Chapter 2 Sec. 1 Page 29. Mesopotamia The Fertile Crescent.
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Transcript of Chapter 2 Sec. 1 Page 29. Mesopotamia The Fertile Crescent.
Chapter 2 Sec. 1Chapter 2 Sec. 1Page 29Page 29
MesopotamiaMesopotamiaThe Fertile CrescentThe Fertile Crescent
Geography
Desert Climate
Fertile Crescent: arc of land that provides some of the best farming in Southwest Asia
Mesopotamia=Fertile Crescent=land between the rivers
Rivers: Tigris and Euphrates
Environmental Challenges1st group to settle the area were called Sumerians (Iraq today)
Three Disadvantages:
1. unpredictable flooding and periods of little rain
2. no natural barriers
3. Limited Natural resources
Solving Problemsto provide water, they dug irrigation ditches that carried water to fields
built mud bricks and created walls
traded goods in exchange for raw materials that were needed
(It took many ppl working together to accomplish this)
City-States
City-States - city and it’s surrounding lands that function as an independent political unit (like a country)
Some city-states in Sumer were Ur, Umma, Lagash, Uruk, Kish, and Nippur
Priests and Rulers Share controlPriests managed the irrigation system and ran the first gov’t
in times of war, the best fighter would lead the city-state
In time, military leaders became full-time rulers which led to a dynasty: a series of rulers from one family
Spread of CitiesAs the culture of Sumer grew, other cities developed in the region
cultural diffusion: the process in which new ideas or products spread from one culture to others. took place
usually happens through trade, war, or migration
Sumerian Culture
Religion: believed in polytheism: belief in many gods
In order to keep the gods happy, the Sumerians built impressive ziggurats and offered sacrifices of animals, food and wine; also prayed and performed rituals
Life in Sumerian Societysocial classes began
Kings, landholders and priests made up the highest level
Wealthy Merchants next
most ppl worked the land and fields
Slaves were the lowest class
Sumerian Science and Technology
Arithmetic and geometry: created a number system and used geometry to build
Architecture: Arches, columns, ramps and the step pyramid
Cuneiform: Sumerian system of writing
1st Empire BuildersSargon the Great - 2334 BC
Sumerian city-states had been fighting each other for many years
in city-state of Kish, Sargon got army loyal to him and took over, then moved to conquer rest of Sumer - took 56 years
created the first empire: brings together several peoples, nations or states under the control of one rule
used military dictatorship to keep control, with loyal army in each city
helped unify Sumerian culture, but army was brutal
Sargon’s Akkadian Empire lasted less than 200 years
Babylonian EmpireAmorites invaded in about 2000BC and overwhelmed the Sumerians. Established their capital at Babylon on Euphrates River
Babylon reached it’s peak under the rule of Hammurabi
Hammurabi created a single uniform code of laws that were carved in stone and put in each city
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xnQGjmdUGCIThe Kings: From Babylon to Baghdad 1: first 12 minutes