Mesopotamia, Egypt, and kush

Chapter3

Chapter3Section1

GeographyoftheFertileCrescent

Mesopotamia• MesopotamiawaspartofalargerregioncalledtheFertileCrescent.

• Hunter-gathersfirstsettledinMesopotamiamorethan12,000yearsago&farmsettlementsformedaround7000BC.

GeographyoftheFertileCrescent• Earlypeoplesettledwherecropswouldgrow– whichwasnearrivers.• Regularfloodsmadethesoilrich.• Mesopotamiameans“betweentherivers”inGreek.• TheTigris andEuphrates riversarethemostimportantphysicalfeaturesoftheregion

GeographyoftheFertileCrescent• EarlysettlementsinMesopotamiafloodedbecausewaterwasnotcontrolled.• Peoplebuiltcanals toprotecthousesandmovewatertotheirfields• Withirrigation,thepeopleofMesopotamiawereabletogrowmorefood

OtherJobsinMesopotamia• Foodsurpluses allowedsomepeopletostopfarmingandconcentrateonotherjobs,likegov’tworkers,craftsman,religiousleaders.Thisiscalledthedivisionoflabor

TheGrowthofCities&Trade• Overtime,Mesopotamiansettlementsgrewanddevelopedintocitiesaround4000to3000BC.• Mostpeoplewerestillfarmers• Citieswereimportantplacesoftrade,politics,religion,andeconomics.

TheRiseofSumerChapter3Section2

• InsouthernMesopotamia,apeopleknownastheSumeriansdevelopedtheworld’sfirstcivilizationandcreatedanadvancedsociety

• MostpeopleinSumerwerefarmerslivingintherural areas• Thecentersofsocietyweretheurbanareas.• By2000BC,someofSumer’scitieshadmorethan100,000residents• Thebasicpoliticalunitwascalledacity-state,consistingofthecity&thecountrysidearoundit,dependingonitsmilitarystrength.

City-States• City-statesinSumerfoughteachothertogainmorefarmland,thusbuildingupstrongarmiesandstrongwallsaroundthecities.• Someofthemorewell-knowncity-statesareKish,Uruk,andUr.• OneofUruk’s kings,knownasGilgamesh,becamealegendaryfigureinSumerianliterature.

RiseoftheAkkadianEmpire• Intime,theAkkadiansdevelopedalongtheTigris&Euphrates.• TheylivednorthofSumer– butwerenotSumerians.Theyspokeadifferentlanguage• Thepeacebetweenthemwasbrokenin2300BCwhenSargonsoughttoextendAkkadianterritory.• Sargonwasthefirstrulertohaveapermanentarmyandlaunchedaseriesofwarsdefeatingallthecity-statesofSumer.• Sargonestablishedtheworld’sfirstempire,stretchingfromthePersianGulftotheMediterraneanSea.

FallofAkkadandResurgenceofSumer• Sargonruledfor50years,&hisempirefelltotribesfromtheeastwithin100yearsofhisdeath• Eventually,thecity-stateofURrebuiltitsstrength,conqueredMesopotamia,andSumeriansonceagainbecamethepowerfulcivilizationintheregion.

ReligionShapesSociety• Religionplayedaroleinnearlyeveryaspectofpublicandprivatelife.• ReligionwasthebasisforallofSumeriansociety• TheSumerianspracticedPolytheism• Eachcity-stateconsideredonegodtobeitsprotector• Godsbroughtagoodharvestordisastrousflood,illnessorhealth,povertyorwealth.• Successdependedonpleasingthegods.Priestshadgreatstatus,andperformedreligiousceremonies.

SumerianSocialOrder• PriestsoccupiedahighlevelinSumer’ssocialhierarchy.• Priestswerejustbelowkings.• Kingsclaimedtobechosenbythegodstorule• Belowthepriestswereskilledcraftspeople,merchants,andtraders.• Then,farmersandlaborersmadeuptheworkingclass.• Slaveswereatthebottom.

