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Published byErin Estella Hart Modified over 8 years ago
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Civilizations of Mesopotamia and the Fertile Crescent
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Fertile Crescent Region in the Middle East that has very rich soil “crossroad of early civilization” Mesopotamia – “between the rivers” – Tigris and Euphrates
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Civilizations - Sumer Flood Plain – Use of dikes and irrigation ditches – No timber or stone – uh oh!!!!!! The Epic of Gilgamesh
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Features Cities – Ur and Uruk Trade makes them rich Have good from India and Egypt May have invented the wheel
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Civilization 12+ city-states – Fight for land and water Warrior lead – Hereditary ruler
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Government Each city-state ruler was responsible for walls and irrigation Ruler enforced laws and hired scribes for taxes and records Ruler carried out religious ceremonies – Why?
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Social Structure Ruling Family Leading Officials High Priest Lesser Priests scribes merchants artisans (lived and worked in same area) peasant farmers (MAJORITY) Slaves – captured or sold themselves to pay debts
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Religious Practice Polytheistic Highest duty is to keep Gods and Goddesses happy Built ziggurat Holy days, ceremonies, processions Afterlife – After death, all people live in a grim underworld from which there is no release – Eat mud and live in dust and darkness
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Sumerian Cuneiform (3200 B.C.E.) Wedge-shaped marks and symbols Used to record everything eventually Scribe school – Very strict – Punished by CANING!!!!
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Sumerian Legacy Akkadians, Babylonians, and Assyrians used cuniform Developed astronomy, math, number system based on 6 Circle = 360 degrees Hour = 60 minutes Babylonians use Sumerian math to create Algebra, Geometry, and calendars
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