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Mesopotamia and Hammurabi’s Code
Why was Mesopotamia so special?
• The two rivers The Tigris and the Euphrates flow southeastward towards the Persian Gulf• When they flooded it would fertilize the ground making optimal
ground for farming
Problems Living in Mesopotamia
• No natural barriers for defense• Unpredictable flooding some years the rain was scarce and the region
could turn back into a desert• Building materials were limited due to lack of natural resources
Rise of Sumerian Civilization
Sumeria Continued
• City States form around 3000 B.C• A City State is a city that forms its own separate government and acts
as its own independent country. Sumerians shared similar culture but had different kings in different city states.• Kings in the different city states of Sumer would pass their power on
to their sons after they died creating long lasting dynasties.
What made Sumer Complex?
• Developed Cuneiform Writing• One of the early civilizations to use geometry and arithmetic to
construct irrigation systems and buildings.• Farmers thought they depended on the Gods for rain so therefore
priests gained much power. They would sacrifice animals and perform rituals on top of their Zigarruts.• Mud was used to make brick walls to surround cities from foreign
invaders
Rise Of Babylon
Babylon takes over
• About 2000bce. A nomadic people called the Amorites invade Sumeria and are victorious.• They establish their capital on the bank of the Euphrates river called
Babylon.• At the Height of the Babylonian Empire and Emperor named
Hammurabi establishes a system of laws that were to be the same throughout the Empire. This was called Hammurabi’s Code
Hammurabi’s Code Continued
• Reinforces that government has role over what happens in society• Was a uniform or same system of laws that applied to all of Babylon• It applied the system of Retaliation towards law breakers “ an eye for
an eye.”
