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» 3500 BCE – 395 CE » 2 of the World’s first great civilizations » They developed around the same time » Mesopotamia = The land between 2 rivers » Is located between the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers, in an area know as the fertile crescent (known as Iraq today) » One of the great city-states , part of ancient Mesopotamia » Had a magnificent court and a highly sophisticated society with soldiers, court servants, musicians, and many others » Had a profound belief in the afterlife (Leonard Wooley’s discovery) » For almost 3,000 years, city-states and empires rose and fell in Mesopotamia » Some of the empires were Sumer, Babylonia, Assyria, and Chaldea » People of the region made many important contributions that other civilizations in the ancient world would build upon » Which is why today we consider Mesopotamia a “cradle of civilization” » Ancient Mesopotamia lay in what we know today as Iraq, northeast Syria, and part of southeast Turkey » Mesopotamia was home to many different peoples and cultural groups » Lay at the crossroads of 3 continents – Africa, Asia, and Europe » The South had many issues with living where they did – Flat flood plain, hot & dry summers, droughts that killed crops and caused famines, flooding and sudden downpours which turned the plains into mud, and lastly the flooding hindered travel and communication » As people learned to control the flooding, drain the land, and irrigate the soil, the region produced excellent results » The north had it much better » Rainfall was more reliable & helped produce superb farmland » Rivers fan faster and rarely flooded » Forest covered foothills and mountains which helped with animal life » There were cattle, gazelles, antelopes, wild boars, sheep, and goats » These people were also closer to the resources of the surrounding region, such as tin and gold Think about the advantages….. There are many! Pg. 38 Questions 1-4 » 3,500-1,900 BCE » The Sumerians came down the banks of the Euphrates and Tigris rives sometime around 3,500 BCE from the mountains of the NE. » Had small farming communities which eventually grew into the first great cities of the world. » The first thousand years Sumerians lived in independent city states, ruled by separate kings. » Eridu is considered to be the first city founded by their gods » 1,900-1,300 BCE » NS river trade and trade with Arabia, India, Persia, and Asia Minor increase » The most significant ruler of the first dynasty was King Hammurabi (1792 BCE) who created the first code of law » Were great traders and they enriched their cultures and those that they met » Kassites from the east conquer the area and rule the valley until they are displaced by the Assyrians (1,555 BCE) » 1,300-609 BCE » Learned Iron work from another culture » Their library contained 22,000 clay tablets, all of these tablets were Math and Science related » Mythological and Royal beliefs that were important to them » Known for committing wartime atrocities against unarmed civilians and treating conquered armies with cruelty » 609-530 BCE » A king, Nebuchadnezzar, was noted in the bible as a warrior king » The King conquered Judah, and destroyed Jerusalem, and took many Jews back to Babylon as prisoners » This empire fell to invaders, Cyrus of Persia who eventually took over Chaldea » This group killed the king and the guards of Chaldea, but spared the city » The Persians became new rulers of the growing International world » There are 2 view points as to why the city-states of Sumer declined Viewpoint 1 – Following the death of Sargon, waves of invaders fought for the best settled lands and the empire began to fall apart. Viewpoint 2 – In an attempt to manage their environment, the Sumerians constructed hundreds of KM’s of canals to irrigate their fields. Unfortunately, these canals carried not only fertile silt to the fields, but also became so salty that nothing at all could be grown. Without an adequate food supply, the city-states of Sumer went into decline. » In the early history of Sumer, free citizens elected an assembly to run the government » The assembly consisted of 2 houses an upper and a lower house » The upper contained the wealthiest citizens, while the lower contained soldiers » These members chose judges who were responsible for enforcing laws, and selected the military leaders in time of war » The role of King was created when wars became more frequent » The people believed they needed strong leaders at all times of the year » Most Kings considered themselves to be living representatives of a particular god, thus the system of government in Mesopotamia was a Theocracy » What is a Theocracy? (Pg. 484) » The earliest Kings were elected, however once people began to consider the Kings as Gods, the crown passed from father to son » This marked the beginning of dynasties or hereditary monarchies in Mesopotamia » The Assyrian Kings were among the most powerful leaders in all of Mesopotamia » Since they eventually ruled an empire from the Persian Gulf to the Nile River, their far reaching authority was almost a necessity » They acted as first judge in the land, supervisor of all canal construction, and protector of all farmers and shepherds within their territory » In times of War, they were present, and took personal charge of the operation » The Assyrians faced frequent rebellion from their people » They dealt with this by resettlement (Pg. 49) » What did this policy do? » Both the Sumerians and the Babylonians developed law codes » This was an attempt to collect, organize, and record all existing laws so that there would be one common code for all citizens of the empire » An early code was developed in Ur, where laws were applied differently to different classes of people » Nobles found guilty were treated more harshly then the commoner who committed the same crime » The most important legal legacy was the law code established by Hammurabi, King of Babylonia » This code had 282 different laws, organized under headings such as trade, family, labour, real estate, and personal property » The code distinguished between minor crime and major crime Hammurabi’s Code » The code established 3 very important legal principles 1) It asserted that the state is the authority responsible for enforcing the law 2) It confirmed that social