Ch 1, Sec 2: Mesopotamian Civilization

Civilization Complex societies that have: Cities Organized Governments Art Religion Class Divisions Writing system

How were rivers helpful? provided fertile farm land helped people trade with each other Spread ideas to new places Rise of cities

Role of Government Helped distribute food Built buildings and other projects Created laws Made armies for defense

New inventions Writing systems calendars

Mesopotamia In present day Southern Iraq Earliest known civilization Created between the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers Unpredictable weather made farming a problem

Farming in Mesopotamia Rivers flooded lands for rich soil Farmers built dams to control the water Created irrigation ditches to water fields away from the rivers Led to lots of cities to develop in the region of Sumer

City-States Cities were far from each other Did not talk to each other City-State: Individual city with the surrounding land run by their own government Went to war with each other Built mud walls for protection

Religion Believed in many gods Built ziggurats (temples) to each god Biggest buildings in a town Means “Mountain of god” or “hill of heaven” Priests and priestesses ran the temples Only people to go to the top for ceremonies Priests and priestesses ran the government

Sumerian Kings Priests and priestesses-first rulers War heroes-second rulers Position was passed along through family Ran the gov’t Led the army

Life in Sumerian Cities Kings lived in palaces Common people farmed and lived in mud brick houses Artisans specialized in making tools, clothes, and pottery Traders moved goods between cities

Social Classes 3 groups: 1. Upper class: priests, kings, gov’t officials 2. Middle Class: artisans, merchants, farmers, and fishermen 3. Lower class: slaves Slaves were property Slaves were could be prisoners of war, criminals, or owe someone money

Men and Women Men: Women: Could go to school Could run businesses Head of the house Women: Had some rights Could buy and sell property Raised the children

Cuneiform Helps keep records and pass on ideas a system of writing using wedge shaped marks cut into clay tablets Scribes were rich boys that kept gov’t records using cuneiform

Literature Epic of Gilgamesh: Oldest known story A poem that tells the story of a hero A story of a king who searches for a way to live forever

Advances in Math and Science Irrigation Wagon Wheel Plow Sailboat Breakthroughs in Geometry A new number system based on 60 60 min in an hr, 60 sec in a min Created a 12 month calendar based on the moon

The End of Sumer City-states fought each other Outside groups attacked the city-states The Akkadians, led by Sargon, attacked Sumer Defeated Sumer Set up an empire by 2340 B.C.

Babylonians Took over Sargon’s empire in 1800 B.C. City of Babylon was center of trade Ran by King Hammurabi Created a justice system called the Code of Hammurabi