Mesopotamia: “The Cradle of Civilization”

1. Mesopotamia: “The Cradle of Civilization”

2. 3 Sumer – the first civilization • Where was Sumer? • What two rivers defined this region? • What country is there now? • Why did civilization develop there? • What did Sumer contribute to our technology and way of life?

3. The Fertile Crescent is the fertile land between the Tigris and Euphrates rivers. The Greeks called this region Mesopotamia, which means land between the rivers The first of these was Sumer. Sumerian cities emerged in southern Mesopotamia around 3200 BCE 3 Where was Sumer?

5. Tigris Today

6. Tigris Today

7. Euphrates Today

8. Euphrates Today

9. Why in Mesopotamia?

10. Water in the Desert • Tigris and Euphrates allowed for agriculture • As early as 6000 BCE, people used irrigation • Sumerians domesticated animals and invented the wheel

11. rivers Agriculture’s Impact agriculture Sumerian map of irrigation channels large populations cities specialization government

12. 3 Sumerian Advances • Developed cuneiform, the earliest form of writing. • Developed basic algebra and geometry. • Made accurate calendars, divided time into minutes and seconds. • Made the first wheeled vehicles.

13. Cuneiform

14. Religion • Sumer also gave rise to organized religion • Each city had its own patron deity • Believed in many gods – polytheism • Built ziggurats to host temples

15. Ziggurat Today

16. History of Mesopotamia Many civilizations existed in during Mesopotamia’s ancient history • Sumer-First Civilization • Akkad-First Empire founded by Sargon, took over Sumer • Babylonia-Controlled Mesopotamia after the fall of Akkadian empire, first king - Hammurabi • Assyria- Largest of the empires, famous for making war

17. Hammurabi • Hammurabi’s code was the first attempt by a ruler to write all of the laws that would govern a state in a public place • It was not only the first published code of laws, but also applied to all people, regardless of class

18. Laws from Hammurabi’s Code #2  If any one bring an accusation against a man, and the accused go to the river and leap into the river, if he sink in the river his accuser shall take possession of his house. But if the river prove that the accused is not guilty, and he escape unhurt, then he who had brought the accusation shall be put to death, while he who leaped into the river shall take possession of the house that had belonged to his accuser. 

19. Laws from Hammurabi’s Code #6 If any one steal the property of a temple or of the court, he shall be put to death, and also the one who receives the stolen thing from him shall be put to death. 

20. Laws from Hammurabi’s Code #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 corn which he has caused to be ruined. 

21. Laws from Hammurabi’s Code # 54  If he be not able to replace the corn, then he and his possessions shall be divided among the farmers whose corn he has flooded. 

22. Laws from Hammurabi’s Code # 129 If a man's wife be surprised with another man, both shall be tied and thrown into the water, but the husband may pardon his wife and the king his slaves. 

23. Laws from Hammurabi’s Code #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, this man shall be put to death, but the wife is blameless

24. Laws from Hammurabi’s Code # 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 her husband. 

25. Laws from Hammurabi’s Code #195  If a son strike his father, his hands shall be hewn off. #196 If a man put out the eye of another man, his eye shall be put out. #197 If he break another man's bone, his bone shall be broken. #200 If a man knock out the teeth of his equal, his teeth shall be knocked out.

26. Laws from Hammurabi’s Code #198 If he put out the eye of a freed man, or break the bone of a freed man, he shall pay one gold mina. #199 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. #201 If he knock out the teeth of a freed man, he shall pay one-third of a gold mina.