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TheFertileCrescent"We'reinThatFertileCrescent"

Learnmoreaboutthistopic!Eachsectiongivesmoredetailononeofthelyricsfromthesong.Readeachsection,andthenrespondbyansweringthequestionortakingnotesonkeyideas.

Lyric:IntroLyric:Intro

Welcometothebirthplaceofcivilization.That'swhatmanyhistoriansconsidertheFertileCrescent,alargechunkoflandbetweenthePersianGulfandtheMediterranean.Surroundedbydesertandirrigatedbytwomightyrivers,theTigrisandtheEuphrates,theFertileCrescentoccupiestheregionwenowknowasIraqandIran.ThesetworiverssnakedownthemountainsofthenorthanddrainintothePersianGulf.Theyfrequentlyoverflowedtheirbanks,leavingbehindarichsoilthatwasidealforgrowingcrops.Asisalwaysthecase,itwaswaterthatallowedpowerfulcivilizationstogrow.

Notes

Lyric:We'rechill inglikeit'ssummer,inourSumerianLyric:We'rechill inglikeit'ssummer,inourSumeriancity-states,city-states,

SumerwassituatedbetweentheTigrisandEuphratesRivers.

OnthePersianGulfendofMesopotamiawasaregioncalledSumerwherefarmersbuiltvillagesthatgrewandgrew,justlikethegrainsbeingplanted.TheseearlysettlersbuilthomesusingbricksmadefromthemudtheTigrisandEuphratesleftbehind,andbyabout3000BCthere

wereenoughhousestomakesmallcities.Farmersworkedtogethertocreateirrigationanddrainageditchestodirectwaterwheretheywanteditandhelppreventthegreatriversfromfloodingthecities.

Bythistime,manycity-stateshadgrownintheFertileCrescent:Babylon,Ur,Uruk,Eridu.City-stateswerejustastheysound-citiessolargeandindependentthattheybecamemuchlikestatesaretoday,governedbyasinglerulerandeachwiththeirownjusticesystem,tradeandmilitary.

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NameName DateDate

2

Lyric:thearch,weputitonourcitygates.Lyric:thearch,weputitonourcitygates.

Sumerianchariot

TheSumeriansarecreditedwithsomeofthemostamazinginventionsinhumanhistory.Theyinventedthearch.Theymadewagons,thefirst-everwheeled

vehicles(thewheelitselfwasprobablyinventedearlier).Theyaccuratelytrackedthestars.Andtheydecidedtodividetimeintoblocksof60:Theyput60secondsinaminute,and60minutesinanhour.

Notes

Lyric:ziggurats,Lyric:ziggurats,

AncientzigguratinmoderndayIraq

Sumerianswereapolytheisticpeople-theybelievedtherewasnotjustonebutmanygods,whosefavortheyneededtolivegoodlives.Eachcity-statehadaparticularfavoriteorpatrongod.Inhonorofthesedeities,thepeoplebuilt

hugetemples,likepyramidswithstairsupthesides.Thesewereziggurats,andtheywereoftenthecenterpiecesofcity-states.

Notes

Lyric:Butwhenwe'rewritingit, wewriteitinLyric:Butwhenwe'rewritingit, wewriteitincuneiform.cuneiform.

Sumeriantabletofabillofsaleforamaleslaveandabuilding

TheMesopotamiansusedetchingsonstonetabletstotelltheirstoriesanddisplaytheirrules.Theydevelopedsomeoftheearliestformsofwriting.ThesystemusedbySumerianscribeswascalledcuneiform,anditusedsmallgeometricalshapesscratchedintowet

stonethatlaterdriedandhardenedtorecountstoriesandkeeptrackoftrade,taxes,militaryissues,andmore.Thankstothewidespreaduseofcuneiform,historiansknowmuchaboutMesopotamiancultureandthemanytransformationsitwentthroughoverthecenturies.

