Survey
* Your assessment is very important for improving the workof artificial intelligence, which forms the content of this project
Download ANCIENT MESOPOTAMIA- “THE LAND BETWEEN THE RIVERS”
Document related concepts
Transcript
ANCIENT MESOPOTAMIA: “THE LAND BETWEEN TWO RIVERS” GEOGRAPHY • in the Fertile Crescent • between the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers, both of which flow into the Persian Gulf • located in present day Iraq Mesopotamia ANCIENT MESOPOTAMIA GEOGRAPHY POSITIVES • abundant amount of clay • easy till-able soil • water supply from TigrisEuphrates Rivers NEGATIVES • few natural resources • minimal protection from deserts and mountains CITY-STATE: a self-governing unit made up of a city and its surrounding villages and farmlands ANCIENT MESOPOTAMIA-SUMERIAN CIVILIZATION • BELIEVED TO BE SETTLED CA. 3000 B.C. • DIVIDED INTO CITY-STATES • HELPED TO DEVELOP THE FIRST FORM OF ORGANIZED RELIGION • CREATED ONE OF THE EARLIEST FORMS OF WRITING ANCIENT MESOPOTAMIA- SUMERIAN CITY-STATES • ALWAYS IN CONSTANT CONFLICT OVER WATER RIGHTS AND LAND • CREATED WALLS FOR PROTECTION WITH MOATS ALONG THE OUTSIDE • FARMS WERE LOCATED ALONG THE OUTSIDE OF THE CITY Sumerians invented: • the wheel • units of time – 60 minutes in an hour and 60 seconds in a minute • a 12 month lunar calendar • the arch • the ramp ANCIENT MESOPOTAMIA- SUMERIAN RELIGION • Each city-state had their own gods and goddesses, but the Sun gods were the most important. • Life after death was an extension of life. Ziggurats • • • • large pyramid shaped structures temples of the main gods thought to be connected to heaven and earth Ziggurat: “center for learning and religion” Ziggurat – Holy Mountain How to Build a Ziggurat http://www.mesopotamia.co.uk/ziggurats/challenge/cha_set.html Sumerian Religion • Monotheism: worshiping one god. – “Mono” – means one • Polytheism: worshiping many gods. – “Poly” – means many Writing: Cuneiform ANCIENT MESOPOTAMIA- SUMERIAN WRITING • CALLED CUNEIFORM (LATIN FOR WEDGE) • WRITTEN ON CLAY TABLETS • NEEDED FOR RELIGION, GOVERNMENT AND TRADE • LEARNED IN SCHOOL BY MALES How is cuneiform created? by pressing a pointed stylus into a clay tablet cuneiform ANCIENT MESOPOTAMIA- SUMERIAN ECONOMY • Make, sell or barter goods. • Trade helped expansion. • Development of money… – Will evolve over time. ANCIENT MESOPOTAMIA- SUMERIAN ECONOMY RICH • government officials • religious leaders • traders POOR • farmers • craftsman ANCIENT MESOPOTAMIA- SUMERIAN PASTIMES • Entertainment – No longer had to hunt and gather. – More time for fun times. • Rich had more time than poor. • Activities: – BOARD GAMES – INSTRUMENTS – BARE FISTED BOXING • Activities geared toward young and used for socializing. The invention of Agriculture changed the way people lived. • agriculture (farming) • growth of cities • division of labor (specialization) • trade • writing and mathematics Persians Akkadians Babylonians Sumeria Hittites Mesopotamian Civilization Chaldeans Lydians Phoenicians Assyrians Hittites • major advancement: iron weapons • Note the locations of: – Hittites – Assyrians – Akkadians Assyrians • Chief God: Assur • major advancements: chariots and cavalry Akkadians • spoke a language related to modern Hebrew and Arabic “When heaven above was not yet named, nor earth below pronounced by name, Apsu, the first one, their begetter and maker Tiamat, who bore them all, had mixed their waters together, but had not formed pastures, nor discovered reed-beds. When yet no gods were manifest, nor names pronounced, nor destinies decreed, then gods were born within them.” Babylonians • Chief god: Marduk – Prayed for good harvest and success in business. • King Hammurabi • Hammurabi’s Code – earliest code of law – based on equal retaliation Hammurabi’s Code • 282 laws • harsh punishment for crimes based on equal retaliation – “If a man bring an accusation against a man and charge him with a capital crime, but cannot prove it, the accuser shall be put to death.” – “If the slave of a freed man strike the body of a freed man, his ear shall be cut off.” • Laws were varied for the wealthy and powerful. What do you think? – “If a man bring an accusation against a man and charge him with a capital crime, but cannot prove it, the accuser shall be put to death.” – “If the slave of a freed man strike the body of a freed man, his ear shall be cut off.” – “If a man strike a free-born woman so that she lose her unborn child, he shall pay ten shekels for her loss.” • “If the woman die, his daughter shall be put to death.” Chaldeans • skilled astronomers • Hanging Gardens of Babylon (one of the Ancient Wonders of the World) – King Nebuchadnezzar built them for his wife Persians • located in present day Iran • spoke an Indo-European language • religion: Zoroastrianism – belief in final judgment and training for it Phoenicians • Major natural resource: lumber from cedar forests. • Invented the art of glassblowing. • Alphabet – Then adopted by Greeks and Romans Lydians • First to use a money economy. – An economic system based in the use of money as a measure of value and a unit of account.
