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Mesopotamian Civilizations Mr. Stowinsky World History Mesopotamia – The Fertile Crescent • Stretches from the Isthmus of Suez to the Persian Gulf • Between the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers – both rivers often flooded • No natural barriers – many people came to it Sumer • We aren’t sure where they came from • Used wedge-shaped writing called cuneiform – about 600 symbols • Built large temples, called ziggurats, to their gods • Used a base-60 number system – This is why seconds and minutes are counted by 60 today • Had the wheel Sumerian Society • City-states – a town or city and the surrounding land controlled by it • Upper class – kings, high priests, nobles • Middle class – Lower priests, merchants, scholars • Lower class – peasant farmers, slaves Education and Religion • • • • Only upper class boys received education Polytheistic City-states each had their own god Buried food and tools with their dead Empires of the Fertile Crescent The Akkadians • The Akkadians conquered the Sumerians • Their most powerful king was named Sargon • Empire only lasted about 150 years • The Babylonians conquered the Akkadians Empires of the Fertile Crescent The Babylonians • Hammurabi conquered most of the Fertile Crescent • Code of Hammurabi – 282 laws – first known set of laws written – “an eye for an eye” • Women mostly equal, except they could not divorce their husbands Other Conquerors • The Hittites conquered Babylon • Had a less severe code of laws • The Assyrians looted and destroyed Babylon • First civilization to use cavalry – soldiers on horseback Other Conquerors • The Chaldeans, led by Nebuchadnezzar, conquered Mesopotamia and rebuilt Babylon • Made advances in astronomy, could predict solar and lunar eclipses • Did not last long after Neb’s death The Persians • Cyrus the Great captured Babylon and took over Mesopotamia • Largest empire of the time – stretched from India to Europe • Conquered people were allowed to keep their customs and laws and were treated fairly • Built roads to keep the empire connected Persian Religion • Started out polytheistic • Zoroaster, a prophet, taught that people must choose between good and evil • Good would eventually defeat evil • The good were rewarded, the bad were punished The Phoenicians • Phoenicia was the western end of the Fertile Crescent, was a loose union of citystates • Had little fertile land, so Phoenicians traded on the sea • Most skilled sea traders at this time Phoenician Trade • Lumber was an important resource for shipbuilding and trade • Borrowed gold and silver smithing from Egyptians • Use a shellfish called murex to make royal purple dye • Created the first alphabet The Lydians • Barter – trading one good or service for another – no use of money • The Lydians were the first people to use coined money • Money economy – economic system based on the use of money You’re Done! • Achievement Unlocked – Survived all the Notes – 100 G