Post on 13-Oct-2019
Mesopotamia• MesopotamiawaspartofalargerregioncalledtheFertileCrescent.
• Hunter-gathersfirstsettledinMesopotamiamorethan12,000yearsago&farmsettlementsformedaround7000BC.
GeographyoftheFertileCrescent• Earlypeoplesettledwherecropswouldgrow– whichwasnearrivers.• Regularfloodsmadethesoilrich.• Mesopotamiameans“betweentherivers”inGreek.• TheTigris andEuphrates riversarethemostimportantphysicalfeaturesoftheregion
GeographyoftheFertileCrescent• EarlysettlementsinMesopotamiafloodedbecausewaterwasnotcontrolled.• Peoplebuiltcanals toprotecthousesandmovewatertotheirfields• Withirrigation,thepeopleofMesopotamiawereabletogrowmorefood
OtherJobsinMesopotamia• Foodsurpluses allowedsomepeopletostopfarmingandconcentrateonotherjobs,likegov’tworkers,craftsman,religiousleaders.Thisiscalledthedivisionoflabor
TheGrowthofCities&Trade• Overtime,Mesopotamiansettlementsgrewanddevelopedintocitiesaround4000to3000BC.• Mostpeoplewerestillfarmers• Citieswereimportantplacesoftrade,politics,religion,andeconomics.
TheRiseofSumerChapter3Section2
• InsouthernMesopotamia,apeopleknownastheSumeriansdevelopedtheworld’sfirstcivilizationandcreatedanadvancedsociety
• MostpeopleinSumerwerefarmerslivingintherural areas• Thecentersofsocietyweretheurbanareas.• By2000BC,someofSumer’scitieshadmorethan100,000residents• Thebasicpoliticalunitwascalledacity-state,consistingofthecity&thecountrysidearoundit,dependingonitsmilitarystrength.
City-States• City-statesinSumerfoughteachothertogainmorefarmland,thusbuildingupstrongarmiesandstrongwallsaroundthecities.• Someofthemorewell-knowncity-statesareKish,Uruk,andUr.• OneofUruk’s kings,knownasGilgamesh,becamealegendaryfigureinSumerianliterature.
RiseoftheAkkadianEmpire• Intime,theAkkadiansdevelopedalongtheTigris&Euphrates.• TheylivednorthofSumer– butwerenotSumerians.Theyspokeadifferentlanguage• Thepeacebetweenthemwasbrokenin2300BCwhenSargonsoughttoextendAkkadianterritory.• Sargonwasthefirstrulertohaveapermanentarmyandlaunchedaseriesofwarsdefeatingallthecity-statesofSumer.• Sargonestablishedtheworld’sfirstempire,stretchingfromthePersianGulftotheMediterraneanSea.
FallofAkkadandResurgenceofSumer• Sargonruledfor50years,&hisempirefelltotribesfromtheeastwithin100yearsofhisdeath• Eventually,thecity-stateofURrebuiltitsstrength,conqueredMesopotamia,andSumeriansonceagainbecamethepowerfulcivilizationintheregion.
ReligionShapesSociety• Religionplayedaroleinnearlyeveryaspectofpublicandprivatelife.• ReligionwasthebasisforallofSumeriansociety• TheSumerianspracticedPolytheism• Eachcity-stateconsideredonegodtobeitsprotector• Godsbroughtagoodharvestordisastrousflood,illnessorhealth,povertyorwealth.• Successdependedonpleasingthegods.Priestshadgreatstatus,andperformedreligiousceremonies.
SumerianSocialOrder• PriestsoccupiedahighlevelinSumer’ssocialhierarchy.• Priestswerejustbelowkings.• Kingsclaimedtobechosenbythegodstorule• Belowthepriestswereskilledcraftspeople,merchants,andtraders.• Then,farmersandlaborersmadeuptheworkingclass.• Slaveswereatthebottom.
