead the government even in times of peace

Ziggurat

Life in Sumerian Society Society was divided into social classes Kings, landholders, and Priests Wealthy Merchants Laborers Slaves Women generally had the same rights as men; they could work, own property, and be priests Both men and women could learn to read and write, though most scribes were men

Science and Technology The Sumerians made the following innovations Invented the wheel, the sail, and the plow Used bronze to create tools and weapons Developed a base 60 mathematical system (which is why there are 60 seconds in a minute and 360 degrees in a circle) Created arches, columns, ramps, and stairs for their ziggurats Created a system of writing known as cuneiform (which means wedge-shaped) Kept records about history, trade, science, astronomy, medicine, and chemistry

The Empire Strikes… Between 3000 and 2000 BCE the Sumerian city states were constantly at war This left them weak and easy to conquer Around 2350 BCE Sargon of Akkad conquered all of the Sumerian city states and established the Akkadian Empire, which lasted about 200 years Around 2000 BCE nomadic warriors called Amorites conquered the Sumerians and set up the Babylonian Empire

Hammurabi Hammurabi ruled the Babylonian Empire from 1792-1750 BCE He established a code of laws that has influenced most law codes ever since About 200 years after Hammurabi’s reign the Babylonian empire fell, and the Fertile Crescent began playing host to a number of new civilizations (Assyria, Phoenicia, Israel) Sumerian culture influenced all of these groups, and still does in many ways