Compare the map of (p. 22)

with the

map of the (p. 28).

What geographic similarities do the two civilizations share?

In your W.N. …

RiversNile Tigris & Euphrates

Bordered with Seas

Red Sea & Mediterranean

Persian Gulf & Mediterranean

Bordered with Deserts

Arabian, Sahara, Libyan

Syrian Desert

How do you think the

geography impacted the

development of civilizations in

the Fertile Crescent?

RiversNile Tigris & Euphrates

Bordered with Seas

Red Sea & Mediterranean

Persian Gulf & Mediterranean

Bordered with Deserts

Arabian, Sahara, Libyan

Syrian Desert

• Rivers – Good Farming

• Natural Protection – Advancements

• Bordering Deserts – Jealous Neighbors… frequent Invasion

Achievements

Based on what you know about early civilizations & geography, what kinds of achievements they would

have made?

Sumerian

• Farming

• Used Metal

• Building– arch – able to build domes

– ziggurats – temple, built in layers

• Writing

AchievementsSumerian

Sumerian writing made on clay tablets with wedge-shaped

“stylus”

Analyzing the Empires of the Fertile CrescentMake a Chart listing the Pros and Cons of each Empire.

Under the “Pro” column, list the strengths that helped continue the empire. Under the “Con”, list the weaknesses that led to the Empire’s defeat.

Pros ConsAkkadians

Babylonians

Hittites

Assyrians

Chaldeans

Persians

Pros Cons

Akkadians

Babylonians

Hittites

Assyrians

Chaldeans

Persians

Powerful King - Sargon

Invaders

Hammurabi Power of Priests

Strong Warriors, good laws

Too far from home

Cavalry Civil War

Nebuchadnezzar Nebuchadnezzar

Cyrus, Darius, Xerxes

Weak Successors

Akkadians

Babylonians

Hittites

Achievements of the Empires of the Fertile Crescent

Assyrians

Chaldeans

Persians

Hold on to your outlines, In the mean time, fill in this chart in your W.N.

Let’s Play…

Akkadian

Achievements of the Empires of the Fertile Crescent

EmpireE m p i r e e x t e n d e d t o t h e M e d i t e r r a n e a n

Spoke Semitic Language (similar to modern Hebrew/Arabic)

Defeated Sumerians

Achievements of the Empires of the Fertile Crescent

BabylonianEmpir

eCode of Hammurabi

Established great city of Babylon

Code of Hammurabi

• Hammurabi (also known as “Amraphel” in the Bible: Genesis 14)

• 4000 lines of text, 282 laws

• Harsh laws; “eye for eye, tooth for tooth”

“If any one bring an accusation of any crime before the elders, and does not prove what he has charged, he shall, if it be a capital offense charged, be put to death.”

 If fire break out in a house, and some one who comes to put it out cast his eye upon the property of the owner of the house, and take the property of the master of the house, he shall be thrown into that self-same fire.

If any one is committing a robbery and is caught, then he shall be put to death.

Achievements of the Empires of the Fertile Crescent

The Hittites

First to use Iron Weapons

Simplified, Improved Babylonian Law (less brutal)… relied on “fines”

Achievements of the Empires of the Fertile Crescent

AssyrianEmpir

e

First to use Cavalry

Brutal War Methods - Destroyed Babylon

Established Great City of Ninevah

Achievements of the Empires of the Fertile Crescent

ChaldeanEmpir

eNebuchadnezzar rebuilt Babylon… canals, bridges, Hanging Gardens

Skilled Astronomers

Achievements of the Empires of the Fertile Crescent

PersianEmpir

e

Cyrus, Darius, Xerxes

•Expanded Kingdom

•Administered Taxes

•Governed Fairly (let conquered people keep their culture)

•Charter of Nations

Charter of the Rights of NationsInscribed on a clay cylinder in cuneiform

discovered in 1879 now in The British Museum, London.... I am Cyrus. King of the world. When I entered Babylon... I did not allow anyone to terrorise the

land... I kept in view the needs of people and all its sanctuaries to promote their well-being... I put an end to their misfortune. The Great God has delivered all the lands into my hand; the lands that I have made to dwell in a peaceful habitation...

PersianEmpir

e