1. Day 8: Mesopotamia, Fertile Crescent
Unit 2
Day 8: Mesopotamia, Fertile Crescent

2. River Civilizations Map
Identify the following ‘first civilizations’ on your map
Mesopotamia
Egypt
India
China
Which is the oldest civilization?
Why did these civs develop in these specific areas?
When did these civilizations begin? (years)

3. Geography Fertile Crescent
Region of land in S/W Asia, curves between Mediterranean Sea and Persian Gulf
Fertile, rich soil found between Tigris and Euphrates
“Mesopotamia” mean ‘between the rivers’ in Greek
5500 BC, people were farming in area
Grew wheat, barley
Region received little rain, and faced floods when it did
Methods to control water: irrigation

4. Sumer Large cities around 3000 BC Structures made of mud bricks
Center of city = pyramid temple called a ziggurat
Over time, each city controlled surrounding land
Called a city-state (political unit)
Each formed own gov’t and fought over land/water
Religion/Government
Polytheism (worship many gods)
Each city-state protected by a god
War chiefs ruled as kings
Kings formed dynasties

6. Sumerian Culture Writing Cuneiform Epic of Gilgamesh Math/Science
Math system based on # 60 (this is where our hr comes from)
Geometry used for building/irrigation systems—sewers!
Invented wheel (pottery/vehicles), plow, and used bronze, had medical knowledge (surgery!)
Trade
Did not have trees, metal, so they traded for them
Social structure: hierarchy
Men in politics, women at home mostly

7. Empires in Mesopotamia
Sargon I (from Akkad), 2330 BC
1st ruler to create permanent army
Conquered Sumer and northern Mesopotamia, adopt culture
Empire lasted 140 years, helped spread Sumerian culture
Babylonian Empire (1792 BC)
King Hammurabi—battles, schools, trade, culture
Hammurabi’s Code—1st codified laws (written down)

9. More Mesopotamian Empires
Hittite (Nomadic warriors, 1595 BC)
Sacked Babylon, after Hammurabi’s death
Used cuneiform and law code
First people in region to master ironworking
Strong force until 1200 BC
Assyrians (900 BC)
Empire included Meso, Asia Minor, and Egypt
Powerful military
Chariots, cavalry, iron weapons, siege warfare, battering rams
Roads connected empire
Library in Nineveh (over 200,000 cuneiform tablets)

11. More Meso Empires Chaldeans (612 BC)
New Babylon Empire, led by Nebuchadnezzar II
Fought Jews, Egyptians, captured Jerusalem
Hanging Gardens
Calendar based on phases of moon
Defeated by Persians in 539 BC
Phoenicians (strongest at 800 BC)
Small empire, wealthy trading society
Farming difficult, resources limited
Became expert sailors, colonies along trade routes
Alphabet, more flexible than cuneiform (22 letters, consonants)

12. Phoenician Alphabet

14. Crash Course: Mesopotamia