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Sumerian Civilization

Sumerian Civilization. The Land. Fertile Crescent (p. 30) Land between the Tigris and Euphrates is called Mesopotamia Flooding occurred often, but could not be predicted Used irrigation to get water to crops. Fertile Crescent. Surrounded by dry lands and mountains

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Sumerian Civilization

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  1. Sumerian Civilization

  2. The Land • Fertile Crescent (p. 30) • Land between the Tigris and Euphrates is called Mesopotamia • Flooding occurred often, but could not be predicted • Used irrigation to get water to crops

  3. Fertile Crescent • Surrounded by dry lands and mountains • Deserts not as barren as those surrounding Egypt • What might this mean for people living in the area? • Constant Cycle • Invasion after invasion

  4. Sumer • SE section of Fertile Crescent • Very fertile near the Persian Gulf • Over time, a Sumerian culture was created • Writings • Pictographs- one of the earliest forms of writing • Cuneiform- Sumerian writing developed from pictographs

  5. Achievements of the Sumerians • Architecture • Arches • Ziggurats- often served religious purposes • Science • Wheel • Divided a circle into 360 degrees • Separated each degree into 60 min.  60 sec. • Lunar calendar

  6. Sumerian Society • City-state • Included the town or city and the surrounding land it controlled • Sumer contained many city-states • Ur, Erech, and Kish • Rarely united under a single government

  7. Sumerian Society King High Priests and Nobles Lower priests, merchants, and scholars Peasant farmers Slaves kidnapped or captured during war

  8. Sumerian Society • Farming • Most Sumerians were farmers, but they grew enough food to allow others to work as artisans or traders • Education • Upper-class boys attended school • Religion • Polytheists • An-Lord of Heaven • Enlil-God of air and storms • Enki- God of water and wisdom

  9. Empires of the Fertile Crescent • Sumerians • 5000 B.C.-2330 B.C. • Akkadians • Babylonians • 1792 B.C.-1155 B.C. • Hittites • 1600 B.C.-1200 B.C. • Assyrians • 1300’s B.C.-612 B.C. • Chaldeans • 612 B.C.-539 B.C. • Persians • 539 B.C.-331 B.C.

  10. Akkadians • 2330 B.C.-1792 B.C. • Sargon • Most powerful Akkadian king • Ruled from 2334 B.C.-2279 B.C. • Established a great empire • See p. 35

  11. Babylonians • 1792 B.C.-1155 B.C. • Hammurabi • Strong ruler • Code of Hammurabi • 282 laws • Eye for an eye • See quote p. 36 • Punishments were different for the rich • Adopted much of the culture of the Sumerians • Believed priests could see the future

  12. Activity • Split into 4 groups • Decide whether you are in favor or against the strict Code of Hammurabi and explain why in AT LEAST 5 sentences • Everyone should contribute their ideas • Below are a few more laws taken from the 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. • 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. • 200. If a man knock out the teeth of his equal, his teeth shall be knocked out.

  13. Hittites • 1600 B.C.-1200 B.C. • Hittite Law • Only harsh crimes received the death penalty • Most crimes required fines to be paid • Conquered Babylon • Too far from home to control it permanently • One of the first groups to smelt iron • Weakened after invasions by Sea Peoples

  14. Assyrians • 1300’s B.C.-612 B.C. • See map on p. 37 • Fierce Warriors • Chariots • Cavalry-first to use this method • Used terror to control enemies • Epic of Gilgamesh- 6 min • Nineveh was the capital • Built huge wall for protection • 7.5 miles around and over 70 feet high

  15. Assyrians cont. • Governance • One of the first groups to effectively govern a large empire • King ruled all • Local governors ruled conquered lands and reported to the king • Civil War broke out in 635 B.C. • Weakened Assyria could not resist invasion by the Chaldeans and the Medes

  16. Chaldeans • 612 B.C.-539 B.C. • Nebuchadnezzar • Governed the rebuilt city of Babylon from 605 B.C.-562 B.C. • Read about the Hanging Gardens p. 38 • Achievements • Skilled astronomers and mathematicians • Calculated the length of a year with great accuracy • Predicted eclipses

  17. Persians • 539 B.C.-331 B.C. • Cyrus the Great • Rebelled and conquered the Medes • Expanded the empire • Darius the Great and his son, Xerxes I • Expanded the empire even more • Mightiest empire in history up to that time • See map p. 39

  18. Persians • Effective, fair rulers • Allowed conquered peoples to keep religions and laws • Secret Agents were, “The King’s Eyes and Ears” • No one knew who these people were, so it helped keep regional governors and leaders in check • Roads- The Royal Road • Connected the entire empire • Increased transportation and trade

  19. Persians • Religion-Polytheistic until 600 B.C. • Zoroaster- changed the religious outlook • Life on Earth was training for future life • Struggle of good vs. evil • Those who choose good will be rewarded, while those choosing evil will be punished • Influenced Judaism and Christianity • Good vs. Evil and Final Judgement

  20. Fall of the Persians • Later kings lacked leadership abilities • 331 B.C. • Persian army defeated by Alexander the Great • A.D. 226 • Revived for a time by ruler named Ardashir • Also brought back Zoroastrianism

  21. Activity • Complete the chart below • 12 points • Cons include elements that led to the empire’s downfall

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