Mesopotamia & Nile River Valleys

If you could live anywhere in the world, where would it be? Why? Agenda Notes/PowerPoint WebQuest (or Bookquest) Exit Quiz

A. Rivers created the availability of water and good soil for crops 1. Tigris and Euphrates Rivers - Fertile Crescent (Mesopotamia) 2. Nile River (Egypt) 3. Indus River (India) a. Monsoon-winds that bring rain and fertile soil 4. Huang He River (China)

A. People looked to religion to answer their questions about life 1. Polytheistic - Belief in many gods B. Patriarchal society-a society dominated by men

The government should be influenced by religious leaders If you strongly agree with this statement, stand by the back door If you agree with this statement, stand by the front door If you disagree with this statement, stand by the TV If you strongly disagree with this statement, stand behind my desk

Once you get to your corners, come up with three reasons why your group feels that way and be ready to share with the class GO!

C. Sumeria (3000 – 2340 BC) 1. Organized into city – states a. City – states: Cities that are like countries and rule over the surrounding area

2. Theocracy - a government ruled by divine authority 3. Priests worshipped in buildings called ziggurats a. Ziggurat – Sumerian stepped towers Ziggurat

3. Sumer was one civilization to have an extensive writing system in which they used cuneiform a. Cuneiform – Mesopotamian form of writing Cuneiform

D. Akkadia (2340 – 2100 BC) 1. The Akkadians were the first empire in the world a. Empire: A government that rules over many different peoples or territories

C. Babylon (1792 – 1750 BC) 1. Babylon’s leader was Hammurabi Hammurabi

a. Hammurabi created the first written code of law This was a collection of 282 laws b. The principle behind Hammurabi’s code was an eye for an eye What do you think this means? Hammurabi’s Code

“If any one steal cattle or sheep, or a pig or a goat, if it belong to a god or to the court, the thief shall pay thirtyfold; if they belonged to a freed man of the king he shall pay tenfold; if the thief has nothing with which to pay he shall be put to death.” How did Hammurabi treat rich people who committed crimes?

If any one find runaway male or female slaves in the open country and bring them to their masters, the master of the slaves shall pay him two shekels of silver. How does this show the idea of “an eye for an eye”?

If a man let in the water, and the water overflow the plantation of his neighbor, he shall pay ten gur of corn for every ten gan of land. Do you agree with this rule? Why or why not?

F. Israel (1200 – 722 BC) 1. Capital was Jerusalem 2. From this nation, Judaism was created a. Judaism: One of the first monotheistic religions that eventually would lead to Christianity and Islam b. Monotheistic - belief in only one God Star of David (symbol of Judaism) – nothing to do with Crips…

G. Persia (559 – 330 BC) 1. Created an extremely large empire that spread from Egypt to India 2. Their empire was stopped from moving north by Greek city – states 3. Government – Monarchy a. Monarchy: Government headed by a king or queen

A.Had a very powerful sea trading civilization B.Developed the first alphabet which used symbols to represent sounds, rather than pictures to represent words C.This would inspire Greek and Roman languages

Name two things you know about ancient Egypt Don’t know anything? Ask one question you might have about Egypt Agenda Notes/PowerPoint Finish Webquest (or Bookquest)

King Tut Film Questions: Would the scientists studying King Tut’s mummy be considered archeologists or anthropologists? Why?

A. Located in the Nile River Valley B. Government – dynasty (Monarchy) Rulers were known as Pharaohs 1. Dynasty-family of rulers whose right to rule is passed throughout the family King Tut – the Boy Pharaoh

2. Bureaucracy- government organization with officials and regular procedures 3. System of writing – Hieroglyphics a. Hieroglyphics – Egyptian form of writing meaning “picture writing” Hieroglyphics