Introduction to World Religions

Mesopotamia

Primary Sources Secondary Sources

Documents: Diaries, speeches,

manuscripts, letters, interviews, news film

footage, official records, photographs,

maps, sound recordings, published

firsthand accounts or stories.

Creative Works: Poetry, drama, novels,

music, art

Relics or artifacts: Pottery, furniture,

clothing, buildings

Publications: Textbooks, magazine

articles, histories, criticisms, commentaries,

encyclopedias.

EXAMPLES:

Journal or magazine articles which

interprets past events

History textbooks

Book on the effects of WWI

When examining sources of history ask yourself 5 key questions:

What: What is the primary source? Is it a

photo? If so, is it in black and white or

color? Is it a letter? If so, is it typed, or

handwritten?

Who: Who wrote the letter, took the

photo or painted the painting? Can you

be sure it was really that person who

made it?

When: When was the primary source

created? How can you tell its age?

Where: Can you tell where the primary

source was created?

Why: Why was the primary source

created? Does it tell a story? Is it a love

letter? Is it an order from an officer to a

soldier? Is it a picture of the Rocky

Mountains? Does the primary source tell

you why it was created? Can you guess

why it was created?

Why is this important?

A faked source can also tell you a lot. Why would someone go to all of that trouble to fool

us? What were they hiding and what did they want us to think? Being a historian is a lot

like being a detective, with primary sources as the evidence. It's your job to find out what

really happened! Remember that history is never final. Accounts of the past are as

different as the people who create them. That means there is lots of room for you to

research and write your own story.

Please watch JFK

URL: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cHTtpYYbhm0

Remember Hammurabi?

The Code of Hammurabi is significant because its creation allowed men, women, slaves, and all others to read and understand the laws that governed their lives in Babylon. It is unique in that laws of other civilizations were not written down, and thus could be manipulated to suite the rulers that dictated them. The Code is particularly just for its time. Although it follows the practice of "an eye for an eye", it does not allow for vigilante justice, but rather demands a trial by judges. It also glorifies acts of peace and justice done during Hammurabi’s rule. It symbolizes not only the emergence of justice in the minds of men, but also man’s rise above ignorance and barbarism toward the peaceful and just societies still pursued today. In the words of Hammurabi as carved on the stone, "Let any oppressed man who has a cause come into the presence of my statue as king of justice, and have the inscription on my stele read out, and hear my precious words, that my stele may make the case clear to him; may he understand his cause, and may his heart be set at ease!"

Primary sourceOf the several law codes surviving

from the ancient Middle East, the

most famous after the Hebrew

Torah is the Code of Hammurabi,

sixth king of the Amorite Dynasty

of Old Babylon. It is best known

from a beautifully engraved

diorite Stella now in the Louvre

Museum which also depicts the

king receiving the law from

Shamash, the god of justice. This

copy was made long after

Hammurabi's time, and it is clear

that his was a long-lasting

contribution to Mesopotamian

civilization. It encodes many laws

which had probably evolved over

a long period of time, but is

interesting to the general reader

because of what it tells us about

the attitudes and daily lives of the

ancient Babylonians.

Yes, and?

We have proof of the laws and beliefs of the Mesopotamian people, because they have

been recorded on the statue. Hammurabi is shown receiving the code from Babylonian

gods. The statue is a primary source.

Please Watch

https://www.nationalgeographic.org/video/ancient-mesopotamia-101/

Mesopotamian Civilizations

Who is your champion?

Review the notes on the different Mesopotamian civilizations. Which do you think has

been the most influential civilization? Why?

Create a poster using google draw or a similar app to demonstrate why you believe the

civilization has been the most influential. Use pictures and labels.

Add at least two more facts not included in the notes

Submit on the portal or to kbond@sd74.bc.ca

Sumerians

Sumerians

By 3000 B.C., civilizations had been started by the Sumerians in Mesopotamia and the

Egyptians in North Africa. More than a thousand years later, other groups of people

developed advanced ways of living in the Middle East.

Babylonians

Babylonians

People and their History

Invaders from the Arabian Desert entered

Mesopotamia and seized the city-state of

Babylon

Hammurabi became the king of Babylon

Hammurabi took control of the Sumerian

city-states in lower Mesopotamia and

established the Babylonian Empire

The Babylonians adopted many Sumerian

ways.

Contributions to Civilization

Hammurabi’s Code, consisting of 282

laws, affected all aspects of life, including

such things as farming, trade, wages,

working conditions, and punishment. The

Code became the basis for other legal

systems established elsewhere.

The Babylonians believed in “astrology”—

the idea that a person’s life is affected by

the movement and position of starts,

planets, and other heavenly bodies.

