1. Contributions of Mesopotamian cultures

2. Sumerians arch, wheel, plow, & sail ziggurat and cuneiform
governed by large land owners
astronomy & fortune telling
number system - 6’s & 12’s
concept of city-state

3. Babylonians Hammurabi’s Law Code imperial government
first to build Babylon

4. Hittites
iron

5. Phoenicians alphabet & writing with phonetic symbols
commerce & shipbuilding
dyes and other products
murex

6. Hebrews (Israelites, Jews)
monotheism
Old Testament
concept of human dignity
Judaism

7. Assyrians
warfare: weapons, armor, cavalry, tactics, catapult and other siege tools
postal service
some roads
built city of Ninevah
improved writing

8. Assyrian Treasures

9. Chaldeans astrology rebuilt city of Babylon Hanging Gardens of Babylon
captivity of the Jews
planned cities

10. HANGING GARDENS

11. Lydians
coins

12. Persians Zoroasterianism separated civilians & military
national highways
more just government
spread of coins
first federal government