1. Chapter 1 Section 2
Mesopotamia

2. Where was the first civilization?
The first civilization formed in between two rivers in modern day Iraq: the Tigris River and the Euphrates River

3. The River Valley
Mesopotamia = “The land between two rivers” (in Greek)
Mesopotamia was the area, known for 3 civilizations:
Sumer
Babylon
Assyria

4. Sumer

5. The Rise of Sumer Why do you think Sumer could grow so large?
Farming provided food for a large number of people
People no longer had to worry so much about hunting and finding food. With that out of the way, what could they focus on now?
Writing!!!
Math
Technology
Army

6. Sumerian City-States
Sumer was made up of many city-states (basically, little cities)
City-states would trade with each other
City-states would fight each other

7. Gods and rulers
For the first time ever, Sumerians believed in many gods
They would build ziggurats to please the gods
(at the top was a special place of worship for priests)

8. What was life like in sumer?
Most people farmed
Others were artisans
Skilled workers who made stuff (clothes, pottery)
There were 3 social classes:
Upper class: Kings, priests, government
Middle class: Artisans, farmers, merchants
Lower class: enslaved people who worked on farms or in temples

9. HINT! Hint! Test question alert!!!
What was Sumer’s greatest accomplishment?
WRITING!!!
Their writing was called cuneiform

10. The fall of sumer Sumer didn’t fall in a day
Over time, the Akkadians from northern Mesopotamia attacked and weakened Sumer
The king of Akkadia was Sargon
Sargon set up the world’s first
Empire. What is an empire?
A group of many different lands
under one ruler.

11. Babylon
18oos B.C. a new group of people became powerful in Mesopotamia
Became a center of trade
The king of Babylon,
Hammurabi, began
conquering cities.
Babylon (city) became the Babylonian Empire

12. HAMMURABI
Hammurabi is best known for his law code (collection of laws)
His code covered crimes, marriage, farming, family, etc. SO LET’S READ ABOUT IT