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Mesopotamia

Mesopotamia. The Fertile Crescent. Mesopotamia assignment.

nayda-fisher
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Mesopotamia

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  1. Mesopotamia The Fertile Crescent

  2. Mesopotamia assignment • Read through 30-43 and at the beginning of each section answer the “Read to Discover” Questions. This will be a total of 9 questions. You may work with one additional partner but both students should turn in the assignment and they should be in each students own words. • While you work on this for the next 50 minutes I will be meeting individually with students to discuss their essays

  3. Land and its impact • The Tigris and Euphrates rivers surround Mesopotamia • These rivers flood randomly which led people in Sumer to believe that their gods were vengeful gods. • Since there were not natural boundaries to protect people in Sumer they were frequently attacked and new civilizations would rise up

  4. Sumerians • The Sumerians developed a symbol based written system known as Cuneiform • Developed the Arch which allowed for rounded roofs (stronger) • Built great temples (pyramid like) called Ziggurats • Cut the circle into 360 degrees and divided by 60 minutes like we use

  5. Sumerian Govt. • Religious rulers were important since most people believed each city-state belonged to a god • Military rulers became more important because of such frequent attacks • Sumerians never really controlled all of Mesopotamia • Some major cities included Ur, Kish

  6. Sumerian Life • Much of what we know from the Sumerians comes from one of the oldest stories: The Epic of Gilgamesh • Sumerians believed education was important so wealthy men could go to school. (no girls) • They believed in many gods (polytheistic) but thought the afterlife was not a happy or bad place just another step

  7. Akkadians • Around 2330 BC an Akkadian known as Sargon conquered all of Sumer • Sargon tried to combine the cultures of all his subjects but was not successful • About 150 years after the time of Sargon his empire fell apart

  8. Babylonians • South East of Sumer and Akkad the Babylonians rose to power around 1800 BC • Their first ruler was Hammurabi who produced a great law code known as the Code of Hammurabi • The law code is the foundation for law today. Claimed an “eye for an eye tooth for a tooth” • Punishment depended on status in society • Even the king was subject to law

  9. Babylonians • In Babylon women had limited rights but still a male dominated society • Adopted many of the Sumerian gods • Overall this society was well run with the use of their law code

  10. Assyrians • The first “terrorists” the Assyrians were known for brutal treatment in war. • First to use cavalry in war and chariots • Would use fear tactics to get people to quit before the fight began • Destroyed the Babylonians

  11. Assyrians • Used a king who was subject only to the chief God Ashur • Capital in Nineveh - had a library that contained many written works like the Epic of Gilgamesh - Kept a history of their people

  12. Chaldeans • Under the leadership of Nebuchadnezzar they conquered the Assyrians • Rebuilt the city of Babylon and developed the Hanging Gardens for one of his many wives • Very skilled astronomers who could predict an eclipse, and various planetary alignments • Helps develop a calendar

  13. Persians • Around 540 BC the Persians overran the Chaldeans • Their first mighty ruler was Cyrus who conquered the Chaldeans and Medes to gain control of the Fertile Crescent • Cyrus and his followers (Darius and Xerxes) were seen as god figures to their people (adopted from the Egyptians)

  14. Persian life • With such a large empire they allowed city-states to control their own government so long as they were loyal to Cyrus • Their religion was based around the teachings of the prophet Zoroaster • Claimed that in the previous life forces of Good and Evil fought • This life is a time to choose between who we will follow • Claimed that in the future these forces would fight again and good would pronounce a final judgment on the “righteous” • Possibly influenced Judaism-Christianity-Islam

  15. Phoenicians • Modern Israel and Lebanon • Unlike many Mesopotamians they were not warlike • Great traders: Lumber, Dyes, Glass, olive oil etc. • Great with boats to travel all around • Intellectuals: Developed the first alphabet • Main cities included Tyre and Sidon

  16. Travel Brochure assignment • In groups of three do the following: • You should write down an argument for why you would want to live in a Mesopotamian civilization compared to the others • Give specific examples for why you would want to be here and why not in a different civilization (at least 2) • You will need to create a travel brochure for one of the Mesopotamia groups that we discussed in class • Explain what accomplishments they made • Gives a brief history of the civilization • Gives specific reasons for why you would want to live there • Include pictures related to the topic

  17. Lydians • From modern day Turkey • Became tired of the Barter system so developed coined money • Although not a very powerful group their money economy spread to Greece and Persia to facilitate trade in those empires

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