Chapter 2Chapter 2

Early Societies in Southwest Early Societies in Southwest Asia and the Indo-European Asia and the Indo-European

MigrationsMigrations

Mangione/KollaschMangione/Kollasch

MesopotamiaMesopotamia

►““the land between the rivers”the land between the rivers”►Fertile land assisted by irrigation Fertile land assisted by irrigation

systems to support growing populationsystems to support growing population►Sumerians- located in southern partSumerians- located in southern part►Built world’s first citiesBuilt world’s first cities

Centers of political and military authorityCenters of political and military authority Economic centers with bustling Economic centers with bustling

marketplacesmarketplaces Cultural centers with organized religions, Cultural centers with organized religions,

standardized writing, formal educationstandardized writing, formal education

MesopotamiaMesopotamia► Politically- created states in Politically- created states in

order to control more order to control more territory-territory- Became city-states by Became city-states by

2500 BCE2500 BCE Created public work Created public work

programs administered programs administered by central authorityby central authority

► Sargon of AkkadSargon of Akkad How does one maintain How does one maintain

power and control over power and control over new conquests?new conquests?

Took control of trade Took control of trade routes and supplies of routes and supplies of natural resources natural resources

► By 2150 B.C. his empire By 2150 B.C. his empire collapsed due to rebellionscollapsed due to rebellions

MesopotamiaMesopotamia

► Social classes emergedSocial classes emerged Patriarchal societyPatriarchal society

►Men had private and public authorityMen had private and public authority Hereditary played large role in statusHereditary played large role in status Epic of Gilgamesh-Epic of Gilgamesh- displayed man’s role in life displayed man’s role in life

and writing to reflect on man’s place in the worldand writing to reflect on man’s place in the world►Metallurgical innovationsMetallurgical innovations

Copper Copper bronze bronze 1000 B.C.E. began to use iron1000 B.C.E. began to use iron

► TradeTrade Development of wheeled transportation and Development of wheeled transportation and

sailing vesselssailing vessels

MesopotamiaMesopotamia► ReligionReligion

Priest and priestessesPriest and priestessesintervened with the gods to ensure intervened with the gods to ensure good fortunegood fortune Generated income for communityGenerated income for community

►WritingWriting SumeriansSumerians- - cuneiformcuneiform

►writing system that used graphic symbols to writing system that used graphic symbols to represent soundsrepresent sounds

►Began formal education and literacy as an important Began formal education and literacy as an important component to a societycomponent to a society

►Expansion of knowledgeExpansion of knowledge *used writing to communicate complex ideas *used writing to communicate complex ideas

about the world, gods, human beings, their about the world, gods, human beings, their relationship with one anotherrelationship with one another

HammurabiHammurabi► Babylonian who Babylonian who

dominated political dominated political affairs until 600 BCEaffairs until 600 BCE Centralized bureaucratic Centralized bureaucratic

rule and instituted regular rule and instituted regular taxationtaxation

Code of laws- high Code of laws- high standards of behavior and standards of behavior and stern punishmentsstern punishments►Lex talionisLex talionis► ““an eye for an eye, a an eye for an eye, a

tooth for a tooth’tooth for a tooth’►Also based on social Also based on social

structurestructure► Ordered cultural unity Ordered cultural unity

throughout Babylonian throughout Babylonian empireempire

► Wealth and power Wealth and power attracted invaders and attracted invaders and empire fell in 159 B.C.Eempire fell in 159 B.C.E

AssyriansAssyrians

► Assyrians-9Assyrians-9thth Century Century B.C.E created powerful B.C.E created powerful and intimidating army and intimidating army Used Used chariotschariots and and ironiron

weaponsweapons to control to control much of Southwest Asiamuch of Southwest Asia

Domination caused Domination caused rebellions and eventual rebellions and eventual fall of the empirefall of the empire

Took ideas from Took ideas from Babylonians and Babylonians and HammurabiHammurabi

BabyloniansBabylonians

► Babylon center of Babylon center of Mesopotamian Mesopotamian empire 600-550 empire 600-550 B.C.C.B.C.C. King King

Nebuchadnezzar- Nebuchadnezzar- built hanging built hanging gardens of Babylongardens of Babylon

Symbol of wealth Symbol of wealth and power of the and power of the empireempire

Hebrews, Israelites, and JewsHebrews, Israelites, and Jews► King David (1000-970 B.C.E) King David (1000-970 B.C.E)

and King Solomon (970-930 and King Solomon (970-930 B.C.E) B.C.E) they built cities and interacted they built cities and interacted

commercially with commercially with Mesopotamian, Egyptian ,and Mesopotamian, Egyptian ,and Arabian peopleArabian people

► Religious beliefsReligious beliefs Hebrews embraced Hebrews embraced

monotheismmonotheism Ten Commandments- became Ten Commandments- became

religious and legal doctrine of religious and legal doctrine of Hebrew societyHebrew society

800-400 B.C.E. Israelites 800-400 B.C.E. Israelites compiled teachings into the compiled teachings into the TorahTorah► Yahweh’s laws and his role in Yahweh’s laws and his role in

guiding human affairs guiding human affairs

PhoeniciansPhoenicians

► North of Israelites’North of Israelites’► Independent city-states Independent city-states

became powerful due to became powerful due to maritime and communication maritime and communication networksnetworks Great Great shipbuildersshipbuilders who who

traveled extensively for raw traveled extensively for raw materials and selling their materials and selling their merchandisemerchandise

► WritingWriting Developed an Developed an alphabetic alphabetic

scriptscript consisting of 22 consisting of 22 symbols that represented symbols that represented consonantsconsonants

Increased literacyIncreased literacy

The Indo-European The Indo-European MigrationsMigrations

►Represents a group of peoples who all Represents a group of peoples who all share similarities in their languagesshare similarities in their languages Found in Europe, SW Asia, and IndiaFound in Europe, SW Asia, and India

►Although they live in different areas they Although they live in different areas they all came from common ancestors and all came from common ancestors and over time migrated away to new landsover time migrated away to new lands

►Domesticated Domesticated horseshorses about 4000 B.C.E. about 4000 B.C.E. and used them to exploit the grasslands, and used them to exploit the grasslands, transportation technologies, military transportation technologies, military advantagesadvantages

The Indo-European The Indo-European MigrationsMigrations

►Migrations were gradual and took place Migrations were gradual and took place between 4000 B.C.E to 1000 B.C.Ebetween 4000 B.C.E to 1000 B.C.E

►The Hittites- 1900 B.C.E AnatoliaThe Hittites- 1900 B.C.E Anatolia Interacted with Mesopotamians, Assyrians, Interacted with Mesopotamians, Assyrians,

and became dominate force in SW Asiaand became dominate force in SW Asia Responsible for development of light, Responsible for development of light, horse-horse-

drawn chariotsdrawn chariots improvements in improvements in iron iron metallurgymetallurgy

Map of Indo-European Map of Indo-European MigrationsMigrations

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