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Mesopotamia Study Guide
I.
Mesopotamia means LAND BETWEEN THE RIVERS
A. The EUPHRATES River is to the west, and the TIGRIS River is to the east. It is therefore
located in the river VALLEY which is an area of land less than 500 feet above sea level. This
flatland is also called a FLOODPLAIN. Both of these rivers empty in the PERSIAN Gulf.
Today, the country of IRAQ is located here.
B. Mesopotamia is located within the FERTILE CRESCENT which is an area of rich farmland
which stretches from the MEDITERRANEAN Sea to the PERSIAN Gulf. The soil here was
full of nutrients because when the rivers FLOODED they left behind fertile SOIL.
C. The location of Mesopotamia has had very important effects on the lives of the people who
have lived there.
a. The rivers provided FRESH WATER which was especially important since this
region is quite ARID or hot and dry.
b. They also provided FOOD in the form of FISH and wild FOWL which came to the
river to drink.
c. They also provided TRANSPORTATION and TRADE routes because the area had
few roads.
d. They also provided rich soil called silt for FARMING.
e. Mesopotamians used MUD from the rivers to mix with straw to make BRICKS to
build houses and erect WALLS around their city-states.
f. The mud was also used to make POTTERY to store water and transport things.
The proximity to rivers had its negatives though because the area was highly desired by many groups
following its first inhabitants which were the SUMERIANS.
II. The Four Ingredients to Sumerian Civilization
A.
SPECIALIZATION of LABOR - different people do different jobs
1.
FARMERS
a.
Grains – wheat and barley
b.
DATES - used for MANY different purposed
2.
POTTERS
a.
Wheel was invented in Mesopotamia around 3500 B.C.
b.
Their products add greatly to our understanding of their culture
3.
SCRIBES
a.
Had the ability to read and write the world’s first PICTOGRAPHIC writing
system. Later this picture-writing evolved into CUNEIFORM which means
WEDGE-shaped
b.
This job was for MEN only. They were thought to be chosen by the GODS.
c.
People with this difficult job were highly RESPECTED.
4.
BUILDERS
a.
Constructed mud-brick walls around the city-states for PROTECTION.
b.
Built large temples called ZIGGURATS to worship their gods and function as
a kind of city HALL because citizens paid TAXES here to the PRIESTS who
were the only people allowed to enter.
c.
Built CANALS which controlled flood waters and helped IRRIGATE the dry
farmlands.
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Name ________________________________
Mesopotamia Study Guide
B.
C.
D.
A System of Writing
1.
Many people needed a writing system
a.
Governmental leaders
i.
For TAXATION
ii.
For MILITARY service
b.
MERCHANTS to keep track of their trading activities
c.
PROPERTY owners to keep track of their land holdings
d.
PRIESTS to write down religious traditions
2.
Tools needed for writing CUNEIFORM
a.
A STYLUS made out of REED which acted like a pen
b.
A CLAY-tablet
i.
SUN-dried
ii.
BAKED in an oven
iii.
Those found tell us about Sumerian GOVERNMENT, RELIGION,
wars, and BUILDING projects.
iv.
Thousands were discovered in the libraries of the Assyrian capital of
NINEVEH.
Government with an Organized Set of Laws
1.
Divided into about 12 separate states called CITY-STATES which are cities and their
surrounding FARM land.
a.
Each city-state BELONGED to a different GOD or GODDESS who owned the
land and controlled the yearly FLOOD
b.
Each city-state had its own ZIGGURAT
2.
Sumerians believed that gods controlled EVERYTHING that happened so PRIESTS
had great power.
a.
Maintained the IRRIGATION system.
b.
Collected and stored the SURPLUS grain.
c.
Owned large herds of SHEEP and CATTLE.
3.
KINGS became more important military leaders as disagreements among city-states
increased.
a.
TRAINED citizens to fight to protect the city-state.
b.
Decided how much military equipment was made.
c.
Kingship was soon passed down through hereditary lines to the eldest SON.
A Population to Support a Culture over a Long Period of Time
IV. Sumerian society was well-ordered and therefore lasted for about 1000 years.
V. As food production increased so did the POPULATION. This caused LANDOWNERS to
move inside the city walls for protection. This led to larger cities which meant more trade
and the need for more laws which further helped to unify the CULTURE of the
Sumerians.
III. Important Sumerian Contributions to History
A. The WHEEL around 3500 B.C.
B. The PLOW around 6000 B.C.
C. The SAIL boat D. The 12-month CALENDAR
E. A number system based on 60
F. The ARCH
G. Probably the most important was cuneiform decoded by Henry
RAWLINSON, an Englishman who found the writing on the side of a cliff in present-day IRAN.
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Name ________________________________
Mesopotamia Study Guide
IV. Six Different Cultures that Dominated Mesopotamia in Chronological Order
A. 3500 B.C. – 2300 B.C. ----Sumerian Civilization
B. 2334 B.C. - 2279 B.C. ----Sargon of Akkad (Akkadian Empire)
1. Swept SOUTH conquering the warring Sumerian city-states one by one.
AKKAD.