Hittites

Hittites

People and their History

War-like tribesmen from Asia Minor called

Hittites swept into Mesopotamia and

captured Babylon

Being far from their homeland, the Hittites

eventually withdrew from Babylonia, but

continued to occupy the western part of

the Fertile Crescent.

Contributions to Civilization

They were the first people to make

widespread use of iron for tools and

weapons

They used horse-drawn chariots in battle

A system of laws was set up with

punishments that were less severe than by

the code of Hammurabi

Hebrews

Hebrews People and their History

The ideas and beliefs of the Hebrews, or Jews, is known as “Judaism”

The founder of Judaism was Abraham. He led his people out of Mesopotamia because his belief in one god ran against the accepted practice of worshipping many Gods.

The Hebrews lived in Egypt for several hundred years, but were forced into slavery. According to the Bible, Moses began leading the Hebrews, or Israelites, toward a new homeland in “Canaan” (at various times called “Palestine” or “Israel”). On the way to Canaan, Moses went up Mount Sinai and brought back the “Ten Commandments”; laws of moral conduct revealed to him by the Hebrew God Yahweh, or Jehovah

The Hebrews recorded their history and religious beliefs in the Old Testament. The “Old Testament”, which is the first part of the Christian Bible, tells how (1) Saul united the 12 Hebrew tribes, defeated the rival Philistines, and became the first Hebrew king, (2) David slew the giant Philistine warrior goliath, became the second king of Israel, and made Jerusalem his capital, (3) Solomon succeeded his father David, was widely admired for his wisdom and leadership, and built the magnificent Temple of Jehovah

Contributions to Civilization

The Hebrews practiced “monotheism”, the worship of one

god

Judaism, the Hebrew religion, stressed

high moral conduct. The Ten

Commandments included these rules: “Remember the Sabbath day, to

keep it holy”, “honor they father and

they mother”, Thou shalt not steal”, “Thou shalt not bear false witness

against thy neighbor”.

Judaism influenced Christianity and

Islam through its emphasis on

monotheism and moral principles

Phoenicians

Phoenicians

People and their History

Lived north of Palestine along the Mediterranean coast

They became skilled shipbuilders and sailors, and traded throughout the Mediterranean world. They were the greatest seafaring traders of ancient times, selling such items as wool cloth, glassware, and beautiful handcrafted objects made of gold, silver, copper, and bronze.

The Phoenicians established many colonies, including the great city of Carthage in North Africa

Contributions to Civilization

Phoenician traders carried the products and cultures of the Middle East to less advanced peoples

The most notable contribution of these people was the alphabet. The Greeks and Romans later made some changes that resulted in the alphabet we use today

Assyrians

Assyrians

People and their History

Were ruthless conquerors who overran Phoenicia, Palestine, Babylonia and other parts of the Middle East

Their empire was the largest one the world had seen at that time

In battle, the Assyrians used bows with iron tipped arrows, iron spears and swords, and battering rams to break through brick walls that guarded enemy cities. Their armies were the first to use men on horseback. The cavalrymen and charioteers wore helmets and breastplates

Assyrians terrorized people with acts of violence and torture

The Assyrian Empire lasted 150 years before being destroyed by the Chaldeans and Persians

Contributions to Civilization

They were the first people to set up an effective system for governing an empire

A great library was built in the capital city of Nineveh. It contained thousands of clay tablets which enabled historians to learn about life in the ancient Middle East.

Chaldeans

Chaldeans

People and their History

They helped overthrow the Assyrians

They took control of the Fertile Crescent

and established the Second Babylonian

empire. The Chaldeans were led by their

king Nebuchadnezzar. He rebuilt Babylon,

which became the larges and most

impressive city in the ancient world

Contributions to Civilization

They built the beautiful “Hanging

Gardens” on the rooftops of Babylon. The

Greeks called them one of the “seven

wonders of the world”

The field of Astronomy was further

advanced by accurate observations of

the son, moon, planets and stars

Persians

Persians

Contributions to Civilization

A well-organized government was set up in which (1) the empire was divided into provinces, each directed by a “satrap” (governor), (2) roads were built to speed trade and the movement of armies, (3) conquered peoples were allowed to keep their religion, laws, and local customs

Cultural diffusion “—the exchange of ways of living—took place between the various groups within the empire

The Persians accepted the teachings of the prophet Zoroaster, who said that the world was a struggle between good and evil. After death, people who lived good lives would go to heaven, while those who were evil would be sent to hell. This idea of a final judgments is believed to have influenced Judaism and Christianity.

People and their History

The Chaldean empire declined after the death of Nebuchadnezzar

The new Persian Empire extended for 3,000 miles from Egypt to India. It lasted for about 200 years, reaching its height under King Darius I