1. Chapter 2
The Fertile Crescent

2. Land Between Two Rivers
I. Fertile Crescent
A. Shaped like a crescent moon
B. One end at Mediterranean Sea

3. Land Between Two Rivers
C. One end at Persian Gulf
D. Presence of rivers make location good for crops

4. Land Between Two Rivers
II. Mesopotamia
A. Part of Fertile Crescent
B. Name from Greek – “between the rivers”

5. Land Between Two Rivers
C. Between Tigris and Euphrates Rivers
D. Life and death from rivers

6. Land Between Two Rivers
1. Life – rich soil, fish, clay, reeds
2. Death – floods and destruction

7. Land Between Two Rivers
III. Sumer
A. First cities developed in area of Sumer
1. Cities separated by long distances

8. Land Between Two Rivers
2. Did not unite under one ruler
3. City-states – a city with its own traditions and its own government and laws

9. Land Between Two Rivers
B. Religion
1. Polytheism – belief in many gods
2. ziggurats – main temple to gods of city

10. Land Between Two Rivers
a. very high
b. Gods used them to travel to Earth

11. Land Between Two Rivers
3. myths – stories about gods that explain people’s beliefs
4. scribes – professional writers

12. Land Between Two Rivers
C. Fall of Sumerian city – states
1. Due to wealth
2. Fought over land
3. Fought over use of river water

13. I. Important themes in history of Mesopotamia
Babylonia and Assyria
I. Important themes in history of Mesopotamia
A. Powerful warriors conquering rich land

14. Babylonia and Assyria
B. Two important empires – area of many territories and people controlled by one government
1. Babylonia
2. Assyria

15. Babylonian and Assyria
II. Babylonian Empire
A. Hammurabi united the cities of Sumer

16. B. City of Babylon – center of empire
Babylonia and Assyria
B. City of Babylon – center of empire
1. Location made it center of trade – cities to north and south

17. Babylonia and Assyria
2. Empire – area of many territories and people that are controlled by the government

18. 3. Caravans – groups of traders – stopped there
Babylonia and Assyria
3. Caravans – groups of traders – stopped there
4. Bazaars – a market selling different kinds of goods

19. 5. 1760 B.C. Hammurabi conquered Mari.
Babylonia and Assyria
B.C. Hammurabi conquered Mari.
B.C. Babylonian empire shrunk and was destroyed

20. B. Located in open spaces
Babylonia and Assyria
III. Assyrian Empire
A. North of Babylon
B. Located in open spaces

21. 1. Always defending themselves
Babylonia and Assyria
1. Always defending themselves
2. Became great warriors

22. C. Achievements in warfare 1. Invented battering ram 2. Expert archers
Babylonia and Assyria
C. Achievements in warfare
1. Invented battering ram
2. Expert archers
3. Armed charioteers

23. D. Nineveh – great library and city of learning
Babylonia and Assyria
D. Nineveh – great library and city of learning
E. Defeated by Medes and Chaldeans

24. IV. New Babylonian Empire A. Grew under Chaldeans
Babylonia and Assyria
IV. New Babylonian Empire
A. Grew under Chaldeans

25. B. Greatest King – Nebuchadnezzar Rebuilt city of Babylon
Babylonia and Assyria
B. Greatest King – Nebuchadnezzar
Rebuilt city of Babylon
Great palace and gardens

26. C. Center of science and learning 1. Studied stars
Babylonia and Assyria
C. Center of science and learning
1. Studied stars
2. Measured length of a year

27. D. Chaldeans open to attacks by neighbors
Babylonia and Assyria
D. Chaldeans open to attacks by neighbors
B.C. New Babylonian empire fell
A. City of Babylon spared

28. The Legacy of Mesopotamia
A. Development of written code of laws – Hammurabi’s Code
B. Development of a system of math

29. The Legacy of Mesopotamia
1. Solve everyday problems
2. Measure geometric shapes

30. The Legacy of Mesopotamia
C. Development of writing
1. Developed in Mesopotamia – 3500 B.C.
2. Necessary to keep records

31. The Legacy of Mesopotamia
3. Scribes important in society
4. Used clay from Tigris and Euphrates

32. The Legacy of Mesopotamia
5. Clay shaped into tablets
6. Shape and size of tablet depend upon its use

33. The Legacy of Mesopotamia
7. Cuneiform – a form of writing that uses groups of wedges and lines

34. Mediterranean Civilizations
I. Phoenicia
A. Located on Mediterranean Sea

35. Mediterranean Civilizations
B. Rich resources
1. Snails produce purple dye
2. Cedar trees

36. Mediterranean Civilizations
C. First trading empire and great sea power

37. Mediterranean Civilizations
D. Phoenician alphabet
1. Needed to simplify writing

38. Mediterranean Civilizations
2. Developed alphabet – a set of symbols that represent sounds of the language

39. Mediterranean Civilizations
3. Basis of our alphabet
4. More people could learn to read and write