justice should be guaranteed to all citizens 3) It promoted the idea that the punishment should fit the crime The basic principle behind Hammurabi’s Code: “An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.” What example is used on Pg. 49? » Pg. 46 -> Questions 2 & 3 » Pg. 51 -> Questions 1-3(a) » Read Pg. 50 and answer the following: » Do you consider Hammurabi’s laws fair and just or harsh and unjust? What are the main differences between this code of laws and our own today? » Legend – A story retold from the past that is widely accepted as true. » Why do civilizations create legends? » The legend of the “great flood” tried to address a mystery that dates from an early period in this civilizations history » The mystery is , there was a short period where the clay tablets of the kings ceased to be produced » This legend made sense to people, even though it did not explain why the wrath of god was unleashed » The Mesopotamian gods were considered anthropomorphic » Which means they had the traits and appearances of human beings » Though they were thought of as immortal they still lived like everyone else » Although when a flood would strike a riverbank, people believed that one of the gods was angry » It was also believed that Mesopotamians were polytheistic , which means they worshipped many gods » It is believed Sumerians for example worshipped over 3,000 different gods » There were 4 main gods, god of air, god of heaven, god of earth and water, and god of heaven » In Sumerian view, the gods lived in the skies or heavens and ruled over the earth » It was believed that the earth was a gloomy underworld where the dead were entombed » The god of Enlil (god of air) provided all the universal laws that governed everything in the universe, though he broke one of the laws himself and was banished for a time to the underworld! » The Babylonians replaced many of the Sumerian gods with their own, although their functions remained much the same » The Assyrians also recognized many of the same gods as the Sumerians, but worshipped as well a chief god, Ashur » Ashur was lord of heaven and earth and creator of the world » All of the Assyrian kings were closely associated with Ashur » One of the other most popular gods among Assyrians was the mother goddess, Ishtar, the goddess of love and fertility and the mistress of battle » These were built to house the gods in Mesopotamian society » The people believed that the gods lived in the heavens and in high places such as on the summits of mountains, but they also believed that they came down to earth, hence these tall fascinating structures » These buildings were dedicated in the gods honour and food was placed in the shrine daily for the gods to eat while they were in the temple » These were the most important structures in any Sumerian city » The Ziggurat in Ur, built by King Ur-Nammu in about 2,110 BCE was used for over 1,500 years » These were often the center of the city US Soldiers climb the Ziggurat of Ur in 2010 » The people of Mesopotamia feared death » They believed that once they died they entered a bleak underworld that was a land of no return » Sources refer to it as a place where they would live alone, and in darkness. Therefore it was important for people to bring their most prized possessions with them into the afterlife » When a King died, the people’s fear of death increased because they believed it was a bad omen for the future of the Country » Leonard Woolley’s discovery at Ur that we previously discussed revealed that the Mesopotamians would bury servants of a dead king or queen in the tomb as well » The belief was that a royal person should not go on to the afterlife alone » In the later period, only statues of servants were buried in the tomb » In Mesopotamia the King’s were at the peak of the social pyramid » The next on the list was the Priests and Scribes » Obviously the priests were influential because of the influence of religion » The scribes were educated, they were able to read and write » The merchant and Artisans were the traders and craftspeople » They traded up and down the Tigres and Euphrates rivers, and even farther into Egypt, Cyprus, and Lebanon » The common people earned their living from the land as farmers » Close family ties were important, and although the husband was the head of the family, women of Mesopotamia enjoyed more rights than in most other ancient civilizations » Slaves, who performed household labour and various chores, were at the bottom of the social pyramid and had no rights » They were identified by a single name only; when they lost their freedom their family name was taken away » In Mesopotamia there were two types of slaves » The first group included prisoners captured in battles against foreign cities » The second group included debtors who sold themselves, or members of their family, into slavery for a number of years to pay off the debt » In general, most masters treated their slaves well, but the slaves were expected to work long and hard » Pg. 56 -> Questions 1-3 » Pg. 58 -> Questions 1-3 » The family was considered important and the birth of a child was a welcome event » The father was considered the head of the family, and had unlimited authority over his children (he owned his children) » Women were highly respected, could own land and property, and could also set up their own businesses » However, they could not vote or rule, and were not considered equal to men » In upper class families, women stayed in a separate part of the house » Traditionally, marriages were arranged for their sons and daughters when the children were still in their teens » After their wedding day the couple usually lived in the household of the husband, until the couple was old enough to set up a household on their own, or if the family was wealthy, until the father died and they were granted the estate » Although monogamy was the rule in Mesopotamia, some men took in secondary wives called concubines » These were often members of the slave class and were tolerated within the household and society » Boys of the wealthiest families began to attend school at age 8 or 9 » Children in lower class families were taught the skills at home » Boys learned specific trades, while girls were taught to be wives and mothers » School day ran from sunrise to sunset, and discipline was very strict » The city-states