1. MESOPOTAMIA

3. Also known as: THE FERTILE CRESCENT Meaning: “Land Between Two Rivers”
MESOPOTAMIA 3500 BC – 1750 BC
Also known as: THE FERTILE CRESCENT Meaning: “Land Between Two Rivers”
Rivers: TIGRIS and EUPHRATES

4. EARLY SETTLERS 3300 B.C. Sumerians
1.Dug irrigation ditches – lack of water (Unpredictable flooding combined with periods of little or no rain)
2. Built City Walls – lack of natural barriers
3. Traded – lack of natural resources, especially building materials

6. ZIGGURAT Pyramid shaped monument “mountain of god”
Conducted rituals, sacrifices offerings to gods

7. RELIGION POLYTHEISTIC Over 3000 Gods example: ENLIL god of storms/air
Wanted Gods protection in life

8. EPICS ex: EPIC OF GILGAMESH
Ex.) The Epic of Gilgamesh
Long narrative poem celebrating deeds of heroes

9. Social Classes: (from highest to lowest)
Kings/Priests
Wealthy Merchants
Workers (majority)
Slaves

10. SOCIAL CLASSES 1. Priests/Kings 2. Wealthy Merchants
3. Workers Slaves
Women- more rights than later civilizations – hold property, pursue work, join priesthood, not allowed to attend schools – upper class could read & write

11. INVENTIONS
WHEEL,SAIL,PLOW WRITING, BRONZE WORKS,NUMBER SYSTEM (60)

12. Sumerians & arithmetic
Sumerians used arithmetic to:
Erect city walls & buildings
Plan irrigation systems
Survey flooded fields

13. ARCHITECTURE
ARCHES
COLUMNS
RAMPS
ZIGGURAT

14. Writing: Cuneiform Sumerian writing that consisted of pictographs
Developed a number system based on 60
Ex.) 60 seconds = 1 minute

15. Cuneiform

16. Babylonian leader who led area to height of power
Hammurabi: (1792 BC-1750 BC)
Babylonian leader who led area to height of power

17. Hammurabi: (1792 BC-1750 BC) Created the Code of Hammurabi
First major written law code established
282 specific laws dealing with everything that effected the community

18. Hammurabi continued… Different punishments for rich and poor
Punishments often applied the principle of retaliation
Ex.) eye for an eye
codes were engraved on stone pillars and place throughout the empire

19. http://www. missedinhistory