Section II: Mesopotamia and SumerSection II: Mesopotamia and Sumer(Pages 32-36)(Pages 32-36)

Section III: Empires of Ancient MesopotamiaSection III: Empires of Ancient Mesopotamia(Pages 37-41)(Pages 37-41)

These sections are about:These sections are about:How the geography of How the geography of Mesopotamia affected the Mesopotamia affected the development of farming development of farming settlements and the settlements and the Sumerians.Sumerians.How a surplus of food supplies How a surplus of food supplies led to the growth of cities.led to the growth of cities.The accomplishments of the The accomplishments of the Babylonians, Persians, and Babylonians, Persians, and Phoenicians.Phoenicians.

This area is in the This area is in the Middle East today Middle East today (Iraq): between (Iraq): between the Tigris and the Tigris and Euphrates RiversEuphrates Rivers

Why do you think Why do you think people settled in people settled in Mesopotamia?Mesopotamia?

Maybe first – why Maybe first – why do you think do you think people have people have settled in the settled in the Barrington High Barrington High School area?School area?

These two rivers These two rivers flooded most years and flooded most years and brought rich, fertile brought rich, fertile soils to the area…soils to the area…

……although there were although there were not many other useful not many other useful resources for them resources for them (metal, precious (metal, precious stones, trees, etc…).stones, trees, etc…).

Since it was a good Since it was a good place to farm, some of place to farm, some of the first civilizations the first civilizations started here.started here.

One of these civilizations: One of these civilizations:

MesopotamiaMesopotamia Good land for crops Good land for crops

and animals.and animals. It didn’t rain much, but It didn’t rain much, but

they dug irrigation they dug irrigation ditches.ditches.

About 4000 BC, they About 4000 BC, they developed a plow – and developed a plow – and people could then work people could then work a lot faster and easier.a lot faster and easier.

This is another This is another example of a culture example of a culture specializing in their specializing in their skills and lifestyles.skills and lifestyles.

The The Fertile CrescentFertile Crescent was actually a home to was actually a home to many different many different cultures: including cultures: including Assyria, Akkad, and Assyria, Akkad, and SumerSumer

The SumeriansThe Sumerians

Had a lot of city-states Had a lot of city-states (the biggest was Ur: (the biggest was Ur: 20,000 people).20,000 people).

Each city state was a Each city state was a theocracy theocracy (a (a government ruled by a government ruled by a priest) who could priest) who could command an army, command an army, collect taxes, assign collect taxes, assign people labor, etc…people labor, etc…

The center of each city The center of each city had a ziggurat (tall had a ziggurat (tall tower for the priests)tower for the priests)

Many of these priests Many of these priests ended up becoming ended up becoming kings.kings.

Some of these kings Some of these kings ended up becoming ended up becoming warrior kinds of kings. warrior kinds of kings.

Why would they have Why would they have changed from changed from ““priestspriests”” to warrior leaders?to warrior leaders?

Sumerian Sumerian writing…writing…

Started out as pictographs – Started out as pictographs – usually done on clay (they usually done on clay (they had a lot of clay)had a lot of clay)

This eventually turned into This eventually turned into cuneiform (on clay tablets).cuneiform (on clay tablets).

They used this wedge shaped They used this wedge shaped writing for about 3000 years.writing for about 3000 years.

Used for recording business, Used for recording business, myths, poems, laws, …myths, poems, laws, …

One famous cuneiform story One famous cuneiform story is is ““The Epic of GilgameshThe Epic of Gilgamesh””

Mesopotamians were bright:Mesopotamians were bright:

InventedInvented

the plowthe plow potterypottery cuneiformcuneiform THE WHEEL (in Sumer THE WHEEL (in Sumer

about 3100 BC)about 3100 BC) used sails for boatsused sails for boats masters at record keeping masters at record keeping

(used scribes to copy (used scribes to copy information and keep information and keep records) records)

invented a math system invented a math system (based on 60 – still for (based on 60 – still for clocks and… anything clocks and… anything else?) else?)

contributed ideas that contributed ideas that helped make domes, helped make domes, vaults, and brick moldsvaults, and brick molds

Sumerians also practiced Sumerians also practiced polytheismpolytheism(they worshiped many gods and goddesses)(they worshiped many gods and goddesses)

About About 30003000 totaltotal

Each city may Each city may have even had have even had some of their some of their own special own special ones.ones.

They usually They usually had a pretty had a pretty set social set social structurestructure

Sumer was not the only Sumer was not the only place in Mesopotamia…place in Mesopotamia…

… … and eventually they lost and eventually they lost some of their power and were some of their power and were conquered (some of their conquered (some of their culture became part of other culture became part of other EmpireEmpire’’s cultures though).s cultures though).

Another group: The Akkadian Another group: The Akkadian Empire: led by Sargon – a Empire: led by Sargon – a superb military leader.superb military leader.

SargonSargon’’s dynasty ruled for s dynasty ruled for about 200 years - during this about 200 years - during this time Sumer and Akkad time Sumer and Akkad blended into more of one blended into more of one culture.culture.

And, because their culture And, because their culture was doing well – people were was doing well – people were able to do more leisure time able to do more leisure time things: sculpture, carving, things: sculpture, carving, writing and poetry…writing and poetry…

Babylonia Babylonia and Assyriaand Assyria

BabyloniaBabylonia became a became a village about 2000 BC village about 2000 BC and an empire by and an empire by 17100 BC17100 BC

Their outstanding Their outstanding leader (Hammurabi) leader (Hammurabi) helped them become helped them become known for their wealth, known for their wealth, entertainment, and entertainment, and gardens.gardens.

