The Civilization of Mesopotamia World History Arvada West Senior High Thomson

The Civilization of Mesopotamia Physical land features: Physical land features: Tigris and Euphrates rivers – powerful & unpredicatible Tigris and Euphrates rivers – powerful & unpredicatible River beds rise & fall w/seasons, change course unpredictably River beds rise & fall w/seasons, change course unpredictably Flash floods – destroy crops, livestock, villages, and homes Flash floods – destroy crops, livestock, villages, and homes Control of the rivers, organization of farming & food supply necessitated cooperation, but also create more social stratification Control of the rivers, organization of farming & food supply necessitated cooperation, but also create more social stratification

The Civilization of Mesopotamia Mesopotamian City-States: Mesopotamian City-States: Twelve total – never achieved great unification and were isolated Twelve total – never achieved great unification and were isolated Sumer – most powerful of the city-states ( BCE) in terms of law, religion, politics, art, literature, and science Sumer – most powerful of the city-states ( BCE) in terms of law, religion, politics, art, literature, and science Was destroyed by a flood Was destroyed by a flood

The Civilization of Mesopotamia Mesopotamian City-States: Mesopotamian City-States: Each city-state was the essence of a god or goddess, ruled by a priest king who was the human representative of the god or godess Each city-state was the essence of a god or goddess, ruled by a priest king who was the human representative of the god or godess Ziggurats – large temples built in the center of the city-states in the honor of the deity: Ziggurats – large temples built in the center of the city-states in the honor of the deity: Also, housed the priestly class of people Also, housed the priestly class of people Center of the community Center of the community

The Civilization of Mesopotamia Mesopotamian City-States: Mesopotamian City-States: Around 3000 BCE made contact with other civilizations of the “fertile crescent” and created large and extensive trading networks Around 3000 BCE made contact with other civilizations of the “fertile crescent” and created large and extensive trading networks

The Civilization of Mesopotamia Religion: Religion: Polytheistic – many gods or goddesses Polytheistic – many gods or goddesses Four most powerful gods and many underneath them Four most powerful gods and many underneath them Gods were supreme, fearsome, unpredictable, divine, and immortal Gods were supreme, fearsome, unpredictable, divine, and immortal Human beings were subservient to gods and to perform physical labor Human beings were subservient to gods and to perform physical labor

The Civilization of Mesopotamia Religion: Religion: Divination – attempts to predict future events, in this case to predict actions of the gods Divination – attempts to predict future events, in this case to predict actions of the gods Divination took the form of sacrifices of animals and “reading” the liver and entrails or “reading” oil poured into water Divination took the form of sacrifices of animals and “reading” the liver and entrails or “reading” oil poured into water Priests were the only ones who new specific prayers and spells to predict the gods Priests were the only ones who new specific prayers and spells to predict the gods Priests controlled religious life, economic activities, re- distributed harvested crops brought to them by the farmers Priests controlled religious life, economic activities, re- distributed harvested crops brought to them by the farmers

The Civilization of Mesopotamia Achievements of Mesopotamian Civilization: Achievements of Mesopotamian Civilization: Cuneiform Cuneiform Law code Law code Considered greatest piece of literature prior to the Old Testament --- The Epic of Gilgamesh Considered greatest piece of literature prior to the Old Testament --- The Epic of Gilgamesh The wheel The wheel A math system based on 60 A math system based on 60 Uniform system of weights and measures Uniform system of weights and measures Algebra and geometry Algebra and geometry

The Civilization of Mesopotamia Law: Law: Hammurabi – King who built the city of Babylon: Hammurabi – King who built the city of Babylon: Created a law code containing 282 laws Created a law code containing 282 laws Code was based on retribution, not justice Code was based on retribution, not justice Code was based on wealth and the law was not consistent across social classes Code was based on wealth and the law was not consistent across social classes The largest number of codes was dedicated to marriage and family relationships The largest number of codes was dedicated to marriage and family relationships Based on the idea “an eye for an eye” Based on the idea “an eye for an eye”