Rise of Sumer and Babylon: Cities, Writing, and Empires in Ancient Mesopotamia

1. Sumer and Babylon Practice and Project book: p 25 Anthology: p 22 and p 23

2. Sumer • Around__________. (around the time that _________ unified Egypt) about a dozen small cities dotted southern Mesopotamia • The region was known as _________

3. Sumer’s People • People of Sumer’s cities valued their _______________ highly • Fought against being ruled by other cities • Worked hard to ____________________to produce __________ • Worshiped similar _________ • Made some of the first wheeled vehicles and __________ • Explored new ideas in _______ and science

4. The invention of __________ helped to bring the ancient cities together • Laws, letters, records, stories, instructions, riddles, and proverbs could be all widely shared thanks to ___________ • Cuneiform was the _________________ invented in Sumer

5. A System of Writing • Some historians believe that cuneiform was first developed to record farm surpluses • Used ________________ to scratch the records into _________________ • The dried tablets became _____________ records

6. In _________ B.C. cuneiform symbols looked like the things they described • Over time they developed faster ways to write • Simplified their figures so they could be formed ______________

7. About _______ signs were regularly used! • Signs could also be combined to form more _____________ • Like hieroglyphs, cuneiform signs represented sounds and ideas as well as __________

8. School in Sumer • Like Egypt – few people could write • Even _______ usually could not • It was an _______ to go to school and learn to be a scribe • _______, rarely ________, spent years studying in local school

9. First, learned how to make __________ and reed “pens” • Next, students practiced over and over how to write the basic signs of cuneiform • Also had to study ________ so they could keep accurate records

10. Over the next thousand years, Sumerian life centered around the city-states of ____________ Mesopotamia • City-state: self-governing city that also governs surrounding _________

11. ____________ – Mythical Hero “The great Gilgamesh was one who knew everything. He had seen all there was to see and done all there was to do. He had built the walls of the city, Uruk. Look at its brickwork! Nobody could build a better wall. It was made of copper and burnt brick, and was wide enough to walk upon. Gilgamesh was part god and part (man), and as strong as an ox. He was the strongest in the land, and the best fighter.”

12. Living in a Sumerian City • City-states often went to war to gain _________ of precious river water • _________________ were built to protect against attack • Large gateways in city walls allowed people and good to get into and out of cities • City gates were also where people gathered to buy fresh vegetables and other goods • Goods were brought to the cities by __________________________

13. The Kings Palace • The kings palace could be seen from almost ________________________ • Where planning and decision-making took place • Kings = generals, judges and canal overseers • Sumerian kings were not considered to be ________

14. Religion • In the center of most ancient Sumerian cities stood a towering _________ building • Ziggurat • Large building with a _______ on its peak

15. Since Ziggurats were located in the __________ -_____________ • Historians believed that religion was very important • ______________ – belief in many gods and goddesses • Each city-state had a special god or goddess • Worshiped at each city-states ziggurat • People worshiped other gods at home • ________: goddess of love and war • Enki: god of ________

16. Uniting the City-States • City-states were united under one ruler • _________  king of the city-state Kish • Sargon rose to power about ______ B.C. • He began a new period in Mesopotamia’s history • Expanded his empire to the northern end of the ______________

17. Sumerian’s traded with the ancient seafaring people called ____________ along the Mediterranean Sea • Phoenicians also traded with Egyptians • Sent __________________ to Sargon’s city-states • Received Mesopotamian farm products and other goods

18. Cuneiform writing spread through the Fertile Crescent along with trade goods • Since cuneiform spread it allowed _________ to send instructions and govern over great distances

19. The Rise of Babylon • Sargon’s rule lasted about ____ years • The city-states rebelled against the empire • Almost ____ years would pass before another empire controlled Mesopotamia • During that time a group of people from the Syrian desert moved into __________ Mesopotamia • They created a small kingdom centered around a city-state called ___________

20. A Northern Empire • About 1800 B.C. Babylon’s king, Hammurabi began to drive to gain control over the old city-states of Sumar • Hammurabi and the Babylonians dammed key parts of the Euphrates – this gave them key power to cut off the flow of water or cause ______________ downstream

21. Hammurabi’s armies attacked the weakened Sumerians • Won control of the city-states around Babylon • Created ____________

22. Babylonia • Under Hammurabi became rich and powerful • Shipments of silver, copper, timber, and wine poured into Babylonia • Came from Turkey, Iran, and Syria • In exchange – grain and fruits • Even floated ice from mountains to refrigerate food and drink

23. Power Shift • Because of Hammurabi, Mesopotamia’s center of power shifted north to Babylon • Used cuneiform to communicate • The world’s first dictionaries were created so Babylonians could adopt Sumerian culture and language

24. Code of Law • Hammurabi gained control of Sumer he acted as the Sumerian kings had • Oversaw projects to build and repair canals • Acted as judge – used some laws before him • 1901archaeologists found a large stone pillar from ancient Babylon • Had over 200 laws written in cuneiform

25. The Code of Hammurabi • One of the oldest codes of law • A written set of laws that apply to everyone under a government • Shows slavery existed and not everyone was treated equally