Download Mesopotamia Pt.2

Name:_______________________________
Civilization / Era:
MESOPOTAMIA (PT. 2) – THE
LATE BRONZE AGE
Date:_______________________________
Political Characteristics

Time Period:
1700 BC – 1100 BC
Related Key Concepts
1.2. The Neolithic Revolution and Early
Agricultural Societies
1.3. The Development and Interactions of

Early Agricultural, Pastoral, and Urban Societies
Most Important Thing to Remember:
Cosmopolitan Middle East

1500 BC – Mesopotamia divided :
-Babylonia in South (ruled for 250
yrs by Kassites who adopted
Babylonian language/culture) Capital
at Babylon.
Traded for resources; no conquest.
-Assyria in North – Capital at Ashur.
Aggressive & expansionist.
-Hittites in Anatolia (Turkey) –
Capital at Hattusha. Encouraged to
expand via use of iron weapons.
Originally, Mesopotamia featured
independent-minded city-states
Late Bronze Age sees large-scale
states focused on trade & military
conquest
Achievements (Cultural)

Old core Mesopotamia art &
architecture widely adopted, adapted,
or imitated across region
Religious Characteristics (Cultural)

Old core Mesopotamia beliefs &
practices widely adopted, adapted, or
imitated across region
Larger-scale states
Technological Characteristics (Cultural)


Iron weapons – 1st use credited to
Hittites, a huge advantage over bronze
(helped enable their dominance over
Anatolia & NW Mesopotamia)
Cuneiform – Old core Mesopotamia
writings widely adopted, adapted, or
imitated across region
Interaction with Environment
Economic Characteristics

Refer to MESOPOTAMIA (Ch 1 Notes)
Social Characteristics
Regional states now pursuing trade as
means to acquire raw materials, exotic
goods, and resources
Refer to MESOPOTAMIA (Ch 1 Notes)