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Mesopotamia Review
Mesopotamia is the first known
civilization. Mesopotamia means “land
between two rivers”. This civilization
began on the plains between the Tigris
and Euphrates Rivers. This curving strip
of farmland is called the Fertile
Crescent. Early farmers used water
from these rivers to water their crops.
Taming the
rivers…
Sometimes the rivers were too low and
other times violent floods swept away
crops. The flooded rivers left silt on the
plains which was very rich for plants.
Over time, the people learned how to
build dams to control the floods. They
built canals to channel the water where
needed. This was called irrigation.
Sumer
▪ Several cities developed in Sumer. Ur, Uruk, and Eridu were the centers of the
Sumerian civilization. These cities were independent and formed the first city-states.
These city-states were protected by a great wall around each one.
▪ These cities often warred with each other over land.
▪ The people of Sumer worshipped many gods which is called polytheism. Each citystate claimed one god as their special one.
▪ To honor the gods, they built ziggurats. This was a large temple with a holy place on
top.
▪ At first priests ruled the city but eventually Sumerian kings claimed the power. Their
rule became hereditary.
Writing
▪ Writing was the most important
contribution to the world. Sumerians
kept records and history with writing.
▪ Writing was cuneiform which was
wedge shaped characters which were
made on clay tablets.
▪ Only a few people learned how to write
and read cuneiform—the scribes.
▪ The first great epic was written in
cuneiform about Gilgamesh a
legendary king of Sumer.
Technology and Mathematics
▪ Sumerians made the first wheel. They
built the first carts which were pulled
by donkeys. They also introduced the
chariot.
▪ Sumerians developed the sailboat.
They also invented the wooden plow,
potter’s wheel, and bronze.
▪ They used geometry, created a placevalue system based on 60 such as the
60 minute hour and 360 degree circle.
They also made a 12-month calendar
based on the cycles of the moon.
The First Empires
▪ Rulers of northern Mesopotamia and
neighboring Syria took over
Sumer and built empires.
An empire is a group of lands under
one ruler.
▪
The kingdom of Akkad developed in
the north. Sargon ruled Akkad and
conquered all Sumerian cities, which
made him the world’s first emperor.
▪ Sargon ruled all the peoples of
Mesopotamia.
Hammurabi
▪ The Amorites conquered Mesopotamia
and made their capital Babylon.
▪ Hammurabi was the King of this
Babylonian Empire.
▪ Hammurabi was a just ruler known for
his code of laws. The Code of
Hammurabi was strict and demanded
“an eye for an eye” justice.
▪ Hammurabi had his code posted so all
could see the laws and the
punishments.
▪ The Assyrian Empire arose after the empire of Hammurabi.
▪ The Assyrians had a large and powerful army made up of foot
soldiers, horse soldiers, charioteers, and archers.
▪ They took tribute, forced payments, from conquered people.
▪ The Assyrians mastered iron production which made their
weapons stronger.
▪ Assyrian kings divided their land into provinces and built roads to
connect them. They built their lives on learning from the
Mesopotamian people. They had law codes, writing, and
worshipped gods. They built temples and wrote stories.
▪ The Assyrian king Ashurbanipal built one of the world’s first
libraries in Ninevah.
The Chaldean Empire
▪ After about 300 years, fighting broke
out over who would be the next
Assyrian ruler.
▪ A group of people known as the
Chaldeans stepped in and took over.
▪ Nabopolasser and his son,
Nebuchadnezzar created the Chaldean
Empire. The city of Babylon was their
capital.
▪ King Nebuchadnezzar made Babylon
the largest, richest city in the world.
▪ He built a huge ziggurat with a gold
roof and gardens of greenery at the
top. This Hanging
Gardens of Babylon could be seen from
all over the city.
▪ Merchants came to Babylon in
caravans to trade and Babylon grew
wealthy.
Scientific Advancements
▪ Chaldean astronomers mapped the stars, planets, and phases of the moon.
▪ They invented one of the first sundials to measure time.
▪ They were also the first to follow a seven-day week.
The Fall of the Empire
▪ After Nebuchadnezzar died, a series of
weak kings ruled the empire.
▪ Poor harvests and slow trade
weakened the empire.
▪ The Persians recognized that the
Chaldeans had lost their strength and
leadership. They took advantage and
captured Babylon and made it part of
their great empire.
Do you remember??
▪ What made the soil rich after the
floods in Mesopotamia?
▪ Sumerians developed a 12-month
calendar by recording what?
▪ Who developed the first empire in
Mesopotamia?
▪ What did Assyrians demand from
conquered people?
▪ What did the astronomers of Babylon
map?
▪ How do you think the Tigris and
Euphrates rivers helped the formation
of the empires of Mesopotamia?
▪ Why were the Persians wise to not
destroy what the Chaldeans had
accomplished?
▪ Why do you think traders traveled in
caravans?
▪ How did iron contribute to the Assyrian
army’s effectiveness?
Bellwork January 5
▪ 4. First civilizations started here because conditions were good forfarming.
Sea
1.
mountains
river valleys
desert
What describes the importance of the agricultural revolution?
Steady food supplies meant growing population
Warrior-kings founded city-states
All people became farmers
Groups began using stone tools
Joke: Where do you put smart hot dogs?
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