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3

Lyric:I'mSargontheGreat, EmpirebuilderfortheLyric:I'mSargontheGreat, EmpirebuilderfortheAkkadians.Akkadians.

Awingedbull,orlamassu,fromSargon'spalace

Sargonisthoughttobethefirstrulerinworldhistorytohaveapermanent,standingarmyathiscommand,anarmythatwasoneofthefirsttousebowsandarrows.HewastheemperoroftheAkkadiansaround2000BC.Sargonusedhistroopstocreatetheworld'searliestempire,ahugeterritoryintheMiddle

East.Forthetimes,itwasavastkingdom;theworldhadneverseenanythinglikeit.

Notes

Lyric:Ibabbleonthesetracks,putBabylonontheLyric:Ibabbleonthesetracks,putBabylononthemaps.maps.

TheLionofBabylonisanimportantsymbolinIraqiculture.

Impressiveasitwas,Sargon'sempiredidn'tlast.Allempireswere(andstillare)

basedonpower,whichisbasedonthethreatofviolence:Whoeverhasthestrongestarmywillrule.TheBabylonianswerethenextpower-hungryarmytoconquerMesopotamia.

Notes

Lyric:Hammurabi, youcancallmePapi,Lyric:Hammurabi, youcancallmePapi,

Hammurabiwasanimpressivemilitaryleader

TheBabylonianarmywasledbyamightyleadernamedHammurabi(1792-1750BC).HerosetopowermuchlikehispredecessorSargon,drivingwedgesbetweenthecitiesofSumerandsystematicallyconqueringeachoneinturn.Hehadawell-trainedarmyofax-andspear-totingfootsoldiers.

Notes

4

Lyric:Hammurabi'sCodematchestoothfortooth,Lyric:Hammurabi'sCodematchestoothfortooth,

ThefamousCodeofHammurabi

Mesopotamiabecamefamousforwhatwaslongthoughtofasthefirstwrittencodeoflawsintheworld.(Historiansnowsaytherewereearliercodifiedlaws.)TheselawswerebroughtintobeingbyHammurabi.Hammurabi'sCode,etchedintoatablet,included282lawsbasedlargelyontheprincipleofretribution:Ifyoupokeoutafreeperson'seye,youreyeispokedout,too.Itmetedoutharshpunishmentsfor

crimes,especiallywhentheywerecommittedbypeopleofthelowerclass.Mesopotamiansocietywasstronglydividedbyclassanditgavemenfarmorerightsthanwomen.

Notes

Lyric:We'retheAssyrians,assassins,Lyric:We'retheAssyrians,assassins,

TheAssyrianempirearound700BC

Inabout700BCtheAssyrians,apeoplewholivedinthehillsattheendoftheTigrisRiver,movedintotheareathatHammurabihadruled.Usingiron

weapons(liketheHittitestothenorth),theysoonacquiredalloftheFertileCrescentandmuchofthesurroundingterritory.Theydidthisthewaymostconqueringhappens:bykillingpeople.Luckilyfortheirenemies,theAssyrianempirelastedlessthanacentury.

Notes

Lyric:Withthatoldbook:EpicofGilgamesh.Lyric:Withthatoldbook:EpicofGilgamesh.

TheSunGodandChaosMonster

Whenyourarmyentersacity,you,asgeneral,hadthreebasicchoices:Youcouldoccupythis,takeeverythingvaluableandleaveit,orburnittotheground.WhentheAssyriansinvadedBabylon,theychoseoptionnumber3.

Butallwasn'tlost.Oneofthegreatthingstheydidwasbuildaroyallibrary,whichhousedacopyofoneoftheoldeststorieseverwrittendown:theEpicofGilgamesh.TheEpicofGilgameshisalongpoemaboutalegendarykingnamedGilgameshwhomayormaynothaveexisted.Regardless,theepictalewrittendownmostcertainlycontainedsomemyths(made-upstories)aswell.

