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AIM: What distinct characteristics did the early
civilizations of the Middle East develop?
Do Now: Create three of the most ruthless
(but fair) laws that you can think of.
*Invasion and conquest were prominent
features in the history of the Ancient
Middle East
THE MANY PEOPLE OF MESOPOTAMIA:
1. Sumerians (ancient Sumer’s city-states)
(3200 B.C. - 1800 B.C.)
2. Babylonians
( 1800 B.C. - 1200 B.C.
3. Assyrians (Assyrian Empire)
(1200 B.C. - 539 B.C.)
4. Persians (Persian Empire)
(539 B.C. - 330 B.C.)
ANCIENT MESOPOTAMIA (3200 B.C.)
“land in between the rivers”
Why was this a perfect place for the 1st civilization?
1. Fertile Crescent - large arc of fertile land in the
Middle East
2. Tigris & Euphrates Rivers made it possible for farming
3. Cattle, pigs, goats & sheep were
accessible
CHALLENGES
1. Unpredictable floods destroyed crops,
homes & people
2. Some areas were marshy and
unsuitable for farming
3. This land was vulnerable to attack and
invasion
Vocabulary
Cuneiform – wedge
shaped symbols carved
into clay
Ziggurats– a pyramidtemple that soared
towards the heavens
Zoroastrian - one of the world's
oldest monotheistic religions. It
was founded by the Prophet
Zoroaster in ancient Iran
approximately 3500 years ago
Epic of Gilgamesh: The
Sumerian Epic of Gilgamesh
dates from about 2000 B.C. It is
a collection of tales about a hero
named Gilgamesh.
Agree or disagree…
• “An eye for an eye, a life for a life.” Explain.
Who was Hammurabi?
• Member of the Amorite dynasty
• King of Babylon from 1792-1750
BCE
• United all of Mesopotamia under
the Babylonian Empire
Relief of Hammurabi and the god Shamash
Hammurabi’s Code
• 282 Laws for Babylonian society
• Tool to unify expanding empire
• “That the strong might not injure the weak”
• Allowed everyone to know the rules
Ancient Mesopotamian Astrology Activity
Should we change our astrological signs?
Let’s Summarize…
Aim: What distinct
characteristics did the
early empires of the
Middle East develop?
Do Now: Analyze a map of
the Persian Empire at its
extent and hypothesize why
the empire was so
successful and vast.
Assyrian Empire
900-600 BCE
Assyrian Empire
King Sennacherib
• Ruled 705-681 BCE
• Used military force against revolts
• Led campaign against
a rebellion in Judah
• Conquered several Judean cities
• Attacked King Hezekiah in the city
of Jerusalem
Palace Carving of King Sennacherib
The Rise of Persia
• The Persians based their empire on tolerance and
diplomacy. They relied on a strong military to back up
their policies.
• Ancient Persia is where Iran is today.
• Largest empire seen yet.
The Persian Empire Vocab
• Tolerance – Persian kings accepted the people they
conquered
• Satrap – province, which had to pay taxes based on its
resources and wealth
• Barter economy – exchanging one set of goods and
services for another
• Money economy – goods and services are paid through
the exchange of some toke of an agreed value
Cyrus the Great
Primary Source
• “This is the word of Cyrus king of Persia: The Lord, God
of heaven has given me all the kingdoms of the earth, and
he himself has charged me to build him a house at
Jerusalem in Judah. To every man of his people now
among you I say, God be with him, and let him go up to
Jerusalem in Judah, and rebuild the house of the Lord
God of Israel, the God whose city is Jerusalem.”
• What type of ruler was Cyrus based on this quote?
Darius
Persian Empire, 500 BC
List the continents the Persian Empire reached by 500 BCE
The Royal Road
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•
•
•
•
•
1,677 miles long
111 relay stations
Other smaller roads branched off the royal road
Relay stations had rest areas and fresh horses.
The entire royal road could be traveled in a week by a horsemen
Caravans took about a month
The Phoenicians
• Sailors and traders
• Occupied string of cities
along the eastern
Mediterranean coast (Syria
and Lebanon)
• Set up colonies from North
Africa to Sicily
• Contribution: our alphabet
Let’s Summarize…
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sohXPx_XZ6Y