1. SARGON I The World’s First Emperor
Sargon I of Akkad (a region in the north of Sumeria) grew too big for his britches, and began conquering many of the other city-states.

2. GREED!!! The growth of civilization’s main ingredient: greed.
After conquering one city, Sargon I wants another one, and then another one, and another…

3. Sargon creates the 1st Empire
An EMPIRE is a group of states under one ruler.
Sargon’s empire included all of Mesopotamia.
After he died, the separate city-states came back to power. There was no new leader.

4. King Hammurabi of Babylon
Hammurabi created the next empire. He conquered Akkad & Sumer.
He made Babylon’s
gods everyone’s gods.
This united all the
people in his
empire.

5. Hammurabi (continued)
He continued to develop irrigation & canals.
He also started official taxes on products (ugh!)

6. Hammurabi’s biggest achievement:
HAMMURABI’S CODE!
He took the best and fairest laws from every city-state, and wrote a set of rules for everyone in the empire to follow.
The most important laws had to do with people being innocent until proven guilty.
It said there should not be any prison sentences- only fines, or…death.
Members of the upper classes were punished more severely than poorer people- why?

7. THE RISE & FALL OF BABYLON
Babylon became a trade center: traders brought silver and gold from India & China to be traded for Babylonian goods.
Hammurabi rules for 40 years. When he dies, everything breaks up again into city-states.

8. Why study Sumeria? Well, they invented writing.
They invented the wheel.
They invented the sailboat.
They invented the plow.
They invented the 12 month calendar.
They invented the 60 minute hour & the 60 second minute.
They invented the 360 degree circle.

9. Now, please turn to page 60 in your textbook.
We’re going to learn the difference between a fact and an opinion.

10. HOMEWORK artisans empire ziggurat priest-kings scribe reform
Imagine that you are a visitor to Mesopotamia. Use the following words in a letter home in which you describe what you have seen and experienced during your visit. ( words) B.C.
24 Hammurabi road
Lakash, Sumeria
3V4 M7Q
artisans empire ziggurat
priest-kings scribe reform
cuneiform city-state reign