social science

Mesopotamia - is often called the cradle of civilization

Civilization - a complex society

Irrigation - a system of moving water to help crops grow

Afterlife - the belief in life after death

Pharaoh - the king of ancient Egypt

Ziggurat - a pyramid shaped temple built in Mesopotamian city states

Hieroglyphics - The writing system of ancient Egypt

Nile River - The river in Egypt that flooded regularly

Hammurabi’s Code - A written set of laws created by King Hammurabi of Babylon ( eye for an eye )

Cuneiform - One of the first writing systems developed in Mesopotamia using wedgeshaped marks

City-state - an independent city

Major civilizations that developed near rivers:

Ancient Egypt - around the Nile river

The Indus Valley civilization - Nile river or Indus River

Mesopotamia - between the Tigris and Euphrates rivers

Ancient china - along the yellow and Yangtze rivers

Four ancient cultures of Mesopotamia:

1. Sumerians

2. Assyrians

3. Akkadians

4. Babylonians

Lesson 2:

1. Sumer

• walls for protection

• Ziggurats/temples at the center for worship

• Ruler/king who claimed power through the gods

• Specialized works - farmers,builders,scribes,priests

1. Religion and ziggurat

• People believed gods controlled nature

• Each city has its own patron god/godess

• Priests and kings worked closely

-ziggurats were built to be closer to the gods. These temples are symbols of power and belief

1. Invention and innovation

The Sumerians and later Babylonians invented systems we still use today

• The wheel: used for transport and pottery

• Cuneiform: the first system of writing, using wedge shaped marks on clay

• Irrigation systems: to water crops from the rivers

• Hammurabi’s code: one of the earliest written law codes (an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth)

1. trade and cultural exchange

Mesopotamians didn’t have everything they needed so they traded:

• Grain, cloth, and pottery for metals, wood and luxury goods

• With nearby regions like Persia Anatolia and the industrial valley

• Using rivers and overland caravan routes

• Trade led to the spread of ideas and cultural practices. This exchange influences Mesopotamian society and its development

From presentation:

Civilization foundations - civilization requires organization and problem solving beyond farming

Cooperation and trust - writing, invention, and trade create culture

Power and governance - kings use religion to legitimize their rule, while laws ensured protection and control

Importance of rivers for early agriculture - this is because the river floods regularly which made fertile soil around the banks and the river also shy fresh water to irrigate crops

Sumerians:

-They were the earliest known civilization in Mesopotamia, developing around 4000 BCE in the southern region

-They established the worlds first cities; Ur, Uruk, and Eridu

-they invented cuneiform around 3000 BCE (wedge shaped symbols into clay tablets)

-credit with inventing the wheel and constructions of ziggurats

-their society was polytheistic (believed in many gods)

Akkadians:

-lived in northern Mesopotamia and spoke. Semitic language related to Hebrew and Arabic

-around 2334 BCE, Sargon of Akkad united the Sumerian and Akkadian city

-founded the worlds first empire, the Akkadian empire

-the empire expanded into regions such as the Levant (modern day Syria and Lebanon) and promoted the spread of Akkadian culture and language

Assyrians:

-from northern Mesopotamia and originally came form the city of Asher

-after the fall of the Akkadian empire, Assyria became a powerful empire for over 1000 years

-known for their military strength and advanced warfare

-built built massive cities and structures, including the famous library of Nineveh, which preserved important texts like The Epic of Gilgamesh

Babylonians:

-began as a small city in Mesopotamia but rose to power under king Hammurabi (he ruled from 1792 to 1750 BCE)

-Hammurabi is best known for making the code of Hammurabi (earliest complete law codes in history)

-first Babylonian empire fell in 1532 BCE regained its influence under kings like Nebuchadnezzar II

-remembered for architectural achievements (hanging gardens and advances in astronomy and mathematics)