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Mesopotamia. The name Mesopotamia means ____________________________________. Mesopotamia lies within the _________________________________ – an area of rich, fertile farmland in Southwest Asia where the first civilizations began .
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Mesopotamia • The name Mesopotamia means ____________________________________ • Mesopotamia lies within the _________________________________ – an area of rich, fertile farmland in Southwest Asia where the first civilizations began • It is bordered to the north by the ___________River, and to the South by the ____________________River. • These were the rivers of ________ and _________ • Flood waters brought beneficial ___________________ from the mountains in spring • The same floods were unpredictable and swept away people and animals • Floods on these rivers left behind Silt: ________________________________________________________________ • This ________ made the land of Mesopotamia extremely _________________ for growing crops • When you have excellent conditions for growing crops (warm climate, good soil, access to plenty of water) what is possible.....? • _______________________________
Mesopotamia – The Sumerians • Surplus made it possible for the growth of _____________ • The ________________ established the world’s first permanent _____________________________ right here in Mesopotamia • Their first cities had about 10,000 people but as time passed some grew as large as _________ • These____________________ acted as individual countries even though they were cities • What kept city-states from uniting under one government or ruler? __________________ • Unfortunately, not all of the Sumerian city-states were BFFs • City-states would continually fight over who had controlled the ___________________ and the rights to ___________ on the river • By 3500 BC, __________ was the most powerful of the city-states • Uruk and Ur fought for dominance as well • Uruk’s king ___________________________ became a legendary figure in Sumerian Literature
Mesopotamia – The Sumerians • In Sumer_____________________ was a central part of life in the city-states. • Sumerians practiced Polytheism: ________________________________________________________________ • Ziggurats: ___________________________________________________________________________________________________ • The Ziggurats were terraced with __________ that lead to the top where a ___________was located. SUMERIAN ACHIEVEMENTS • Writing – Evolved from a series of pictures/symbols called ________________, • to Cuneiform: ___________________________________________ • Math – Developed a system that used _____ as a base. • This led to the understanding of 12 ____________ in a year; 60 _______________in a minute; and 60 ___________in an hour.
Mesopotamia – The Sumerians • Technology • Wheel: ______________________________________________________ • Plow: _______________________________________________________ • Sewers • Bronze for tools • Makeup and jewelry Mesopotamia – The Babylonians • Constant ______________ between City-States in Sumeria weakened them • They manly fought over the rights to ___________, _________, and money • Because they were weak, the _______________________ were able to conquer them by the year 1759 BC. • Empire: __________________________________________________________________ • The center of the Babylonian empire was the beautiful city of ____________ • Its central location made it a center for trade for: • Caravans: _______________________________________________________ • Bazaars: ________________________________________________________
Mesopotamia – The Babylonians • ____________________became King and created the Babylonian Empire by uniting the cities of ______________ and conquering parts of ________________________ • As one of the most influential leaders in Mesopotamia he conquered territory and developed a set of laws to govern it = _____________________________________ • There were _______ laws; its creation allowed ______, __________, _________, and all others to read and understand the laws that governed their lives in Babylon • Examples: • Code 21: If a man has broken into a house he shall be killed before the breach and buried there • Code 196: If a man has knocked out the eye of a patrician, his eye shall be knocked out. • The Babylonian Empire was eventually conquered by the Persians, paving the way for the rise of.... _________________
Mesopotamia – The Assyrians ADVANCES DOWNFALL • Very______________________, so had few ________ • The ________________________ _____, ____________, slingers, _____________, and ____________ • Many small _________________ from within weakened them • _____________ ___________ were their major advantage over foes • Ultimately conquered by the ____________________ by 612 BC • The city of ______________ became a city of great learning and housed tablets from _____________ and _________________ Mesopotamia – The Chaldeans (Babylon Rises Again!) • Chaldeans reestablished _____________________ (New Babylonian Empire) • _______________________________________ rebuilt Babylon into a beautiful city and built the Hanging Gardens for his wife ADVANCES DOWNFALL • Poor _____________________ weakened them, and they eventually fell to Persia • Accurate __________ calendars • Raised ________ for honey • Sundials
Mesopotamia – The Phoenicians • The land on the western fringe of the Fertile Crescent was home to wealthy ______________ society known as the ______________________ • Phoenicia had few _________________, but it did have ______________. Cedar trees were prized for their _______________, a valuable trade item • Phoenicia’s overland trade routes were blocked by __________________and ___________________________ so they had to look to the _________ for a way to trade • Motivated by a desire for trade, the people of Phoenicia became expert ___________________________ - They built one of the world’s finest ________________ at the city of _________ • Fleets of fast Phoenician trading ships sailed to ports all around the __________________________________ • The Phoenicians founded several new colonies- ____________________ was the most famous of these, and later became one of the most _________________ cities on the Mediterranean • Phoenicia grew wealthy from trading: ___________, silverwork, ______________________, glass items, _____________, and items dyed purple
Mesopotamia – The Phoenicians • To record their activities, Phoenician traders developed one of the world’s first Alphabet : • ________________________________________________________________________________________________ • This development made ______________ much easier and had a major impact on the ______________ and ______________ world • Our alphabet is based on the Phoenicians! ADVANCES DOWNFALL • Created valuable good from glass, iron, and cedar • Attacks by King _______________ weakened the Phoenicians • World’s finest ______ builders • Eventually conquered when ___________ the _______ swept through the Fertile Crescent in 332 BC • Founded the city of ______________ • The ______________