1 / 16

Mesopotamia and Sumer

Mesopotamia and Sumer. Chapter 2 Section 1 . Key Terms. Fertile Crescent Mesopotamia Ziggurat City-State Polytheism Dynasty Cuneiform Sargon Hammurabi. Geography Promotes Civilization. Fertile Crescent-curve between the Mediterranean and Persian Sea

shlomo
Download Presentation

Mesopotamia and Sumer

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. Mesopotamia and Sumer Chapter 2 Section 1

  2. Key Terms • Fertile Crescent • Mesopotamia • Ziggurat • City-State • Polytheism • Dynasty • Cuneiform • Sargon • Hammurabi

  3. Geography Promotes Civilization • Fertile Crescent-curve between the Mediterranean and Persian Sea • Richest soils between the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers • Called Mesopotamia

  4. Geography Promotes Civilization • 5500 BC farming • Grew wheat grain barley • Dug basins to save water • Made canals for irrigation

  5. Sumer • Sumerians developed the first civilization. • Built of mud bricks • Ziggurats-pyramid style structure • Walls around city • City-state- a political unit with its own government

  6. Religion and Government • Polytheism- the worship of many gods • Believed gods controlled all forces • God Enil ruled the air and storms • Gods were like humans • Drank, fell in love, married and fought

  7. Religion and Government • Worked hard to please the gods • Built temples • Priests held high status • War chiefs became kings • They served the gods • Dynasty-series of rulers from one family

  8. Sumerian Culture • Cuneiform the first style of writing • Used a stylus a sharp tool • Made wedge- shaped symbols • Wrote laws, business accounts, first book • Epic of Gilgamesh

  9. Sumerian Culture • Math and Sciences • Developed math based on number 60 • Still divide hour into minutes • Circle into 360 degrees • Learned geometry • Invented the wheel • The plow • Built sewers

  10. Sumerian Culture • The Arts • Use of arches and ramps • Sculpture of wide open eyes • Engraved cylinder seals engraved all around • Rolled onto wet clay • Used to sign documents

  11. Sumerian Culture • Trade and Society • Lacked wood and metals • Sumerians trade for items • Trades across southwest Asia • Formed social hierarchy • Kings and priests • Large landowners and merchants • Artisans and farmers

  12. Sumerian Culture • Men and women had distinct roles • Men • Held political office • Made laws • Women • Took care of the home • Took care of children

  13. Empires in Mesopotamia • Sargon’s Empire • 2330 BC • Created a permanent army • Used army to conquer Sumer • Ruled from Akad • Formed world’s first empire

  14. Empires in Mesopotamia • Empire- different kingdoms under one rule • Akkadian’s adopted cuneiform • Sumerian remained the main language for religion • Priests had a lot of power • Empire lasted 140 years

  15. Babylonian Empire • Amorites settled in Babylon • 1792 BC Hammurabi is king • United all of Mesopotamia • Oversaw building projects • Improved tax collection

  16. Babylonian Empire • Hammurabi • Increased trade • Absorbed culture of the region • Most famous for Hammurabi’s Code • 282 laws dealing with trade, murder, theft, injury • Was written for all people to see

More Related