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5

Lyric:Nobodyruledbetter, I'mNebuchadnezzar,Lyric:Nobodyruledbetter, I'mNebuchadnezzar,

TheTowerofBabelbyPieterBruegeltheElder(1563)

TheAssyriansweretoppledinpartbytheChaldeans,whocamefrompresent-daySyria.ItwastheirKingNebuchadnezzar(605-562BC)whowasthenextgreatrulerofthearea.He

rebuiltBabylon,makingitonceagainthemostimportantcityintheregion.TheGreekhistorianHerodotusdescribeditashavingwalls56mileslongand320feethigh(thougharchaeologicalevidencehasthematabout10mileslongandnotnearlyashigh).AccordingtotheBible,thecity-centerwasdominatedbytheenormousTowerofBabel.

Notes

Lyric:SoIbuilttheHangingGardensofBabylonformyLyric:SoIbuilttheHangingGardensofBabylonformygirl,girl,

EngravingofthefabledHangingGardensofBabylon

ItwastheHangingGardensofBabylonthatbecameoneofthesevenwondersoftheancientworld.Legendhasitthattheywerebuilttoplease

Nebuchadnezzar'swife,whomissedthegreen,mountainouslandthatshecamefrom.Soherhusbandhadaterracedgarden,overflowingwithplants,constructedforher.Byallaccountsitwasextraordinary-fromadistancethegreeneryseemedsuspendedinair.Unfortunately,itwasdestroyedbyearthquakesaround200BC.

Notes

Lyric:Phoenicians:Wherewegetouralphabetfrom.Lyric:Phoenicians:Wherewegetouralphabetfrom.

ComparisonofPhoenicianalphabets

AlongtheMediterraneancoastoftheMiddleEast,auniquecivilizationwasdoingthingsalittledifferently.TheywerethePhoenicians.Oneoftheirlegaciesisourmodern-dayalphabet.TheiralphabetwasadaptedbytheGreeksand

thentheRomans;it'snottoodifferentfromtheoneweusetoday.

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Lyric:Trading,andstandingstrong.Lyric:Trading,andstandingstrong.

MapofPhoeniciantraderoutes

ThePhoeniciansrealizedthatpowerwasn'tjustabouthavingthebiggestarmy;itwasalsoabouthavingthemostmoney.SotheybuiltatradingempirethatconnectedvarioustribesandcivilizationsaroundtheMediterranean.

Butwhat'sthebestwaytogetgoodsfromoneplacetoanother?Notonricketyoldcartswherebanditscanrobyouateveryturn,butonfastships.

Notes

Lyric:Wesetsailonseas,Lyric:Wesetsailonseas,

CarvingofaPhoenicianship

ThePhoeniciansbuiltalotofimpressiveships.TheirshipsmadeitallthewaytoBritainandthewestcoastofAfrica,bringingwood,slaves,andglasstotheGreeksandNorthAfricans.

Notes

Lyric:Dyecloth,peoplelike,"Igottohavethat."Lyric:Dyecloth,peoplelike,"Igottohavethat."

Shellsofthespinydye-murex,sourceofthedye

ThePhoeniciansinventedglassblowing,butthetrulyhotproducteveryonejusthadtohavewaspurpledye.Theygotthedyefromaspecialkindofseasnailthatbasicallysneezeditout.OnlythePhoenicianslivednearthesnails,soonlytheyhadtheroyalpurpledye.Apparently,itwassoexpensive,itwasworthitsweightinsilver.Infact,the

wordPhoenicianmeans"purplepeople"inGreek.

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7

Lyric:Youdon'thavetobarter, Lydiansmadecents,Lyric:Youdon'thavetobarter, Lydiansmadecents,

ALydiancoin

InnearbyTurkeyin687BC,theLydiansrosetopower.TheirkingwasGyges,who

wasfriendlywiththeGreeks(whoweregainingpowertotheirwest).TheLydianswrotethemselvesintohistorybyissuingthefirstgoldcoins.Beforethen,nogovernmenthadevercomeupwithitsownsinglecurrency.

