1 / 16

City-States in Mesopotamia

City-States in Mesopotamia. Mr. Morris World History. Key Terms Ch 2.1 pg. 29. Fertile Crescent Mesopotamia City-state Dynasty Cultural diffusion Polytheism Empire Hammurabi. Setting the Stage. There are two rivers in Southwest Asia that flow to the Persian Gulf

julie
Download Presentation

City-States in Mesopotamia

An Image/Link below is provided (as is) to download presentation Download Policy: Content on the Website is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use and may not be sold / licensed / shared on other websites without getting consent from its author. Content is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use only. Download presentation by click this link. While downloading, if for some reason you are not able to download a presentation, the publisher may have deleted the file from their server. During download, if you can't get a presentation, the file might be deleted by the publisher.

E N D

Presentation Transcript

  1. City-States in Mesopotamia Mr. Morris World History

  2. Key Terms Ch 2.1 pg. 29 • Fertile Crescent • Mesopotamia • City-state • Dynasty • Cultural diffusion • Polytheism • Empire • Hammurabi

  3. Setting the Stage • There are two rivers in Southwest Asia that flow to the Persian Gulf • These rivers allowed farmers to settle on their banks and they eventually became home to villages and cities

  4. Geography of the Fertile Crescent • Southwest Asia is home to a hot, dry desert • However, there is an area between the Tigris and Euphrates rivers that is very fertile and provided great farming long ago • This region is known as Mesopotamia • The rivers would flood at least once a year, leaving behind silt that was very fertile for planting crops • The large harvests led to room for expansion and cities

  5. Environmental Challenges • 3300 B.C. – Sumerians arrive in Mesopotamia because of the good soil and farming conditions • There were some disadvantages, however • Unpredictable flooding, little rain • No natural barriers • Limited natural resources • Problems?

  6. Solving Problems Through Organization • Sumerians had to come up with solutions to deal with these disadvantages • Dug irrigation ditches • Built walled cities • Opened trading with other peoples • These projects took cooperation and good leadership • Beginning of government AND civilization

  7. Sumerians Create City-States • Five key characteristics in Sumer • Advanced cities • Specialized workers • Complex institutions • Record keeping • Improved technology • Sumerians created many city-states to serve as centers of government

  8. Priests and Rulers Share Control • Early governments were run by temple priests • Taxes were taken from crops given to priests • When there was a war, the priests would not lead the army, instead a great warrior was chosen • These leaders led the army during peacetime as well • Eventually military leaders became rulers of the city-states • Dynasties were formed after one ruler’s death

  9. The Spread of Cities • As Sumerians produced more food, they had more to trade • Traded with other people and shared ideas with them • Cultural diffusion

  10. A Religion of Many Gods • The Sumerians were polytheistic • Their gods were like humans, they fell in love, argued, and had kids • They were also all-powerful and immortal • Sumerians had to keep the gods happy so that they would not be attacked or fall victim to fire or flood • Offered sacrifices and impressive ziggurats to keep gods happy • Those who died went to a gloomy place

  11. Life in Sumerian Society • Sumerians started social classes • Most people were lowly workers or slaves • Slaves were either captured enemies or children sold into slavery to pay their parents’ debts • Women in Sumer had more rights than in later societies • Own land • Join priesthood • Choose their profession

  12. Sumerian Science and Technology • Sumerians invented many technological advances • Wheel, sail, plow, bronze tools • Arithmetic & geometry helped build buildings • Arches, columns, ramps, pyramid • Cuneiform writing • First maps and recordings of scientific observations

  13. Sargon of Akkad • Sargon was a great ruler who captured Sumerian city-states • Spread culture of Sumer further than ever before • This created the first empire ever • Only lasted 200 years

  14. Babylonian Empire • The Amorites invaded Mesopotamia and set up their capital at Babylon • At its peak, the Babylonian ruler was Hammurabi, who established a set of laws for his subjects to abide by

  15. Hammurabi’s Code • The Code of Hammurabi was a list of laws that applied throughout the empire • Hammurabi had them carved in stone and copies sent out all over the empire • 282 laws dealing with a variety of crimes • Different punishments for rich and poor • Eye for an eye, tooth for a tooth (retaliation) • Government took responsibility for crimes against its citizens

  16. Why is this Important? • The Sumerian people started what would become the first cities, empire, government, and written laws in the world • Many of their advances in technology benefit us today • Wheel = car tires • Sail = travel over water • Geometry = Mr. Yoder • Ramps = disabled have access to buildings • Writing = you can read this!

More Related