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Origins of Civilization: Begins in Mesopotamia

Origins of Civilization: Begins in Mesopotamia. Unit 2. TAKS Objectives: As students, you will…. Objective 2 Demonstrate an understanding of geographic influences on historical issues and events Objective 3

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Origins of Civilization: Begins in Mesopotamia

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  1. Origins of Civilization:Begins in Mesopotamia Unit 2

  2. TAKS Objectives: As students, you will… • Objective 2 • Demonstrate an understanding of geographic influences on historical issues and events • Objective 3 • Demonstrate an understanding of economic (relating to) and social influence on historical issues and events • Objective 5 • Use critical thinking skills to analyze social studies information

  3. Mesopotamia • Once located in present day Southern Iraq • Between the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers • Also known as the land “Between the Rivers” • Little rain in the region but its soil is enriched by silt (material deposited by the two rivers when overflowed, ex: mud, clay, or small rocks) • Covers 3 areas: Assyria, Akkad, & Sumer

  4. Fertile Crescent Located from the Mediterranean Sea to Persian Gulf Rich soil and abundant crops

  5. People in Mesopotamia Developed a system of drainage ditches & irrigation What do you think happen due to this system? Answer: large food supply provided significant population growth and the Emergence of a Civilization Sumerians developed the first Mesopotamian Civilization

  6. Sumerians • By 3,000 B.C., a number of city-states established around Ur & Uruk • A city with political & economic control over surrounding countryside's. • Sumerian buildings were built from mud bricks • Sumerian’s invented the arch, dome, and large brick buildings in the world

  7. Sumerians continued • Each city had it’s own temple • Often built on top of a huge stepped tower called a ziggurat • Believed in gods and goddesses who owned & ruled cities • Government based on theocracy • A government ruled by divine authority (being or having the nature of god, the bible) • Eventually, ruling power was passed on to kings

  8. Sumerian Economy & Society • Economy mostly based on agriculture but also industry and trade • Society had 3 classes: • 1) Noble= royal family, officials, priests • 2) Commoners= (90% of society), worked for large estate farmers, merchants, fishers, and craftsmen • 3) Slaves= built buildings, wove cloth & worked on farms

  9. Empires in Mesopotamia • Akkadians lived north of Sumerian city-states • Also called Semitic people because they spoke a Semitic language • Around 2,340 B.C., Sargon, leader of Akkadians, conquered the Sumerian city-states & established the world’s first empire • A large political unit that controls many peoples and territories

  10. Hammurabi • In 1792 B.C., Hammurabi of Babylon, a city-state south of Akkad, created a new empire over much of Akkad and Sumer • Hammurabi was known for his law code called “Code of Hammurabi” • Harsh punishments against different social classes • Code demanded punishment fit for the crime • Code of Hammurabi expressed patriarchal (society dominated by men) nature of Mesopotamian society

  11. Mesopotamian Religion • Believed world was controlled by destructive supernatural forces & gods • Were considered to be polytheistic, believing in gods & goddesses • Identified 3,000 of them • Human beings were to serve & obey the gods and goddesses

  12. System of Writing & Technologies Sumerians created a system of writing called cuneiform, “wedge shaped”, used to describe strokes of the stylus. Writing used for keeping records, teaching, and law New technologies were the invention of the wagon wheel, numbering system based on 60 and advances in applying geometry to engineering

  13. Most important piece of Mesopotamian literature (epic poem) Teaches that only the gods are immortal Gilgamesh was a king who was wise & strong, part human & part god His companion was a hairy beast named Enkidu When Enkidu dies, Gilgamesh feels his pain of death & searches for the secret of immortality His search fails & he returns to Uruk where he becomes a good king & ends his life happily Epic of Gilgamesh

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