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Mesopotamia
The Fertile Crescent
River Valley Civilizations
• Cradles of civilization:
• India, China, Egypt and
Mesopotamia
• Mesopotamia – mainly
Iraq
• Between the Tigris and
Euphrates Rivers
• No natural barriers =
constant warfare and
rise/fall of numerous
nations
• Conditions favored
agriculture
• Rivers overflowed their
banks annually
• Creates alluvial soil
• Produces abundant
harvests
• Makes possible a large
increase in population
Sumerians
4100 - 2900 B. C.
• Mild climate, good soil
• Need for irrigation =
growth of government
• Flourishing cities =
production of textiles,
metal products, etc.
• Literature includes
stories of creation and
the great flood
• First people to: use
wheeled vehicles,
develop a number
system based on 60,
develop a system of
writing (cuneiform), use
contracts in business
Cuneiform Writing
Early Dynastic Period
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2900 - 2300 B. C.
Time period after the great flood
Civilization continues on as it has
Cities all have kings and high priests that need
to work together to keep power
• Each king claims conflicting lands
• Causes numerous conflicts
• Time of first written stories (Gilgamesh)
Akkadian Empire
2300 – 2080 B.C.
• Started by Sargon of
Akkad
• Born of high priestess,
raised by a poor man
• Brought up in kings court
(cup bearer)
• Built city of Akkad and
made himself king
• Conquered surrounding
lands
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Characteristics:
kings succeeded by sons,
1st empire,
traded silver, copper, cedar
and food,
• chain of fortresses defended
empire,
• his sons’ reigns led to the
downfall of the empire
Babylonians
1794 – 740 B.C.
• Conquers Sumerians and
Akkadians
• Adopted Akkadian
language but kept
Sumerian language for
religious purposes
• Hammurabi king credited
with creating Babylonian
empire 1792-1750
• Falls and rises constantly
with warfare between
Hittites, Assyrians and
others
• Code of Hammurabi was
a law code to provide a
form of justice
• Eye for an eye, tooth for a
tooth
• Harsh punishments were
meant to keep people
from hurting or cheating
others
Assyrian Empire
900 – 600 B. C.
• Nineveh = capital city
• Preserved culture
(Aramaic main
language)
• Tiglath-Pileser III (ruled
745–727 BC) most well
known ruler
• Seized power by killing
royal family
• Improved sufficiency,
security
• Instituted severe
punishments, deported
thousands
Asherbanipal (668-627
BC)
• Cruel to enemies
• Built library
Chaldeans (Neo-Babylonian)
626 – 539 B.C.
• Nineveh sacked 612
• Akkadian Renaissance
period
• Akkadian restored as
main language
• Sargon statue found,
temple built around it,
offerings made
• Land reopened to
agriculture
• Nebuchadnezzar most
famous king
• Extensive canal system
built
• Creates estate system
(poor tied to land)
• Urban life flourished
• Cities had local
autonomy
• Temples dominate
• Craftsman enjoyed high
status
Persians
539 – 330 B.C.
• People from Iran
• Largest empire to date
• Mingling of cultures =
Exchange of ideas &
inventions
• Better roads built
• Message system like Pony
express
• Treated conquered people
humanely (no slavery)
• Granted equal rights
• Respected all gods
• Zoroastrianism main
religion
• Main leader = Cyrus
• Divided into provinces with
satraps
• Paid taxes based on
provincial resources &
wealth
• Set up common set of
weights/measures
• Established uniform system
of coinage = money
economy to link provinces
Kingdoms (not empires)
• Hittites
• 1500 B.C. = height of
power (1600-1200)
• Turkey and Syria;
• First people to use iron;
• introduced use of metal
throughout Middle East
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Phoenicians
1500 -300 B.C.
Around Lebanon;
great traders &
navigators;
• skilled manufacturers
(purple dye, textiles,
metal, glassware);
• developed 22 consonant
signs (aleph and beth =
alphabet)
Hebrews
• Before 4000 B.C.
• 1020 – 586 B.C. (kings)
• Semi-nomadic sheep and
goat herders
• Centered around extended
family
• Males had absolute
authority but councils made
major decisions for groups
• Followed eye for eye idea
• Monotheistic religion
• Abraham considered father
of Hebrews & Muslims
• Believed in ritual sacrifices
• Associated with Jewish and
Israeli people
• Settled in the lands along
the coast of the Med. Sea
(Canaan)
• Enslaved and/or conquered
by multiple empires
(Egyptians, Assyrians,
Babylonians, Persians, etc.)
• Most famous king was
David
Temple Mount (Religious point)
So does great diversity =
growth/stability?
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Yemen revolution
Syrian revolution
IS (ISIS, ISIL)
Taliban
Kurdistan
Iraq
PLO
Jerusalem
Hamas
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Fatah
Hezbollah
Right of return
Iran nuclear power
Saudi Arabia
Kuwait/Qatar/Bahrain
UAE
Turkey
refugees
Stop power point
here
Any questions?