in Sumer were surrounded by thick, high walls of mud brick » Inside the walls were streets, public squares, and marketplaces » The temple, the most sacred building, was always located in the center and served as the focus of most activities » Made from sun-dried brick with a low door and a few windows » An outside staircase led to a flat roof where people often slept on during hot nights » Inside was a single room, which was cool but poorly lighted » We know more about their dwellings because they could afford to build with kiln-dried rather than sun-dried brick » They were more permanent which have allowed archaeologists to determine more accurately what the homes looked like » Using your text book sketch the layout of what you think a wealthy Sumerian home would look like » In your diagram you must include the following: - Entrance & entrance hall - Central court - Kitchen - Slave quarters - Master bedroom & Guest room - Storage area & Lavatory (bathroom) » The Sumerians were the first people to harness animals to their ploughs » They also were the first to add a seed drill to the plough » However, their most significant invention was the system of dams and canals that they developed to control the flood waters and to irrigate their fields » Rushing floodwaters were a major concern, the government even hired irrigators to help keep the large canals clear » In the Northern areas they did not need as much irrigation to grow crops » Even still, the Assyrians developed a system of irrigation » Agriculture was closely linked to political and social organizations » In Sumer, people believed that the land surrounding a city-state belonged to the god of that city state » Since priests were the voice of the gods, the priests leased the land out to the farmers » Sumerian farmers were expected to return 1/3 of the proceeds to the god of the city-state » Then 1/3 to the king to help finance the gov’t » The final 1/3 was theirs to keep, even though the gov’t still taxed them on their profit » Between 2,500 & 2,360 BCE priests raised the taxes and confiscated the land of any farmer who failed to pay up » These actions enraged the farmers! » Later on this system was deemed unfair, and much of the land was returned to the farmers » During the time of Babylonia and Hammurabi, individuals were allowed to own a large portion of land around the cities » With the high amount of agriculture production in Mesopotamia not everyone had to farm » There were work rooms created within the low walls of the ziggurats » Here you would find the following: - Military dress - Potters spinning clay - Carpenters making agricultural tools - Wagons and ships - Weavers producing woolen textiles - Metal workers » Small boats made of reeds and inflated goatskins, called keleks, carried goods up and down the Euphrates and Tigris rivers and along the coast of Arabia and India » Babylonian merchant caravans ventured far into Persia and Asia Minor » The Sumerians, Babylonians, and Assyrians were enthusiastic traders » In time, small trading centers in Ashur and Nineveh became major market centers where people would purchase linens from Egypt, pearls from the Red Sea, and iron weapons from Anatolia (part of Turkey) »Pg. 65 »Questions 1, 3 & 4 » The Cuneiform language – One of the earliest forms of writing and was based on picture signs (pg. 67 in text) » This language probably developed for the need to keep accurate records in trade and agriculture » People wrote Cuneiform on mud or clay tablets and then baked them like a brick » At first these were written in columns and wrote right to left » As time passed symbols are clearly written left to right » Why the change? » In long narrative poems or epics, the people of Mesopotamia preserved ancient legends and passed on religious teachings, accounts of disasters, and stories of their heroes » Epic of Gilgamesh (pg. 68) » Almost everyone owned a small statue of one of the gods » Nearly all of the statues depict a man standing quietly with hands clasped in prayer » Mosaics were often used to tell a story » One of the most famous one’s was found by Leonard Wooley during his excavations of Ur in 1922 - A standard is a symbol of the power or authority of the king - In modern times, we often use a flag as a standard of king or country » There were Mosaic’s of battle, which showed soldiers bringing back prisoners of war to their king » Some of the soldiers were depicted riding in four-wheel chariots » The depiction of these vehicles is the earliest evidence we have of the use of the wheel! » Relief carvings on buildings were another important art form » In some cases they depicted mythical animals or figures; in other cases, they portrayed an important king » Pg. 70 » Questions 1-3 » The Sumerians invented the wheel, and it has been dubbed Mesopotamia’s most important technological advance » Farmers were able to transport 3-4x the weight in crops and produce » The invention of the wheel led to pulleys which made it easier to raise water from wells, helping with the irrigation process » The wheel also led to the potters wheel, beginning fine pottery » It is thought Sumerians created Bronze by accidently smelting copper and tin together » They acquired these two metals in trades with other nations » Bronze was an expensive metal to produce but easier to work with » Bronze took over from stone as the primary medal for roughly 2000 years » It was eventually replaced by iron, which the Assyrian’s used in Mesopotamia » The Sumerians could count in 10’s and 100’s, but they preferred to use 60 as their arithmetical unit » Why 60? (pg. 71) » Math was extremely important to the Sumerians political and economic systems » They used math to help build canals, keep accurate records of farming and trading, and calculate taxes owed to the state » From the Sumerians we have received the 360 degree circle, the 60 min hour, and the 60 second minute » The ancient Mesopotamians believed the stars controlled the forces of heaven » They used various groups of stars and their movements to predict the future » Astronomers studying the stars worked out a lunar calendar of 12 months » Their year was divided into 2 seasons, emesh (summer), and enten (winter) » The Chaldeans even used the stars to determine direction on land or at sea Homework » Pg. 72 » Questions 1-3 Test Tuesday, October 22 (Review Day Friday)