1. Chapter 3 Section 2: Later Mesopotamian Empires Pages: 61-63

2. About 2400 BC, Sumer started to lose power. New civilizations began to develop

3. Sargon I Ruled northern Mesopotamia land called Akkad Created the world’s first empire by uniting city states His empire included all of Mesopotamia. Akkadian became the language, but Sumerian gods were worshipped.

4. Sargon I ruled his empire for more than 50 years. When Sargon died, the empire collapsed.

5. Sargon

6. Hammurabi of Babylon Around 1800 BC, the Amorities took control of Mesopotamia. They built the city of Babylon, and their king Hammurabi became ruler of a great empire. Hammurabi was a great conqueror and he improved: irrigation, religion, and taxes.

7. Hammurabi set up a government housing program and established a code of laws.

8. Hamurabi’s Empire

9. Hammurabi’s Code Covered every aspect of life Innocent until proven guilty Fines or death…no prison Upper class punished more severely than lower class Judges were appointed to hear cases.

10. Code of Hammurabi

11. Trade Babylon became an important trade center. They traded their surplus (extra) products. People paid gold and silver for Babylonian goods.

12. End of Babylon Hammurabi ruled for 40 years. His reign, or period of power, is known as the golden age of Babylon. After his death, the empire declined and it was divided into smaller city states.