Download - Ancient Civilizations:
• On which continent was Mesopotamia located?
• Asia; in what is modern day Iraq, Syria & Turkey
The Geography
• On which river did the ancient Mesopotamians settle?
• Between the Tigris & Euphrates Rivers; in an area known as the Fertile Crescent
The Geography
Mesopotamian Cultures
• Mesopotamia did NOT represent a unified kingdom, instead it was made up of a series of kingdoms that occupied a specific geographical space
• Geography:• Located at the
southern end of Mesopotamia
• Near the mouths of the Tigris & Euphrates
Sumerian Geography
Sumerian Geography
• City-state: • A city + its surrounding lands• Independent political units that
competed for trade & boundaries
• i.e. Uruk, Kish, Ur, Lagash
• Characteristics:• Shared culture• Unique government • Outer walls• A central temple/ziggurat
Sumerian Geography
Sumerian Religion & Government• Polytheism:• The worship of more than one
god• Believed gods were immortal &
all powerful; humans were to serve the gods
• Ziggurat:• Temples where
sacrifices and offerings were made to the gods
• Animals, food, wine, etc.
Sumerian Religion & Government
• City-states were ruled by priest- kings who were viewed as powerful agents of the gods
Sumerian Religion & Government
Sumerian Culture & Knowledge• Despite their religious
practices, Sumerians had little, if any, belief in an afterlife
• Believed that the souls of the dead went to the “land of no return”
Sumerian Culture & Knowledge• Invention of the wheel (3000
BC)• Economy based on farming &
trade• CULTURAL DIFFUSION
Sumerian Culture & Knowledge• Other notable contributions:• Invention of the sail & plow• The usage of bronze• Development of a number
system
The Babylonian Empire
• In 1792 BC a new empire took control of Mesopotamia
• Babylonia• Reached its
height during the reign of Hammurabi
The Babylonian Empire
• Hammurabi’s Code:• Written code of laws• Stressed responsible
behavior• Capital punishment
• “an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth”
• Punishments based on SOCIAL CLASS
• Laws focused on ALL aspects of society
The Babylonian Empire
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.
If he breaks another man's bone, his bone shall be broken.
If a son strikes his father his hands shall be hewn off.
Hammurabi’s Code