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Mesopotamia, the First Civilization Lesson 2 The First Civilization • Mesopotamia (land between rivers) – Oldest of the early civilizations – Located in the valley of the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers – Began c. 3500 B.C.E • Location in the Modern World – In the Middle East, in Iraq The Fertile Crescent • Mesopotamia located between the Tigris and Euphrates rivers • Part of the Fertile Crescent • Fertile means “good for plants to grow in” The Fertile Crescent • Rich farmland that reached fro the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea north to the Syrian Desert and south to the Persian Gulf • 5000 B.C.E, people call Sumerians settled in southern Mesopotamia – Became known as Sumer The Fertile Crescent • Sumerians built cities out of mud and clay • 3500 B.C.E, Sumerian cities of Ur, Nippur, and Eridu had thousands of people living in them Check for Understanding Match each term with a description from below. a. b. c. d. e. Site of the earliest civilization Rivers in Mesopotamia Cities in Sumer Rich farmland on the Mediterranean Sea Settlers in southern Mesopotamia 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. Fertile Crescent Mesopotamia Sumerians Ur and Eridu Tigris and Euphrates Sumerian Achievements • When we refer to the earliest Mesopotamian civilization, we are actually referring to the Sumerian civilization • Sumerians were very inventive…they added 3 great achievements to early human history The Wheel • Before people had to move objects by hand or logs • Sumerian wheels were made by attaching wooden planks together in a circle – Then they could be added to carts Irrigation and Flood Control • Sumerians needed a way to keep crops watered during dry summers. Also needed protection from river floods. • Sumerians dug canals and built dams to water crops and to control flooding. Written Language • Earliest writing used pictures to stand for words – Not effective way of expressing thoughts • Sumerians invented cuneiform – Wedge-shaped marks • A scribe used a sharp stick and pressed it into a tablet of wet clay to make their marks – Tablet then left in the sun to dry Other Inventions • Number system based on 60 • Lunar calendar based on the phases of the moon • Sail • Plow Check for Understanding • True of False 1. The Sumerians invented the calendar 2. The Sumerians invented the wheel Sumerian City-States • 12 cities in Sumer – Each city is referred to as a city state • City-states often grew quite large – City of Ur, 2500 BCE had about 20,000 people • 2000 BCE had about 200,000 people • The most important building in each city-state was the ziggurat Check for Understanding True or False • Sumerian city-states were not very large • City-states often went to war with other citystates • A city-state included the land around the city and any nearby villages Life in Sumer • Highest ranking class was the noble class – King, king’s family, priests, and priestesses • Most Sumerians were commoners – Merchants, scribes, farmers, and skilled workers – Below commoners were labors • Class of people who worked for the nobles Life in Sumer • Men had most of the power – Women were allowed by law to own property, start new businesses, or take over their husbands’ business – Could also hold important positions • School day was long – Beginning at sunrise, ending at sunset – Students were beaten if they were late, talked when they shouldn’t, and even if their clothes were messy The City of Akkad and the First Empire • City-states sometimes warred with each other • Akkad – City north of Sumer – People = Akkadians – Came to Mesopotamia from the deserts at the edge of the Fertile Crescent – Learned Sumerian writing, followed the Sumerian religion and the Sumerian law The City of Akkad and the First Empire • Famous king names Sargon the Great – Wanted LOTS of power • By 2350 B.C.E, Sargon ruled all the Akkadian cities – Went on to control all the cities of Sumer – By doing this he set up the world’s first empire – His empire lasted for about 200 years Check for Understanding • What was Akkad? • Describe who King Sargon was. The City of Babylon: A New Empire 2000 B.C.E, Mesopotamia was invaded by the Amorites • C. – Built village on Euphrates river called Babylon • Great ruler of Babylon was Hammurabi – Power hungry – By 1790, conquered other city-states and formed the Babylonian Empire The City of Babylon: A New Empire • Hammurabi’s greatest contribution was the Code of Hammurabi – Single set of laws for every person in his empire • Code of Hammurabi contains over 280 laws • http://www.brainpop.com/socialstudies/worl dhistory/sumerians/