February 10, 2009

1. February 10, 2009 Chapter 4 section 2 Turn in Mesopotamia Writing Chapter 4 sec 2 and 3 notes Test Thursday!!!!!!!!!!!

2. Mesopotamia Empires • Sargon of Akkad is known as the creator of the first empire in the world. • Akkadians establish the world’s first empire. • An empire brings together many different peoples and lands under the control of one ruler. • The person who rules is called an emperor.

3. The Akkadian Empire • Sargon’s empire was called the Akkadian Empire. • Sargon’s conquest helped to spread Akkadian ideas and ways of life. • One of the most important idea shared in the empire was the Akkadian system of writing.

4. Fertile Crescent • Eventually, Sargon ruled over lands that stretched in a curve from the Mediterranean Sea through Mesopotamia to the Persian Gulf. • This region is called the Fertile Crescent.

5. The Babylonian Empire • The empire of Akkad lasted for about 200 years. • It fell apart because of attacks by outside peoples. • Fighting also took place among city-states within the empire. • Around 2000 B.C. the Amorites began to invade and take control of Sumer. • They chose the city of Babylon, which was located on the Euphrates River.

6. Hammurabi • A powerful Amorite king named Hammurabi ruled the Babylonian Empire. • Hammurabi expanded control over many city states. • Hammurabi used governors to help him control the lands. • He watched over agriculture, irrigation, trade, and construction

7. Hammurabi’s Law Code Hammurabi believed a code of law would help to control the empire. A code of law is a set of written rules for people to obey. His code is sometimes referred to as an “eye for an eye” code. It consisted of 282 laws. Turn to page 115 in your textbook

8. Hammurabi’s Code • If a son strikes his father, his hand shall be hewn (cut off). • If a man put out the eye of another man, his eye shall be put out. • If a man break another man’s bone, his bone shall be broken.

9. Why? • Give reasons why laws are necessary for the protection of individuals and society. • Give reasons why laws are not necessary for the protection of individuals and society.

10. Chapter 4 sec 2 Assyria Rules the Fertile Crescent

11. Assyria Rules the Fertile Crescent • The Assyrians fought fiercely on foot, on horseback, and with chariots. • Assyrians attacked city walls with battering rams. • They carried iron swords and iron-tipped spears. • They also used ladders to scale walls.

12. Assyrians • Once inside the city, they slaughtered the inhabitants. • One Assyrian king boasted that he had destroyed 89 cities, 820 villages, and had burned the city of Babylon. • People greatly feared the Assyrians.

13. Assyrians • The Assyrians were cruel to the peoples they defeated. • Enemies who surrendered were allowed to choose a leader. • But those who refused to submit to Assyrian control were taken captive. • The Assyrians killed or made slaves of captives. • They speared enemy leaders and burned their cities.

14. Assyria Builds a Huge Empire • The Assyrian Empire grew so large that it needed to be very well organized. • Selected governor or king from distant land to rule • The Assyrians would provide army for protection. • Each ruler had to send tribute to the Assyrian ruler for protection of soldiers. • This meant a tax • The Assyrians made many enemies by their cruel actions.

15. Chaldeans Rebelled • The Chaldeans in 609 B.C. joined forces with other exile groups and defeated the Assyrians. • In time Assyria’s neighbors, the Chaldeans, ruled much of the former Assyrian empire. • Chaldeans replaced the Assyrians as rulers of the Fertile Crescent. • The city of Babylon became the capital of the Chaldean’snew empire.

16. Chaldeans Take Assyrian Lands • Nebuchadnezzar II who drove the Egyptians out of Syria and captured trading cities on the Mediterranean coast. • He seized Jerusalem. • The Chaldeans held thousands of Hebrews captive in Babylon for about 50 years.

17. Height and Wealth of Power • Nebuchadnezzar rebuilt the city of Babylon and constructed the huge, colorful Ishtar Gate. • An enormous ziggurat loomed 300 feet above the city. • Nebuchadnezzar built an artificial mountain covered with trees and plants. It was called the Hanging Gardens of Babylon. • The gardens were built in such a way that they appeared to float above the ground. They became one of the Seven Wonders of the World.

18. Hanging Garden of Babylon

19. October 8, 2008 Agenda: Chapter 4 section 3 Notes Red Dot Activity Read Pages 128-133 Test Friday

20. Persians Occupy the Land • Nomadic invaders often swept in and occupied the lands of Medes. • Many groups of nomads mixed customs and combined societies. • About 1000 B.C. Persians entered the region. • They created many tiny kingdoms that thrived in trade. • These kingdoms in time threatened Medes’ control of the land.

21. Cyrus Founds the Persian Empire • The Medes ruled Persia until a brilliant, powerful Persian king named Cyrus took control. • He was known as Cyrus the Great. • Cyrus had a vision of conquering the lands around Persia and uniting these lands as one large empire. • 1st Cyrus conquered Anatolia, also called Asia Minor. • 2nd conquered Fertile Crescent lands that had once been controlled by the Assyrians and the Chaldeans. • Finally his empire was immense.

22. Wise Emperor • Cyrus needed ways to control lands filled with many different peoples. • Unlike the Assyrians who ruled through cruelty, Cyrus set up a policy of toleration. • This meant allowing people to keep their customs and beliefs. • Cyrus allowed conquered peoples to continue to worship their own gods, speak their own language, and practice their own ways of life.

23. Cyrus • Cyrus’s policies of respect and toleration made friends instead of enemies. • For example, the Hebrew people who had been captured by the Chaldeans greatly liked Cyrus because he freed them. • He also allowed them to rebuild their temple and the city of Jerusalem. • Cyrus’s policy of toleration made governing the empire much easier, which explains why they had fewer revolts.

24. Darius • Needed to put down rebellions • The empire was so large that Darius added new policies set up by Cyrus. • Darius divided the empire into 20 provinces. • Darius set up Satraps to carry out his orders in the provinces and to collect taxes. • He also sent out spies called “Kings eyes and ears” to be sure his satraps followed orders.

25. Red Dot Activity • Do you trust your friends? • You will receive a index card (please do not show it to anyone) and on the card you will see a dot. • If your dot is black then you are a normal citizen. • If you have a red dot you are one of the King’s “Eyes and Ears” spies. • Your goal is to not allow the King’s spies into your group.

26. Uniting the Empire • The policies of provinces ruled by satraps was only one way to unite the empire. • Darius started the use of a Royal Road, or road for government purposes. • 1,775 miles long • Every 15 miles relay station • Darius set up a law code based on Hammurabi’s model.

27. Enemies of Persia • Darius planned a march against Egyptian rebels in 486 B. C., but he died that year. • His son Xerxes had to deal with Egypt. • Xerxes you may remember from the movie 300.

28. Xerxes