Download Ancient Mesopotamia Notes for Interactive Notebook

Ancient Mesopotamia Notes for Interactive Notebook
“INFLUENTIAL INDIVIDUALS” page
Hammurabi: (p. 60,61 TCI)
-Ruled from 1792-1750 B.C. E.
-Was Babylonia’s king in 1792
-Was the city’s greatest
monarch
- a brilliant leader
-His armies fought many battles to expand his power
-Brought all of Mesopotamia under his empire
-Oversaw many building and irrigation projects
-Governed a huge empire
-improved Babylon’s tax collection system (paid for irrigation system)
-Brought prosperity through increased trade
-Most famous for his code of 282 laws.
Gilgamesh:
-World’s oldest epic
-Gilgamesh and his friend, Enkidu seek to slay the monster, Humbaba, who possesses powers
that Gilgamesh wants for himself.
–Builds a ship before a Great Flood.
“Events Timeline” page
*WE WILL FILL THIS IN AS WE GO. 
“MESOPOTAMIA” page
“Fertile” means capable of producing abundant vegetation and crops.
A “nomad” is a person who travels from place to place in search of food; a wanderer.
Mesopotamia changed the nomadic way of life. Because of its rich soil and fertile land,
nomads were able to stay in one location. (changed their way of life) This is how a society was
formed.
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Mesopotamia: in ancient times, the geographic are located between the Tigris and Euphrates
Rivers.
Irrigation: a means of supplying land with water.
“MAP OF MESOPOTAMIA WITH COMPASS ROSE” page
What do humans need to sustain life? How did the people survive Mesopotamia?
-Humans need food and water in order to survive; Mesopotamia was known as “the land between
two rivers.” This land had rich soil and many crops, so people were able to survive.
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Tigris and Euphrates Rivers: The two largest rivers in SW Asia that flow from the mountains
in Turkey to the Persian Gulf.
“THE SUMERIAN CITY-STATES” page
What do you think life was like in the city-states?
Possible answer: lots of buildings, busy –trading, farming, worshipping, etc.
Google a map of Sumer to draw on your notebook page.
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Sumer: An area in South Mesopotamia where cities first appeared.
Civilization: A society marked by developed arts, sciences, government, and social structure.
(G.R.A.P.E.S.)
“ZIGGARUT” page
The most prominent buildings in the city were called : A ZIGGARUT.
Under the flap: Ziggarut: a pyramid-shaped religious temple-tower. The Sumerians believed
that the gods and goddesses were in charge of the cities. Sumerians worship their gods
(polytheistic) and devoted their wealth to the Ziggarut temples. These buildings were at the
CENTER of the city-states.
What supplies did the Sumerians have? Stone, wood, clay, reeds, rivers, soil, crops, animals
What was the Sumerian’s economy like? Based on farming and trade. Industry became
important later.
The Invention of the Wheel! How did that change society? Wasn’t perfect at first; used for
irrigation, milling, pottery-making. Today used for all forms of transportation and machinery;
one of the greatest achievements of mankind
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Technology: the use of tools and other inventions for practical purposes.
“SUMERIAN HIERARCHY” page
Nobles: Included king, priest, nobles, and government officials; smallest group of population;
King claimed to be chosen by gods. Noble class had most luxurious homes near center of city
(two-story homes with white-washed walls)
Commoner/Craftsmen (artisans): Included craftsmen, merchants, traders; worked for nobles
and palaces; had jobs involving farming, fishing, and crafting; some were skilled metal-workers
(gold, silver, tin, bronze, lead, copper); traded for minerals. Merchants made good money selling
goods.
Slaves/Laborers/Farmers): 90% of the population were farmers; Slaves mostly worked on
palace-building projects and were owned by the palace.
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Social Structure: the way a civilization is organized.
Artisan: a craftsperson
Merchant: a person who makes money by selling goods.
Scribe: a person who writes.
“THE CODE OF HAMMURABI” page
The code of Hammurabi was a collection of 282 laws.
Describe his codes: strict, severe (“eye for an eye”)
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Culture: characteristics of civilization that includes the beliefsand behaviors of a society or
group of people.
“HAMMURABI –CONTINUED” ‘page
What did the codes say about Hammurabi as a leader? He may have seemed cruel and
unjust as a leader, but was very thorough.
How did they affect Sumerian society?
Sumerians may have lived in fear. Punishments were distinguishable between different classes.
Individuals were not treated equally, but it did apply to everyone living in the empire.
If you were able to create a code of law, what would yours look like? How would your
laws be different? WRITE YOUR ANSWER.
“HAMMURABI’S CODE AND YOUR INTERPRETATIONS” pages
WE WILL DO THESE TWO PAGES IN CLASS.
“CUNEIFORM” page
Year it was created: Approx. 3,300 B.C.
What tools/material were needed to write? Clay tablets, a sharpened reed (styluses) They
baked the clay in the sun and the tablets would last a long time.
Why is Cuneiform important?
-First-known recorded language and led to other forms of writing; One of the greatest cultural
advances in history; a highly-developed written language; one of the key elements to a
civilization.
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Scribe: a person who writes.
Pictograph: A symbol that stands for an object.
“THE EPIC OF GILGAMESH” page
WE WILL DO THIS PAGE IN CLASS WHEN WE READ ABOUT GILGAMESH.