1. Mesopotamia “Land Between Two Rivers”
Civilizations around the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers

2. Geography Tigris and Euphrates Rivers = fertile soil and trade
Fertile soil = farming/agriculture
Tigris and Euphrates flood – spreads nutrients from river bed
Flooding was unpredictable – could wipe out crops
Outside River Valleys, Mesopotamia is hot and dry

3. Government/Leaders
Each Sumerian city & surrounding land became a “city-state.”
Geography made CS isolated.
Each CS had its own govt. – not part of a bigger country.
CS went to war w/each other.
Eventually ruled by king

4. Religion Polytheistic= many gods
Each god thought to have power over a natural force or human activity.
Built grand temple called a ziggurat for chief god
Only priests/priestesses could go to top of ziggurat
Priests/priestesses controlled land and some even ruled

5. Life in Sumer Only men are educated Women had rights – own businesses
Small mud-brick houses
Most people farmed
Some were artisans – skilled workers (pottery, cloth, etc.)
Merchants traded wheat, barley, timber
3 social classes
Upper: priests, kings, govt. officials
Middle: Artisans, merchants, farmers
Lower: Slaves

6. Language Writing – helps keep records, pass on ideas
Cuneiform: sharp reeds used to cut marks into clay tablets.
Boys from wealthy families learned to write.
Boys could become scribes: record keepers
Oldest known epic (story) Epic of Gilgamesh
Gilgamesh does great deeds – immortality only for gods

7. Education/Technology
Irrigation system Wagon wheel Plow Sailboat Geometry # system based on 60 (60 min. hour, 360 degree circle) 12-month calendar based on moon cycles Recorded positions of stars/planets

10. Akkadians & Babylonians
Sargon, king of Akkadians (N. Meso)
Sargon conquered all of Meso. – world’s 1st empire
New group conquers Akkadians – builds city of Babylon
Hammurabi creates Babyolonian Empire
Hammurabi best known for 282 laws “Hammurabi’s Code.”
Code covered all areas of life (crime, farming, business, marriage).

12. Assyrians 1000 yrs. after Hammurabi
Army 1st to use iron weapons (heated and cooled rapidly for strength
Foot soldiers armed with spears & daggers or bows and arrows
Also chariots & horsemen
Fierce warriors
Cruel rulers
Organized empire into provinces (political districts)
Each province had a governor
Built roads

13. Chaldeans Captured Assyrian capital – Ninevah
Descendants of Babylonians
Rebuilt Babylon into wealthiest city on world
King Nebuchadnezzar built the “Hanging Gardens”
Large trees, flowering vines, plants, irrigated from river
Could be seen from any point in Bablyon
Babylon became major trade center b/n Persian Gulf and Mediterranean
Caravans or traveling merchants passed through selling goods
Astronomers studied and mapped stars

14. Babylon & Hanging Gardens