MenandWomeninSumer• Menheldpoliticalpowerandmadelawswhilewomentookcareofthehomeandchildren.• Educationwasusuallyreservedformen.• Someupperclasswomenwereeducated• Someeducatedwomenwerepriestesses.• ThedaughterofSargon,Enheduanna,wrotehymnstothegoddessInanna.• SheisthefirstknownfemalewriterinHistory
SumerianAchievementsSection3
• Cuneiform- writinginclay• Pictographs– picture
symbols• Scribe– Keeperofrecords• Epics– longpoemsabout
heroes• Wheel– Carts– Wagons–
Potters• Plow• WaterClock• Sewers• Bronzetoolsandweapons
• Mathbasedon60• 360degree circle• 12monthyear• calculatedareas• Studied&recordedstudies
ofplants&animals• Medicinefromplants• Architecture• Sculpture• Jewelry• Cylinderseals• Musicalinstruments
CodeofHammurabi• Hammurabi(KingofBabylonian)Empirefrom1792to1750B.C.)maintainedcontrolofempireby acodeoflaw• Claimedthegodshadchosenhim“topromotethewelfareofthepeople,…tocausejusticetoprevailintheland,todestroythewickedandevil,[so]thatthestrongmightnotoppresstheweak,toriselikethesunoverthepeople,andtolightuptheland.”
CodeofHammurabi
1.Highstandardsofbehaviorandsternpunishmentsforviolators2.Deathpenaltyformurder,theft,fraud,falseaccusations,shelteringofrunawayslaves,failuretoobeyroyalorders,adultery,andincest3.Civillawsregulatingprices,wages,commercialdealings,maritalrelationships,andtheconditionsofslavery
CodeofHammurabi
4.Reliedonlex talionis– thelawofretaliation• Offenderssufferedpunishmentsresemblingtheirviolations• Ifamanputouttheeyeofanotherman,hiseyeshallbeputout.[Aneyeforaneye](196)• Ifhebreakanotherman'sbone,hisboneshallbebroken.(197)• Ifamanknockouttheteethofhisequal,histeethshallbeknockedout.[Atoothforatooth](200)
CodeofHammurabi• Codeof282lawsinscribedonastonepillarplacedinthepublichallforalltosee
• HammurabiStonedepictsHammurabiasreceivinghisauthorityfromgodShamash
• Setofdivinelyinspiredlaws;aswellassocietallaws
• Punishmentsweredesignedtofitthecrimesaspeoplemustberesponsibleforownactions
• HammurabiCodewasanorigintotheconceptof“eyeforaneye…”ie.Ifasonstruckhisfather,theson’shandwouldbecutoff
• Consequencesforcrimesdependedonrankinsociety(ie.onlyfinesfornobility)
LaterPeoplesoftheFertileCrescent• Babylon - citywaslocatedonwhatistodayBaghdad,Iraq• 1800BC– Powerfulgovernment.• 1792BC– HammurabiwastheMonarch• BrilliantwarleaderwhobroughtallofMesopotamiaintohisempire.• Oversawmanybuildingandirrigationprojects• Improvedtaxcollectionsystem• Broughtprosperitythroughincreasedtrade• Mostfamousforhiscodeoflaws• Ruledfor42years–• Babylondidnotlastlongafterhisdeath
InvasionsofMesopotamia• Hittites– ironworkingandthechariot• Kassites – defeatedtheHittitesandruled400years• Assyrians – StrongArmy– wellorganized– Kingsruledthroughlocalleaders.Builtroadstofarawaypartsoftheempire• Chaldeans – destroyedAssyrians.NebuchadnezzarmostfamousChaldeanking.RebuiltBabylonintoabeautifulcity.HangingGardensofBabylon.Manyscientificstudies.• Phoenicians –Wealthytradingsociety.NowLebanon.CedarTrees.Expertsailors.Mostfamousforinventingthealphabet.