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Mesopotamia
“The Land between Two Rivers”
Tigris and Euphrates Rivers
River Civilization
 With
your elbow partner discuss:
 Why would people group up and settle near
rivers? what challenges might they face?
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Mesopotamia
“land
between two rivers” - the
Tigris and Euphrates
the Fertile Crescent - area of rich
soil in the Middle East where the
agricultural revolution took place
Tigris and Euphrates had
unpredictable flooding
cultural diffusion
process
of a new idea or a
product spreading from one
culture to another culture as
trade began to develop from
one city-state to another
city-state
vs.
empire
city and all its surrounding lands
that function as an independent
political unit
City-states evolved into empires
Empire- controlled by a single
ruler aka a monarchy
Contributions of
Mesopotamian
Cultures
Major Groups in
Mesopotamia
Sumerians
Hebrews
Babylonians
Phoenicians
Chaldeans
Assyrians
Persians
Sumerians
Technology
 arch, wheel, plow, & sail
 astronomy
& fortune telling
 number system - 6’s & 12’s
 concept of city-state
 Ziggurat – Temple “Mountain of
 Cuneiform – Form of
writing using stylus
and wet clay tablet
God”
Babylonians
Hammurabi’s
Law Code
–1st written code of laws
imperial
government
first to build Babylon
Iron,
Hittites
chariots, hunters.
Phoenicians
alphabet
& writing with
phonetic symbols
commerce &
shipbuilding, sailing,
trade (trade =$$)
dyes and other
products
– murex
Phoenicians
 In
early civilization, explain how
creating a universal phonetic
symbols or the alphabet was a
helpful tool?
 Explain
how being an experienced
sailor was beneficial in a rising
economy for the Phoenicians?
Hebrews
(Israelites, Jews)
Monotheism
– One God
Torah--Old Testament
concept of human dignity
Judaism
warfare:
Assyrians
weapons, armor, cavalry,
tactics, catapult and other siege
tools
postal service
some roads
built city of Ninevah
improved writing
Assyrian Treasures
The
Bronze
Age
time when a people use bronze (mix
tin and copper) rather than stone,
bone, or copper
begins in 2500 BCE in Mesopotamia
polytheism
monotheism
a
a
belief in
many gods
belief in
one god
(originated with
the Hebrews –
Judaism)
EARLY LAW
CODES
Think - Pair - Share
 What
governmental systems were
established in early civilizations and why?
 What legal ideas can be traced to ancient
civilizations?
 How were religious philosophies integrated
into these ancient systems?
HAMMURABI’S
CODE OF LAWS
 first
set of written/codified laws (282)
– In cuneiform
 deal with what Mesopotamians value: family
relations, crime, and property issues
 follow “eye for an eye” philosophy
 Emphasizes
government responsibility for
society
 This document made the laws more consistent
and predictable.
LAW OF MOSES
Includes
Ten Commandments
LAW OF MOSES cont.
Transcribed
by Moses on Mt. Sinai
Sometimes resembles “eye for an
eye”
strict justice softened by
expressions of God’s mercy
Goal: moral life in accordance with
God’s laws