Download Chapter 6 Exploring Four Empires of Mesopotamia

I can explain the
achievements & rise of
the empires of
Mesopotamia.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oDALXORbtR4
 For 1,500 years, Sumer is
a land of independent
city-states.
 In 2300 B.C.E, the
Sumerians are
conquered by a
new group called
the Akkadians.
 King Sargon
 King Sargon used his
powerful army to
create a huge empire.
 Adopted Sumerian…
 Irrigation techniques
 Cuneiform writing
 Gods & goddess
 Pg. 53
 “Victory Stele”
 Created to celebrate
military victory…King
Naram-Sin (grandson)
 King Sargon ruled for 56
years…died of old age
 Their greatest
achievement…world’s
first empire.
 The Akkadians
thought…
 Hammurabi is best
known for his code of
laws.
 He claimed that the gods
had told him…
 Code of
laws…greatest
achievement.
 Pg. 54
 First code of
laws…written down
 First code of laws…apply
to everyone
 Now people can see &
know their rights &
responsibilities.
 Slave Rights
 Keep wages
 By freedom
 Women’s Rights
 Own property
 Keep money
Look at each code carefully.
Decide if it is fair or unfair.
Explain why…
 Hammurabi makes
Babylon his capital city.
 He built roads & postal
service.
 Babylon
became…important
center of trade.
 Trade helped the
empire’s economy.
 The Babylonians
thought their empire
would last forever.
 But…
 The Assyrians were feared for their military might &
cruelty.
 Their greatest
achievements
were…weapons &
strategies
 Perfected use of horses &
iron weapons
 Became experts
at siege warfare.
 First to use battering
rams
 First to use moveable
towers.
 Assyrians are feared
by their
enemies…cruelty.
 Part of their
military strategy.
 Tales…cut off heads
of leaders…force
soldiers to wear
around necks.
 Assyrian
craftspeople…famous for
two-dimensional sculptures…
 Bas-Reliefs…pg 57
 Assyrians thought…
 King
Nebuchadnezzar
 Greatest
achievement…
 Hanging
Gardens of
Babylon…pg 59
 He conquered Canaan &
the Hebrews…
 Hebrews became captive
& carried off to Babylon.
 Daniel 1:1-6
 2 Kings 24:10-16
 2 Kings 25:8-21
 Nebuchadnezzar wanted to
keep Babylon safe…
 Inner wall & out wall
 Moats
 Ishtar Gate…pg 58
 Babylonians were also
skilled in mathematics &
astronomy.
 Created the first sundial.
 Discoveries in the 60
minute hour & 7-day
week.
 The Babylonians
thought…
 First code of
laws…written down
 First code of laws…apply
to everyone
 For the first time
everyone can see them &
know them!
What is the main idea
of this chapter?
Please examine the graphic organizer on page 51
then answer the following questions.
1. Name 4 things you see in the graphic organizer.
2. Who do you think the man is?
3. What is the man doing?
4. What do you think the carving on this stele
represents?
5. What other achievements of Mesopotamian empires
might have been carved on steles?
 What is one problem the city-states of
Sumer faced by remaining
independent? P51
 A. They were unable to trade their crops
with smaller groups.
 B. They were unable to defend themselves
against stronger groups.
 C. They had to spend a lot of time
conquering other groups.
 D. They had to get most of what they
needed from larger groups.
In what order did the empires
below hold power?
 A. Akkadian
B. Assyrian
 C. Babylonian D. Neo-Bab.
A. a, b, c, d
B. b, a, c, d
C. a, c, b, d
D. c, b, a, d
 The Assyrians built palaces on tall
mounds. What does that tell you
about them?
 A. They worshiped in the palaces.
 B. They looked up to their leaders.
 C. They covered the walls with bas-
reliefs.
 D. They designed complex buildings.
 Name 5 changes that occurred
when humans learned how to
farm….
 1. For example, stable food supply
 2.
 3.
 4.
 5.