Mesopotamia & Ancient Egypt

1. Mesopotamia & Ancient Egypt Chapter 10, Section 1

2. Mesopotamia • Civilization • A term historians use to describe a culture that has reached a high level of development. This development includes cities, system of writing, specialized workers, organized government and religions, and the use of technology and metals. • Mesopotamia • One of the first civilizations grew in the land between the Tigris & Euphrates Rivers. It was part of a larger region known as the Fertile Crescent, which curved from the Mediterranean Sea to the Persian Gulf • This region was settled around 4500 B.C. • City-States

4. City States of Mesopotamia • City-States • Sumer (Sumerians) • Invention of the sailboat and the wheel • Cuneiform – system of writing that uses a system of triangles and lines • Polytheism – worship of many gods and goddesses • Theocracy – ruled by a religious leader • Akkad (Akkadians) • Conquered Sumer around 2300 B.C. along with many other city states • Empire – ruling a group of city-states • Babylon (Babylonians) • Conquered the Akkadian Empire around 1800 B.C. • Hammurabi • Hammurabi’s Code – First written system of law and justice • Nebuchadnezzar – 500 B.C. • Phoenicians • Modern day Lebanon • Alphabet • Trading empire

5. Egypt – Gift of the Nile • Civilization started out of a river valley – Nile • Longest river in the world • Two Kingdoms United • Upper and Lower • United around 3100 B.C. • Pharaoh – great ruler viewed as a God • Polytheism • Re, Hapi, Horus • Mummification • Belief in life after death

7. Egypt – Gift of the Nile • Pyramids • Large tombs built for Egypt’s greatest rulers • Hieroglyphics • Form of picture writing. Painted and drawn on monuments and papyrus. • Technology • Number system • Medicicine • Makeup • Weakened and later ruled by Greece and Rome