Unit 1

Chapters 2-4
Chapter 2 Notes
Western Asia and Egypt

Questions we will answer

How did geography affect the
civilizations in Mesopotamia?
How did the Akkadian Empire begin?
What were the contributions of each
of the societies in Mesopotamia?

Voices from the Past

Ur is destroyed, bitter is its lament. The
countrys blood now fills its holes like hot
bronze in a mould. Bodies dissolve like fat
in the sun. Our temple is destroyed, the
gods have abandoned us, like migrating
birds. Smoke lies on our city like a shroud.
Constant conflict marked early civilization
in Mesopotamia.
Fighting over land and water

The Impact of Geography

Mesopotamia= the land between the
rivers.
The Tigris and the Euphrates.
Part of the fertile crescent.
Due to the resources and availability
of water, Mesopotamia was able to
sustain early civilizations.
Little rain in the area, but the
overflowing of the rivers provided
fertile land.

Impact of Geography
The rivers flood Irrigation systems
control water supply abundance of
crops produced people are able to
create civilizations.

The people of Mesopotamia

Three general areas in Mesopotamia
Assyria
Akkad
Sumer

Review:
What role did geography play in the
development of Mesopotamian civilization?
The land was fertile due to the flooding of
the rivers. This allowed civilizations to
develop.

City states of Ancient

Mesopotamia
Origins of Sumerians is still a mystery
Developed a number of independent citystates, the basic units of Sumerian
civilization.
Cities were surrounded by walls six miles
long, with defense towers every 30 feet.
Plenty of mud to build with, mud bricks
Using the mud bricks they created the
arch and the dome and built some of the
largest brick buildings in the world.

Gods, Goddesses, and Rulers

Most prominent building in a Sumerian city was the
temple dedicated to the chief god or goddess of the city.
Often built atop a massive stepped tower called a
ziggurat.
Temples were the center of the city and the gods and
goddesses owned the cities
Theocracy- a government by divine authority
Kings were seen as divine in origin and derived their
power from the gods.
The army, the government and the priests and
priestesses all aided the King.
Review: Why were the city-states considered theocracies?
Sumerians believed gods and goddesses ruled the cities

Economy and Society

Economy based chiefly on farming and
trade.
3 major social groups: Nobles,
commoners, and slaves
Nobles: royal and priestly officials and
their families
Commoners: farmers, merchants, fishers
and craftspeople (90 % of the population)
Slaves: belonged to palace officials and
worked in building projects

Empires in Ancient Mesopotamia

Akkadians- to the North
Semitic people
2340 B.C :Sargon, leader
of the Akkadians, overran
the Sumerian city-states
and set up the first
empire in world history.
Easy to invade Sumer
because of the flat land
and location.

Empire- large political

unit or state, usually
under a single leader

Attacks from neighbors

eventually caused the
Akkadian empire to fall.
1792 b.c, another empire
comes to control:
Babylon, a city-state
south of Akkad
Hammurabi comes to
power, gaining control of
Sumer and Akkad.
After his death, weak
kings were unable to
keep his empire together.

The Code of Hammurabi

Laws under Hammurabi
give a great insight into
life in Mesopotamia.
Based on a system of
strict justice.
Punishments were
harsh, and depended on
social class.
Principle of retaliation
was a fundamental part
of this system of justice.

The code took

seriously the duties of
public officials. If they
did not find the
robbers, or murders
etc. they had
punishment.
Consumer protection
laws, held builders
responsible for
structures they
created.

The Code of Hammurabi

Largest category
focused on marriage
and family.
Parents arranged
marriages
Society was
patriarchaldominated by men.
The code showed
women had far fewer
rights then men in their
marriage.

Womans place was in

the home. If she failed to
complete her duties, her
husband could legally
divorce her.
Women neglecting her
house and humiliating
her husband could be
drowned.
Father controlled kids.
Review: How does
society work under
the code of
Hammurabi?

The importance of Religion

The harsh climate and
weather of
Mesopotamia, made
them believe the world
was controlled by
supernatural forces.
The gods and goddesses
permeated all aspects of
the universe.
3,000 gods and
goddesses- polytheistic

According to
Sumerians, human
beings were created to
do manual labor that
the gods were unwilling
to do themselves.
Review: what role did
the physical
environment play in the
way Mesopotamians
viewed the world?

The Creativity of the

Sumerians
Credited with
inventing the oldest
writing system,
cuneiform, which
dates from about
3000 b.c.
Scribes kept records
for Sumerian society,
and it was one of the
most important
positions.

Scribes were usually

wealthy men, who
attended a tough school
from sun up to sun down.
The Epic of Gilgameshstory passed down
because of cuneiform.
Sumerian Technology:
the wagon wheel, the
sundial, bronze, number
system based on 60. 60
minutes in an hour,
thanks to the Sumerians.

Review
Write a paragraph (5 sentences)
explaining how the Sumerians,
Akkadians and Babylonians have
impacted the course of human
history.
What did their societies develop that
we still use today? Think technology,
government and economics.

Hammurabis Code
The most
complete law
from
Mesopotamia
Punishments
could be
extremely
severe.

22
If a man has committed highway
robbery and has been caught, that
man should be put to death.

25
If fire broke out in a free mans house
and a free man, who went to
extinguish it, cast his eye on the
goods of the owner of the house and
has appropriated the goods of the
owner of the house, that free man
shall be thrown into that fire.

196
If a free man has destroyed the eye
of a member of the aristocracy, they
shall destroy his eye.