City-States of Mesopotamia

World History: Libertyville HS

Geography

• “Fertile Crescent”: area between Persian Gulf and Eastern Mediterranean shore & length of Nile R.

• Tigris & Euphrates Rivers– Flow SE into Persian Gulf– Mesopotamia = “Land

between two rivers”– Annual flooding of rivers

leaves silt (++ farming)

Human Arrival into Mesopotamia

• People moved into area after 10,000 BC (pop. pressure)

• Why settle in Mesopotamia?• River valley had fertile land (silt)• Access to Persian Gulf for

fishing, trade• Rivers allowed for easy irrigation

– Challenges to settlers• Annual flooding was

unpredictable• Small area with no natural

protection• Limited natural resources (little

stone, wood or metal)

ModernFlooding ofTigris R.

Human Arrival into Area• Solutions to Challenges

– Irrigation projects to control flood waters (levees; channels)

– Built walls around cities for protection

– Traded for scarce goods with neighboring regions

City walls ofJericho

Sumerians plowing

City States of Mesopotamia

• City state = different walled cities of area, each with their own leader– Culturally similar– Politically independent– Economically dependent

(trade)– Militarily competitive,

mainly through raiding each other; not conquest

City planof Ur

City States of Mesopotamia

• Political Power– Irrigation projects needed

leaders to organize (beginning of government)

– Priest-kings served as go between for Gods and man

– Religion the basis of political power• City state’s gods owned all land• Priest-king served as agent of

gods• Priest-kings ruled society

City States of Mesopotamia• After 3000 BC, war became

more common and warriors became permanent leaders

• Fought other city-states– Border disputes– Raiding cattle– Show of strength of their city-

gods

• Dynasties established– Series of priest-kings passing

power on to their own sons– Took place from 3000-2500

BC

Sumerian war chariot, c. 2500 BC

Sumerian soldier with armored cloak

Sumerian Culture• Religion

– Polytheistic • About 3000 gods in all• Gods were immortal and all

powerful• Many had human traits

– Built ziggurats to please the gods• Temples were home of

gods• Tower of Babel from bible a

ziggurat

Sumerian Gods

Ziggurat

Sumerian Technology• Invented the wheel for

both trade and war, around 3500 BC

• Sail helped trade• Plow improved farming• Metallurgy

– Pre 3000 BC = copper– Post 3000 BC = bronze

• Sun dried mud bricks allowed for construction of buildings (why use mud?)

Sumerian Technology: Cuneiform and Counting

• First system of writing– Used wedge shaped reed

pressed into wet clay tablet– Tablet then fired in oven to

create permanent record

• Number system was base 60 – Still used today (time, circle)– Why is base 60 a good system?

Sumerian Society

• Women had many rights, but little education

Priest-King

Priests, scribesWealthy

merchantsPoor (farmers,

artisans)

Slaves

Sumerian Hierarchy