Chapter 2 Sec. 1Chapter 2 Sec. 1Page 29Page 29

MesopotamiaMesopotamiaThe Fertile CrescentThe Fertile Crescent

Geography

Desert Climate

Fertile Crescent: arc of land that provides some of the best farming in Southwest Asia

Mesopotamia=Fertile Crescent=land between the rivers

Rivers: Tigris and Euphrates

Environmental Challenges1st group to settle the area were called Sumerians (Iraq today)

Three Disadvantages:

1. unpredictable flooding and periods of little rain

2. no natural barriers

3. Limited Natural resources

Solving Problemsto provide water, they dug irrigation ditches that carried water to fields

built mud bricks and created walls

traded goods in exchange for raw materials that were needed

(It took many ppl working together to accomplish this)

City-States

City-States - city and it’s surrounding lands that function as an independent political unit (like a country)

Some city-states in Sumer were Ur, Umma, Lagash, Uruk, Kish, and Nippur

Priests and Rulers Share controlPriests managed the irrigation system and ran the first gov’t

in times of war, the best fighter would lead the city-state

In time, military leaders became full-time rulers which led to a dynasty: a series of rulers from one family

Spread of CitiesAs the culture of Sumer grew, other cities developed in the region

cultural diffusion: the process in which new ideas or products spread from one culture to others. took place

usually happens through trade, war, or migration

Sumerian Culture

Religion: believed in polytheism: belief in many gods

In order to keep the gods happy, the Sumerians built impressive ziggurats and offered sacrifices of animals, food and wine; also prayed and performed rituals

Life in Sumerian Societysocial classes began

Kings, landholders and priests made up the highest level

Wealthy Merchants next

most ppl worked the land and fields

Slaves were the lowest class

Sumerian Science and Technology

Arithmetic and geometry: created a number system and used geometry to build

Architecture: Arches, columns, ramps and the step pyramid

Cuneiform: Sumerian system of writing

1st Empire BuildersSargon the Great - 2334 BC

Sumerian city-states had been fighting each other for many years

in city-state of Kish, Sargon got army loyal to him and took over, then moved to conquer rest of Sumer - took 56 years

created the first empire: brings together several peoples, nations or states under the control of one rule

used military dictatorship to keep control, with loyal army in each city

helped unify Sumerian culture, but army was brutal

Sargon’s Akkadian Empire lasted less than 200 years

Babylonian EmpireAmorites invaded in about 2000BC and overwhelmed the Sumerians. Established their capital at Babylon on Euphrates River

Babylon reached it’s peak under the rule of Hammurabi

Hammurabi created a single uniform code of laws that were carved in stone and put in each city

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xnQGjmdUGCIThe Kings: From Babylon to Baghdad 1: first 12 minutes