MenandWomeninSumer• Menheldpoliticalpowerandmadelawswhilewomentookcareofthehomeandchildren.• Educationwasusuallyreservedformen.• Someupperclasswomenwereeducated• Someeducatedwomenwerepriestesses.• ThedaughterofSargon,Enheduanna,wrotehymnstothegoddessInanna.• SheisthefirstknownfemalewriterinHistory

SumerianAchievementsSection3

• Cuneiform- writinginclay• Pictographs– picture

symbols• Scribe– Keeperofrecords• Epics– longpoemsabout

heroes• Wheel– Carts– Wagons–

Potters• Plow• WaterClock• Sewers• Bronzetoolsandweapons

• Mathbasedon60• 360degree circle• 12monthyear• calculatedareas• Studied&recordedstudies

ofplants&animals• Medicinefromplants• Architecture• Sculpture• Jewelry• Cylinderseals• Musicalinstruments

Chapter3Section4

LaterPeoplesoftheFertileCrescent

Mesopotamia(Babylon)

CodeofHammurabi• Hammurabi(KingofBabylonian)Empirefrom1792to1750B.C.)maintainedcontrolofempireby acodeoflaw• Claimedthegodshadchosenhim“topromotethewelfareofthepeople,…tocausejusticetoprevailintheland,todestroythewickedandevil,[so]thatthestrongmightnotoppresstheweak,toriselikethesunoverthepeople,andtolightuptheland.”

Hammurabi’sCodeofLaws

CodeofHammurabi

1.Highstandardsofbehaviorandsternpunishmentsforviolators2.Deathpenaltyformurder,theft,fraud,falseaccusations,shelteringofrunawayslaves,failuretoobeyroyalorders,adultery,andincest3.Civillawsregulatingprices,wages,commercialdealings,maritalrelationships,andtheconditionsofslavery

CodeofHammurabi

4.Reliedonlex talionis– thelawofretaliation• Offenderssufferedpunishmentsresemblingtheirviolations• Ifamanputouttheeyeofanotherman,hiseyeshallbeputout.[Aneyeforaneye](196)• Ifhebreakanotherman'sbone,hisboneshallbebroken.(197)• Ifamanknockouttheteethofhisequal,histeethshallbeknockedout.[Atoothforatooth](200)

CodeofHammurabi• Codeof282lawsinscribedonastonepillarplacedinthepublichallforalltosee

• HammurabiStonedepictsHammurabiasreceivinghisauthorityfromgodShamash

• Setofdivinelyinspiredlaws;aswellassocietallaws

• Punishmentsweredesignedtofitthecrimesaspeoplemustberesponsibleforownactions

• HammurabiCodewasanorigintotheconceptof“eyeforaneye…”ie.Ifasonstruckhisfather,theson’shandwouldbecutoff

• Consequencesforcrimesdependedonrankinsociety(ie.onlyfinesfornobility)

LaterPeoplesoftheFertileCrescent• Babylon - citywaslocatedonwhatistodayBaghdad,Iraq• 1800BC– Powerfulgovernment.• 1792BC– HammurabiwastheMonarch• BrilliantwarleaderwhobroughtallofMesopotamiaintohisempire.• Oversawmanybuildingandirrigationprojects• Improvedtaxcollectionsystem• Broughtprosperitythroughincreasedtrade• Mostfamousforhiscodeoflaws• Ruledfor42years–• Babylondidnotlastlongafterhisdeath

InvasionsofMesopotamia• Hittites– ironworkingandthechariot• Kassites – defeatedtheHittitesandruled400years• Assyrians – StrongArmy– wellorganized– Kingsruledthroughlocalleaders.Builtroadstofarawaypartsoftheempire• Chaldeans – destroyedAssyrians.NebuchadnezzarmostfamousChaldeanking.RebuiltBabylonintoabeautifulcity.HangingGardensofBabylon.Manyscientificstudies.• Phoenicians –Wealthytradingsociety.NowLebanon.CedarTrees.Expertsailors.Mostfamousforinventingthealphabet.

Chapter1Review

• Mesopotamiaisknownas“thecradleoffreedom.”• Jerichoisoneoftheoldestcitiesintheworld.• MudbrickisabuildingmaterialusedbytheSumerians.• Artisansareskilledworkerswhomakemedalproducts,cloth,andpottery.