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Mesopotamia: The Fertile Crescent

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1 Mesopotamia: The Fertile Crescent
Chapter 3 Notes

2 Fertile Crescent Fertile Crescent = moon-shaped strip of land from the Mediterranean Sea to the Persian Gulf that is excellent farm land Located in modern-day Middle East

3 Mesopotamia Mesopotamia = located within the Fertile Crescent, between the Tigris & Euphrates Rivers Rivers were NOT a reliable source of water (unlike the Nile) Ran dry in summer; flooded in spring Villages joined together to build dams, canals, and ditches

4 The Sumerian Civilization
People from Asia arrived in Mesopotamia Formed 12 city-states = the city and the land surrounding it Considered the world’s 1st cities Created ziggurats = stepped pyramids with a temple at the top

5 The Sumerian Civilization
Sumerians shared common culture, language, and religion City-states governed themselves Were theocracies = kings served as both government leaders AND high priests Laws regulated the roles of women & men  men had far more rights

6 The Sumerian Civilization
Cuneiform = Sumerian system of writing The symbols represented complex ideas

7 The Sumerian Civilization
Scribes were trained to read & write documents and stories Epic of Gilgamesh = oldest story in the world

8 The Sumerian Civilization
Practiced polytheism = belief in more than one god Each city-state had its own god Negative outlook on life and the afterlife Believed gods were selfish and had no regard for humans

9 Sumerian Inventions Wagon Wheel Arch Potter’s Wheel Sundial
12-month Calendar Metal Plow

10 First Mesopotamian Empires The Akkadians
Empire under Sargon I Kingdom was called Akkad Conquered & united all of the Sumerian city-states Empire fell apart after his & his grandson’s death

11 First Mesopotamian Empires Babylon
Ruled by Hammurabi Strict Code of Laws = Hammurabi’s greatest achievement Rules and consequences that addressed daily life Law code covered entire region of Mesopotamia “Eye for an eye, tooth for a tooth” type of laws Government assumed the responsibility of protecting its citizens People now had laws to protect their rights & didn’t need to resort to violence

12 First Mesopotamian Empires Babylon
Social classes were similar to the Egyptians, but they had far more slaves Hammurabi’s empire fell apart after his death


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