Groove Time

Nytimes.com headline for September 16, 2013 reads:

“Gunman and 12 Victims Killed in Shooting at D.C. Navy Yard.”

What happened?

What are reasons for and against gun control?

What do YOU think?

Ancient Civilizations:Mesopotamia and China

Mesopotamia

First civilizations to develop after the Neolithic Revolution

Modern day area known as the Middle East

“The land between the rivers” Euphrates and Tigris

Tigris and Euphrates

Dry region (very little rain)Rivers flooded in late-springDeveloped irrigation systems

Brought water miles away from it’s source Big boom in agriculture (farming)

Government/Economy Culture

City-states run by kings

Theocracy – governed by a divine authorityKings were chosen by the

gods.Economy mostly

agriculture with some trade and industry.

3 social groups: elites, commoners and slaves 90% of population

were farmers.Cuneiform –

“wedge shaped”, earliest known form of writing

Sumerians in Mesopotamia (3000BCE)

Religion

Polytheism – belief in multiple gods (3000!)

Worshipped in temples atop a massive stepped tower called a ziggurat.

Sumerians (3000 BCE)

Peoples

Sumerians – 3000 BCE Epic of Gilgamesh

Akkadians – 2340 BCE Postal service

Assyrians – 2000 BCE Military technology

Babylonians – 1800 BCE Code of Hammurabi

Code of Hammurabi

A collection of 282 laws made by Hammurabi (Babylonian king)

One of the earliest written pieces of work.“Eye for eye, a tooth for a tooth.”Crimes against upper society were treated

much harsher than lower society.

Indus Valley Civilization (3000 BCE)

Civilization emerged in the Indus Valley Modern day India and

Pakistan

Peoples

Indus civilization – 3000 BCEAryans – 2000 BCE

Nomadic before arriving Interacted with descendants of the Indus Valley

people Blended cultures

Government/Economy Culture

The region was made up of small kingdoms led by rajas (princes)

Large Indian state established in 300 BCE

Mostly farming economy but some trade with Sumerians

Varnas – system of rank Brahmins -> Kshatriyas -

> Vaisyas -> SudrasFamily-oriented society

Patriarchy – papa is in charge

Suttee – ritual where wife throws herself on husband’s funeral pyre

Aryans

Hinduism Buddhism

Earliest religionPolytheisticBelieved in one

ultimate force in the Universe (Brahman)

500 BCEDid not worship

godsBelieved in life

without material things.

Religion

Sanskrit

Written Indo-European language

1000 BCEUsed to record

legends and religious rituals