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Ancient Mesopotamia

Ancient Mesopotamia. Geography. Land Between 2 Rivers. Tigris and Euphrates rivers are in SW Asia= Middle East S tart in mts. of Turkey SE through Iraq to Persian Gulf Region is called Mesopotamia, “land between the rivers” P rovided water and a way to travel. Fertile Soil.

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Ancient Mesopotamia

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  1. Ancient Mesopotamia Geography

  2. Land Between 2 Rivers • Tigris and Euphrates rivers are in SW Asia= Middle East • Start in mts. of Turkey • SE through Iraq to Persian Gulf • Region is called Mesopotamia, “land between the rivers” • Provided water and a way to travel

  3. Fertile Soil • Rain and melting snow swelled rivers • Overflowing onto floodplain • Depositing fine soil= land fertile • Good for crops

  4. Climate • Semi Arid climate—hot summers, less than 10” of annual rainfall • Crops grew b/c of fertile soil= rivers • Farming villages in S Mesopotamia by 4000 B.C.

  5. Floods and Droughts • Annual floods= unpredictable • Sometime between April and June • Didn’t know when to plant or how big flood would be • Droughts= lowered river levels • Hard to water crops; ppl starved if crops failed

  6. Irrigation • 6000 B.C., irrigation canals carried water from rivers to fields • Built dams to block floodwaters

  7. Finding Resources • Mud Houses and Walls • Lacked building materials • Few natural barriers= easy to invade • Other ppl often stole from or conquered Mesopotamians • Built mud walls for protection

  8. Finding Resources • Traded their surplus grain for stone, wood, metal • Digging canals, building walls, trading were done continuously • Leaders organized groups for work

  9. Quick Review • What made Mesopotamia a good region for farming? • How did Mesopotamians water their crops during droughts? • Why was trade important in Mesopotamia?

  10. Activity: Map of Mesopotamia • Use the labeled map to label the blank map • Label: continents, mts, rivers, seas, city-states, etc… • Color in oceans and land and shade in the region of Mesopotamia

  11. Ancient Mesopotamia The First Civilization

  12. Culture Grows More Complex • Rise of agriculture= villages • Villages= city-states • Society and culture grew more complex= Civilization • 3000 B.C., 1st began in Sumer • S Mesopotamia

  13. Traits of Civilization • Advanced Cities • Store surplus, trade, many jobs, large temples • Specialized Workers—jobs requiring special skills • Improve quality of work • Ppl must cooperate and organize their society • Priests

  14. Traits of Civilizations • Complex Institutions—religion, gov’t, schools, armies • Purpose= help society • Record Keeping—societies must keep records • World’s first system of writing= Cuneiform

  15. Traits of Civilizations • Advanced Technology • Canals • New tools= bronze • Mixture of copper and tin

  16. Sumerian City States • Cities= centers of society, country= ppl lived • Cities ruled surrounding lands/villages • City-state—self-ruled community • Sumer=12 city-states

  17. Sumerian City States • Slow-growing Sumerian cities had narrow, winding streets • Gates let ppl in and out

  18. Sumerian City States • Most important building= temple • Ziggurats • Ziggurat was center of city life • Controlled stored surplus • Priests ended up controlling= Theocracy

  19. Social Classes • Unequal= define who has power • King/priests were at top • Upper class included landowners, gov’t officials, merchants • Most were the in-between class= farmers, artisans • Slaves made up lowest class

  20. Sumerian Religion • Polytheism—belief in many gods • Created and ruled world • Each city-state worshiped own god • 1000s of lesser gods • Looked and acted like ppl

  21. Sumerian Religion • Protected against flood, drought, invasion • Priests= please gods to protect cities • Ppl accepted priest as cities leaders

  22. Sumerian Religion • Gods= landowners who created humans to work for them • Ppl prayed, made offerings, participated in rituals • Believed souls of dead—gloomy underworld • Hard life made them expect an unhappy afterlife

  23. New Leaders • City-states were attacked • Ppl asked powerful men for protection= Kings • Ran city-states full-time • 2375 B.C., Ruled by a single king= Monarchy • Priests still tried to please gods

  24. Quick Review • Why was Sumer a good example of civilization? • What was life like in Sumerian cities? • How did kings take over as rulers of Sumer?

  25. Activity: Create Your Civilization • Groups of 4, Write up your own civilization • Required • Location: Where? Size? Geographic features? Climate? • Population • Development of liberties: freedoms of speech, press, religion, voting rights, etc • Development of government to: monarchy, oligarchy, theocracy, republic, etc • Religion: monotheistic or polytheistic, give details • Tools • Social roles and jobs • Bonus • Write a myth from your civilization • Develop the alphabet or other writing system of your civilization

  26. Activity: Create Your Civilization • Create a visual displaying characteristics of your civilization on poster board • Each requirement= 5 points • Bonus= 5 extra points • ORGANIZATION MATTERS • DEATAILS MATTER Names Date Assignment: Create Your Civ. Pittlandiya Location: Present day Southwestern Pennsylvania, Valley of the Penguin Mountains to the Steeler Gulf, covers an area the size of Rhode Island, etc.. Population: 4,500

  27. Ancient Mesopotamia Empires

  28. Building the First Empires • Sumerian city-state kings fought from 3000 to 2000 B.C. • Sargon of Akkad created the world’s 1st empire • N & S Mesopotamia around 2350 B.C. • empire—many different peoples, lands controlled by one ruler

  29. Building the First Empires • Sargonʼs empire= AkkadianEmpire • Fertile Crescent • Conquests spread Akkadian ideas, culture, writing system

  30. Building the First Empires • Empires encourage trade and may bring peace to their ppls • ppl of diff. cultures share ideas, technology, customs

  31. Babylonian Empire • AkkadianEmpire lasted 200 yrs • 2000 B.C., Amorites invaded Sumer • Babylon= capital

  32. Babylonian Empire • Trade was critical • Natural resources= scarce • Agricultural goods=surplus • Trading system developed= manufactured goods and raw materials • Vital to the economy and the culture

  33. Quick Review • Who created the world’s first empire? What was it called? • What do empires contribute to society? • Why was trade so important in the Babylonian Empire?

  34. Activity • Use the resource map to answer the following • Which materials had to be imported in sea-worthy boats? • Which materials could be imported using riverboats? • Which materials had to be brought overland? • Which materials came from the greatest distances? • Which materials would be relatively easy to transport? Relatively difficult?

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