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Western Asia and Egypt

Western Asia and Egypt. Civilization Begins in Mesopotamia Chapter 2 Section 1. Geography and Religion. The Fertile Crescent – Mesopotamia Valley between the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers Had little rain but the land was rich because of flooding Sumerians

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Western Asia and Egypt

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  1. Western Asia and Egypt Civilization Begins in Mesopotamia Chapter 2 Section 1

  2. Geography and Religion • The Fertile Crescent – Mesopotamia • Valley between the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers • Had little rain but the land was rich because of flooding • Sumerians • Creators of the first Mesopotamian civilization

  3. Geography and Religion • The Growth of Religion • Polytheistic • Humans were supposed to obey and serve the gods • Humans were inferior to the gods

  4. City States of Ancient Mesopotamia • Sumerian Cities • Surrounded by walls • Buildings were constructed by sun dried bricks • Invented the arch and the dome • Religion and Rulers • The most prominent building was the Ziggurat • Theocracy • Kings held great power • Led armies, supervised buildings

  5. Economy and Society • Bronze • When tin is added to copper it makes bronze • Lower melting point and a harder metal that corrodes less

  6. The Creativity of the Sumerians • Writing and Literature • Cuneiform was copied down on clay tablets and then dried in the sun • Scribes • Becoming a scribe was essential in having a successful career • Attended school to become a scribe • Went from sun up to sun down • Copied and recopied standard works on clay tables and recited from them

  7. The Creativity of the Sumerians • Writing and Literature • The Epic of Gilgamesh • Records the life of Gilgamesh who is part man and part god • Befriends a man named Enkidu who dies later and Gilgamesh begins looking for everlasting life • “Everlasting life” is only for the gods

  8. Empires in Ancient Mesopotamia • The Code of Hammurabi • Based on a system of strict justice • Crime against nobles by a commoner were punished more severely • If a house collapsed then the builder was put to death • Patriarchal Rule was prominent in Ancient Mesopotamia • If a son hit his father he could cut off his hand

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