But heBut he’’s best known for s best known for writing down all the writing down all the laws into one laws into one ““documentdocument””

This document is called:This document is called: The Code of HammurabiThe Code of Hammurabi::

Did 2 things:Did 2 things:

1.1. Helped make sure everyone Helped make sure everyone knew what the laws were.knew what the laws were.

2.2. Helped unify all the people Helped unify all the people who made up the who made up the Babylonian culture.Babylonian culture.

Has 282 specific laws about Has 282 specific laws about marriage, land rights, marriage, land rights, business dealings, family business dealings, family relations, and crime and relations, and crime and punishment.punishment.

Some were complicated Some were complicated and even unfair (different and even unfair (different punishments for different punishments for different people)…people)…

……but usually the but usually the punishment fit the deed.punishment fit the deed.

Examples from Examples from ““The Code of The Code of HammurabiHammurabi””

http://www.ushistory.org/civ/4c.asp

15: If any one take a male or female slave of the court, or a male or female slave of a freed man, outside the city gates [to escape], he shall be put to death. 16: If any one receive into his house a runaway male or female slave of the court, or of a freedman, and does not bring it out at the public proclamation of the [police], the master of the house shall be put to death. 53: If any one be too lazy to keep his dam in proper condition, and does not so keep it; if then the dam break and all the fields be flooded, then shall he in whose dam the break occurred be sold for money, and the money shall replace the [grain] which he has caused to be ruined. 54: If he be not able to replace the [grain], then he and his possessions shall be divided among the farmers whose corn he has flooded. 108: If a [woman wine-seller] does not accept [grain] according to gross weight in payment of drink, but takes money, and the price of the drink is less than that of the corn, she shall be convicted and thrown into the water. (1) 1010: If conspirators meet in the house of a [woman wine-seller], and these conspirators are not captured and delivered to the court, the [wine-seller] shall be put to death. 110: If a "sister of a god“ [nun] open a tavern, or enter a tavern to drink, then shall this woman be burned to death. 1210: If a man's wife be surprised [having intercourse] with another man, both shall be tied and thrown into the water, but the husband may pardon his wife and the king his slaves. 130: If a man violate the wife (betrothed or child-wife) of another man, who has never known a man, and still lives in her father's house, and sleep with her and be surprised [caught], this man shall be put to death, but the wife is blameless. 131: If a man bring a charge against [his] wife, but she is not surprised with another man, she must take an oath and then may return to her house. 132: If the "finger is pointed" at a man's wife about another man, but she is not caught sleeping with the other man, she shall jump into the river for [the sake of her] husband. (2) 138: If a man wishes to separate from his wife who has borne him no children, he shall give her the amount of her purchase money and the dowry which she brought from her father's house, and let her go. 141: If a man's wife, who lives in his house, wishes to leave it, plunges into debt [to go into business], tries to ruin her house, neglects her husband, and is judicially convicted: if her husband offer her release, she may go on her way, and he gives her nothing as a gift of release. If her husband does not wish to release her, and if he take another wife, she shall remain as servant in her husband's house. 142: If a woman quarrel with her husband, and say: "You are not congenial to me," the reasons for her prejudice must be presented. If she is guiltless, and there is no fault on her part, but he leaves and neglects her, then no guilt attaches to this woman, she shall take her dowry and go back to her father's house. (3) 143: If she is not innocent, but leaves her husband, and ruins her house, neglecting her husband, this woman shall be cast into the water. 1105: If a son strike his father, his hands shall be [cut] off. (4) 1106: If a [noble-]man put out the eye of another [noble-]man, his eye shall be put out. (5) 1107: If he break another [noble-]man's bone, his bone shall be broken. 1108: If he put out the eye of a [commoner], or break the bone of a [commoner], he shall pay one [silver] mina. 11010: If he put out the eye of a man's slave, or break the bone of a man's slave, he shall pay one-half of its value. 200: If a man knock out the teeth of his equal, his teeth shall be knocked out. 201: If he knock out the teeth of a [commoner], he shall pay one-third of a [silver] mina.

The Persian EmpireThe Persian Empire ……contributed a lot to contributed a lot to

Mesopotamia.Mesopotamia. Cyrus the Great built Cyrus the Great built

many roads (improving many roads (improving travel and travel and communication).communication).

Cyrus also governed Cyrus also governed through kindness and through kindness and cooperation (his army cooperation (his army wouldnwouldn’’t steal or t steal or destroy places they destroy places they conquered).conquered).

Also: common weights Also: common weights and measures and the and measures and the use of coins in tradeuse of coins in trade

The Phoenicians were around at the same The Phoenicians were around at the same timetime

(but in a different place) (but in a different place) They were the greatest sailors They were the greatest sailors

of the time (so – also traders – of the time (so – also traders – minerals, wood, a purple dye).minerals, wood, a purple dye).

They also set up many They also set up many colonies around the colonies around the Mediterranean.Mediterranean.

Their greatest achievement Their greatest achievement was a new alphabet – which was a new alphabet – which spread throughout the region.spread throughout the region.

They also simplified cuneiform They also simplified cuneiform from 1000 symbols to 22.from 1000 symbols to 22.

Each symbol stood for a Each symbol stood for a different sound. The Greeks different sound. The Greeks later added more symbols and later added more symbols and eventually it turns into what eventually it turns into what our English alphabet is based our English alphabet is based on.on.