Created the world’s first EMPIRE which is a group of different people under one leader.
Allowed the people to still worship SUMERIAN gods.
Adopted CUNEIFORM the language of the Sumerian people.
Ruled for over 50 years.
When he died his empire was basically over so the SUMERIAN city-states arose
2. United Sumer and
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
again.
C. 2000 B.C. – 1700 B.C. ----Babylonian Empire
AMORITES entered the valley and made BABYLON their capital.
Rather than destroying Sumerian culture they ADOPTED much of it.
Babylonian society was WELL-organized
1. The
2.
3.
a. Highest Level
SOLDIERS
ii. PRIESTS
iii. LANDOWNERS
i.
b. Middle Level
ARTISANS
ii. MERCHANTS
iii. FARMERS
i.
c. Lowest Level
i.
ii.
POOR
SLAVES
HAMMURABI
He carried out many REFORMS which are positive changes. They promoted
JUSTICE and applied it to ALL people. He believed that all citizens deserved to
know the laws and PUNISHMENTS for breaking them.
4. The most famous Babylonian king was
a.
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Mesopotamia Study Guide
IRRIGATION system for better farming.
He raised the god of BABYLON, MARDUK, above all others. This
helped the people become more UNITED.
He made the TAX system fairer.
He began a HOUSING system.
He is most famous for his system of laws called the CODE of
HAMMURABI This is a complete system of 282 laws which he borrowed from
b. He improved the
c.
d.
e.
f.
all parts of his empire.
i. Covered almost all areas of daily life.
EYE for an EYE, TOOTH for a TOOTH
iii. The defendant was INNOCENT until proven GUILTY
iv. Punishments ranged from fines to DEATH (No PRISON terms)
v. The LOWER class was punished more severely.
ii.
D. From 1700 B.C. – 900 B.C No one group dominated Mesopotamia
E. 900 B.C. – 630 B.C. ----The Assyrian Empire
1. Swept through Mesopotamia from the NORTH
2. Why were the Assyrians able to conquer the Babylonians still in Mesopotamia?
a. They didn’t have to worry about IRRIGATION in their homeland because they had plenty of
rain.
b. They had a major TRADING center which brought them great wealth.
c. Their land was rich in METALS which meant that they quickly developed the art of metalcrafting or SMELTING.
i. Used CHARIOTS pulled by horses.
ii. Used SPEARS, swords, and arrows made from IRON.
iii. Used HELMETS and CHEST GUARDS as protection.
iv. Used TERROR as a weapon.
b. The Assyrians made their capital the walled-city of NINEVEH which was in the NORTHERN
part of Mesopotamia. ASHURBANIPAL was their most famous leader. He ruled for over 40
years.
a. The city had a large PALACE with stone carvings of their religious RITES and BATTLES.
b. The city had a large LIBRARY which held over 22,000 clay tablets written in CUNEIFORM
which preserved much information about the SUMERIANS and BABYLONIANS.
4. Their empire didn’t last long because their leaders treated the people badly which led to a
REVOLT or internal uprising.
F. 612 B.C. – 550 B.C. The Medes controlled the northern lands. The CHALDEANS ruled
Mesopotamia.
The Chaldean King NEBUCHADNEZZAR II rebuilt the capital city of BABYLON.
1. Some think that he may have built the biblical ziggurat, The TOWER of BABEL.
2. He also ruled for over 40 years.
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Name ________________________________
Mesopotamia Study Guide
3. He took over 50,000 Jews from Jerusalem and forced them into EXILE in Babylon.
4. He built one of the 7 Wonders of the Ancient World, The HANGING GARDENS of Babylon for
his MEDIAN (PERSIAN) wife who was homesick.
G. 550 B.C. – 330 B.C. ----The Persian Empire
1. Nomads who first settled in modern-day IRAN which is EAST of Mesopotamia.
2. CYRUS the Great conquered the Medes in 550 B.C. and the Chaldeans (NEO-BABYLONIANS)
in 539 B.C. Altogether he ruled the largest empire known at that time for about 30 years. It
stretched from GREECE to INDIA.
3. Cyrus the Great had a policy of TOLERATION. This meant that conquered people basically just
had to pay TRIBUTE or taxes to him. Other than that they could continue to follow their own
CUSTOMS and beliefs. In fact, he was mentioned 23 times in the Bible and was responsible for
freeing the EXILES from Babylon where they had been held captive for around 50 years.
4. DARIUS I was the next important emperor for the Persians. He split the huge empire into 20
PROVINCES or satrapies. Each satrapy was ruled by a governor or SATRAP.
5. Like Cyrus, Darius practiced great TOLERATION. He allowed people in his empire to have their
own RELIGION, LANGUAGE, and CUSTOMS.
6. Darius had the ROYAL ROAD built. It connected the people of the empire.
7. He also had COINS minted.
8. He had a large inscription of his military conquests carved into the cliffs at BEHISTUN.
The awesome war machine ALEXANDER the Great ended Persian rule around 330 B.C.
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