Notes

Lyric:BetweenEgyptandBabylon,we'retheHebrews,Lyric:BetweenEgyptandBabylon,we'retheHebrews,

A1692mapofCanaan

Meanwhile,ontheMediterraneancoastinaplaceknownasCanaan,theHebrewswereorganizingastateunderaseriesofkings.TheJewsdifferedfromotherculturesintheregionbecausetheyweremonotheistic-theyworshippedasinglegod,knownasYahweh-andtheywere

nomadic,followingtheirherds.

Notes

Lyric:Til l MosesshowedusTenCommandments.Lyric:Til l MosesshowedusTenCommandments.

Rembrandt'sMoseswiththeTenCommandments

AccordingtotheBible,theHebrewsweren'talwaysmonotheistic.Atonepointtheyworshippedmanydifferentdeities.ThatchangedwhenMosesbroughttheTenCommandmentsdownfromamountain,andtheHebrewsagreedtoworshiponlyonegod.

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8

Lyric:UntilKingSaulfinally reunitedus.Lyric:UntilKingSaulfinally reunitedus.

ProcessionofPhilistineCaptives

Inthemid-1000sBC,KingSaulunitedthem,gettingallthetribestogethertofacethePhilistines,wholivedonthesameseacoast.ThisbeganabattlethatstillcontinuestothisdayintheIsraeli-ArabconflictinMiddleEast.

Notes

Lyric:DavidbuiltJerusalem,IntheBible,hedefeatsLyric:DavidbuiltJerusalem,IntheBible,hedefeatsGoliath,yaheardofhim?Goliath,yaheardofhim?

Jerusalemtoday

AfterSaul,KingDaviddefeatedthePhilistinesandotherenemiesandconqueredthecityofJerusalem,whichhemadehiscapital.

Notes

Lyric:HissonSolomonbuiltthetemple,Lyric:HissonSolomonbuiltthetemple,

TheTempleofSolomonatthecenterofAncientJerusalem

Inabout965BC,KingSolomon,David'sson,cametopower..KingSolomonmadeHebrewcontrolovertheareacomplete.Hebuiltanempireforhispeopleand,accordingtotheBible,the

FirstTempleinJerusalem.

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9

Lyric:InventionsLyric:Inventions

Problem#1Problem#1

Wallsarepreventingmyarmiesfromenteringacitytoconquerit.

Solution

Digunderthewallstomakethemcrumble,andusebatteringrams,largelogscarriedbyseveralsoldierstoramanddestroygatesanddoors.

Inventors

TheAssyrians

Problem#2Problem#2

Bronzeisexpensivetomake.Itrequirescopperandtin,andIcan'tfindmuchofeitherone.

Solution

Useironinstead.It'snearlyasstrong,andmucheasiertoproduce.SoonthiswillstarttheIronAge,duringwhichalmostallweaponsandarmorwillbemadefromiron.

Inventors

TheHittites,theChinese

Notes

Lyric:HistorySpeaksLyric:HistorySpeaks

"Ifyoulieandthentellthetruth,thetruthwillbeconsideredalie."

-SumerianProverb

"Whenmanwantedtomakeamachinethatwouldwalk,hecreatedthewheel,whichdoesnotlooklikealeg."

-GuillaumeApollinaire

Notes

Lyric:DiscussionQuestionsLyric:DiscussionQuestions

1.WhydidhistorianscalltheFertileCrescentthecradleofcivilization?

2.Hammurabi'sCodehasbeencomparedtoanoldsayingintheBible.Whatisitthatfamiliarsayingandwhatarethesimilarities?

3.WhydoweknowGilgamesh'snamethousandsofyearsafterhisdeath?

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10

Lyric:CheckoutthecompleteFertileCrescentlessonLyric:CheckoutthecompleteFertileCrescentlessonplan.plan.

.forthecompletelessonplan.

Notes