1. After 5 minutes, you will “turn and talk” to discuss
Warm Up
You will have 5 minutes to answer the following questions. USE YOUR NOTES IF YOU MUST.
What was the most common role for women in Sumerian society?
Sumerians developed many inventions. Choose the invention that you think is the most significant and explain why you made this choice.
Why were scribes important to Sumerian society?
After 5 minutes, you will “turn and talk” to discuss

2. Objective- Students will be able to identify the first Mesopotamian Empires.

3. By 2400 B. C. , Sumer’s city states were weakened by conflict
By 2400 B.C., Sumer’s city states were weakened by conflict. As the strength of Sumer faded, powerful kingdoms arose in Northern Mesopotamia. Seeking new lands, rulers of these kingdoms build empires. Can anyone infer what an empire is?

4. An empire is a group of many different lands under one ruler
An empire is a group of many different lands under one ruler. Through conquest and trade, these empires spread their cultures over a wide region.

5. A man by the name of Sargon moved his armies South to conquer the last of the Sumerian-City States and created the world’s first empire in BC.

6. Guided Practice
As a class, we will popcorn read two passages. “Who was Sargon” and “Who Was Hammurabi” and answer the following comprehension questions:
How did Sargon create the first empire?
How far did Sargon’s empire expand?
How long did Sargon’s empire last?
Where did the Babylonian Empire expand?

7. Independent Practice
Independently read a passage titled “Hammurabi’s Code” and answer the following comprehension questions:
How did the code make clear what actions were crimes?
What was the guiding principle for the laws in Hammurabi’s code?
How do you think Hammurabi’s code helped the development of the Babylonian Empire?

8. Group Work
In groups, you will be asked to have a discussion and either agree or disagree with Hammurabi’s idea of “An eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth.” You will need to record which side your group took, and at least 3 examples as to why you took that standpoint.
Each group will have a –
Scribe (Writes everything down)
Time keeper (Keeps track of time)
Monitor (Makes sure everyone is on task)

9. Closure
Respond to the following on a post it note on your way out of class:
How were Empires similar or different to the governing systems we have today

10. Homework 1. What is an Empire?
2. Name the first two Empires developed in Mesopotamia?
3. Who was Sargon?
4. What was the foundation of Hammurabi’s Code?