1. Mesopotamia and Sumer Chapter 2 Section 1

2. Key Terms • Fertile Crescent • Mesopotamia • Ziggurat • City-State • Polytheism • Dynasty • Cuneiform • Sargon • Hammurabi

3. Geography Promotes Civilization • Fertile Crescent-curve between the Mediterranean and Persian Sea • Richest soils between the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers • Called Mesopotamia

4. Geography Promotes Civilization • 5500 BC farming • Grew wheat grain barley • Dug basins to save water • Made canals for irrigation

5. Sumer • Sumerians developed the first civilization. • Built of mud bricks • Ziggurats-pyramid style structure • Walls around city • City-state- a political unit with its own government

6. Religion and Government • Polytheism- the worship of many gods • Believed gods controlled all forces • God Enil ruled the air and storms • Gods were like humans • Drank, fell in love, married and fought

7. Religion and Government • Worked hard to please the gods • Built temples • Priests held high status • War chiefs became kings • They served the gods • Dynasty-series of rulers from one family

8. Sumerian Culture • Cuneiform the first style of writing • Used a stylus a sharp tool • Made wedge- shaped symbols • Wrote laws, business accounts, first book • Epic of Gilgamesh

9. Sumerian Culture • Math and Sciences • Developed math based on number 60 • Still divide hour into minutes • Circle into 360 degrees • Learned geometry • Invented the wheel • The plow • Built sewers

10. Sumerian Culture • The Arts • Use of arches and ramps • Sculpture of wide open eyes • Engraved cylinder seals engraved all around • Rolled onto wet clay • Used to sign documents

11. Sumerian Culture • Trade and Society • Lacked wood and metals • Sumerians trade for items • Trades across southwest Asia • Formed social hierarchy • Kings and priests • Large landowners and merchants • Artisans and farmers

12. Sumerian Culture • Men and women had distinct roles • Men • Held political office • Made laws • Women • Took care of the home • Took care of children

13. Empires in Mesopotamia • Sargon’s Empire • 2330 BC • Created a permanent army • Used army to conquer Sumer • Ruled from Akad • Formed world’s first empire

14. Empires in Mesopotamia • Empire- different kingdoms under one rule • Akkadian’s adopted cuneiform • Sumerian remained the main language for religion • Priests had a lot of power • Empire lasted 140 years

15. Babylonian Empire • Amorites settled in Babylon • 1792 BC Hammurabi is king • United all of Mesopotamia • Oversaw building projects • Improved tax collection

16. Babylonian Empire • Hammurabi • Increased trade • Absorbed culture of the region • Most famous for Hammurabi’s Code • 282 laws dealing with trade, murder, theft, injury • Was written for all people to see