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Civilization & Mesopotamia . Early Civilizations. What is civilization?. The most advanced stage of human social development and organization. Characteristics of Civilizations . Advanced Cities Large group living together Trading center . Characteristics of Civilizations . - PowerPoint PPT Presentation
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Civilization&
Mesopotamia
Early Civilizations
What is civilization?
The most advanced stage of human social development and organization
1. Advanced Cities
◦ Large group living together
◦ Trading center
Characteristics of Civilizations
2. Specialized Workers
◦ Develop skills in a specific kind of work(trader or priest)
Characteristics of Civilizations
3. Complex Institutions
◦ Long-lasting pattern of organization in a community
◦ Examples: Religion Government Economy
Characteristics of Civilizations
4. Record Keeping◦ System of writing
◦ Taxes, laws, religious rituals
◦ Scribes – professional record keepers
Characteristics of Civilizations
5. Advanced Technology
◦ Anything that makes life easier
Characteristics of Civilizations
Example of Civilization: Sumer
SumerSpecialized
Workers: soldiers, merchants,
teachers, priests, etc.
Complex Institutions:
formal governments (laws
and officials), priests w/ religious
power
Advanced cities: Uruk – 50,000
Lagash – 10,000 -50,000
Record Keeping: Cuneiform writing
system
Advanced Technology:
3000 BCE wheel, plow, sailboat;
bronze weapons and armor
Civilizations of MesopotamiaFertile Crescent, “land between the rivers”
People: Sumerians
Tigris & Euphrates Rivers
Annual flooding◦Silt
Geography
City-state: city & surrounding area functioning as a country does today
Priests head government 3,000 BCE
Kings head government 2,500 BCE ◦ Create Dynasties - series of
rulers under one family
Government
Ziggurat – walled temple
1st empire: brings together several independent peoples, nations, or states
Babylonian – Babylon (2000 - 539 BCE)
Government: Forming Empires
Hammurabi’s Code◦Hammurabi
(Babylonian King)
◦1792-1750 BCE
◦Unified code of laws
◦Oldest known legal system
Laws
Polytheism: many gods
Ziggurats
Religion
Society/CultureKing
s, Priests, LandholdersMerchants
Farmers
Slaves
Sumerian
Social Hierarch
y
Society/Culture Arithmetic, Geometry
◦ Helped in building projects
Architecture◦ Arches, columns, ramps,
pyramid shape
Cuneiform◦ Writing system◦ Pictograph – symbols
stand for words
Cuneiform