Mesopotamia

1. Mesopotamia • The name Mesopotamia means ____________________________________ • Mesopotamia lies within the _________________________________ – an area of rich, fertile farmland in Southwest Asia where the first civilizations began • It is bordered to the north by the ___________River, and to the South by the ____________________River. • These were the rivers of ________ and _________ • Flood waters brought beneficial ___________________ from the mountains in spring • The same floods were unpredictable and swept away people and animals • Floods on these rivers left behind Silt: ________________________________________________________________ • This ________ made the land of Mesopotamia extremely _________________ for growing crops • When you have excellent conditions for growing crops (warm climate, good soil, access to plenty of water) what is possible.....? • _______________________________

2. Mesopotamia – The Sumerians • Surplus made it possible for the growth of _____________ • The ________________ established the world’s first permanent _____________________________ right here in Mesopotamia • Their first cities had about 10,000 people but as time passed some grew as large as _________ • These____________________ acted as individual countries even though they were cities • What kept city-states from uniting under one government or ruler? __________________ • Unfortunately, not all of the Sumerian city-states were BFFs • City-states would continually fight over who had controlled the ___________________ and the rights to ___________ on the river • By 3500 BC, __________ was the most powerful of the city-states • Uruk and Ur fought for dominance as well • Uruk’s king ___________________________ became a legendary figure in Sumerian Literature

3. Mesopotamia – The Sumerians • In Sumer_____________________ was a central part of life in the city-states. • Sumerians practiced Polytheism: ________________________________________________________________ • Ziggurats: ___________________________________________________________________________________________________ • The Ziggurats were terraced with __________ that lead to the top where a ___________was located. SUMERIAN ACHIEVEMENTS • Writing – Evolved from a series of pictures/symbols called ________________, • to Cuneiform: ___________________________________________ • Math – Developed a system that used _____ as a base. • This led to the understanding of 12 ____________ in a year; 60 _______________in a minute; and 60 ___________in an hour.

4. Mesopotamia – The Sumerians • Technology • Wheel: ______________________________________________________ • Plow: _______________________________________________________ • Sewers • Bronze for tools • Makeup and jewelry Mesopotamia – The Babylonians • Constant ______________ between City-States in Sumeria weakened them • They manly fought over the rights to ___________, _________, and money • Because they were weak, the _______________________ were able to conquer them by the year 1759 BC. • Empire: __________________________________________________________________ • The center of the Babylonian empire was the beautiful city of ____________ • Its central location made it a center for trade for: • Caravans: _______________________________________________________ • Bazaars: ________________________________________________________

5. Mesopotamia – The Babylonians • ____________________became King and created the Babylonian Empire by uniting the cities of ______________ and conquering parts of ________________________ • As one of the most influential leaders in Mesopotamia he conquered territory and developed a set of laws to govern it = _____________________________________ • There were _______ laws; its creation allowed ______, __________, _________, and all others to read and understand the laws that governed their lives in Babylon • Examples: • Code 21: If a man has broken into a house he shall be killed before the breach and buried there • Code 196: If a man has knocked out the eye of a patrician, his eye shall be knocked out. • The Babylonian Empire was eventually conquered by the Persians, paving the way for the rise of.... _________________

6. Mesopotamia – The Assyrians ADVANCES DOWNFALL • Very______________________, so had few ________ • The ________________________ _____, ____________, slingers, _____________, and ____________ • Many small _________________ from within weakened them • _____________ ___________ were their major advantage over foes • Ultimately conquered by the ____________________ by 612 BC • The city of ______________ became a city of great learning and housed tablets from _____________ and _________________ Mesopotamia – The Chaldeans (Babylon Rises Again!) • Chaldeans reestablished _____________________ (New Babylonian Empire) • _______________________________________ rebuilt Babylon into a beautiful city and built the Hanging Gardens for his wife ADVANCES DOWNFALL • Poor _____________________ weakened them, and they eventually fell to Persia • Accurate __________ calendars • Raised ________ for honey • Sundials

7. Mesopotamia – The Phoenicians • The land on the western fringe of the Fertile Crescent was home to wealthy ______________ society known as the ______________________ • Phoenicia had few _________________, but it did have ______________. Cedar trees were prized for their _______________, a valuable trade item • Phoenicia’s overland trade routes were blocked by __________________and ___________________________ so they had to look to the _________ for a way to trade • Motivated by a desire for trade, the people of Phoenicia became expert ___________________________ - They built one of the world’s finest ________________ at the city of _________ • Fleets of fast Phoenician trading ships sailed to ports all around the __________________________________ • The Phoenicians founded several new colonies - ____________________ was the most famous of these, and later became one of the most _________________ cities on the Mediterranean • Phoenicia grew wealthy from trading: ___________, silverwork, ______________________, glass items, _____________, and items dyed purple

8. Mesopotamia – The Phoenicians • To record their activities, Phoenician traders developed one of the world’s first Alphabet : • ________________________________________________________________________________________________ • This development made ______________ much easier and had a major impact on the ______________ and ______________ world • Our alphabet is based on the Phoenicians! ADVANCES DOWNFALL • Created valuable good from glass, iron, and cedar • Attacks by King _______________ weakened the Phoenicians • World’s finest ______ builders • Eventually conquered when ___________ the _______ swept through the Fertile Crescent in 332 BC • Founded the city of ______________ • The ______________

9. Mesopotamia – The Akkadians I’ll try my best not to confuse you … here goes! • The Akkadians were a group that lived north of Sumer; they co-existed peacefully for many years • The peace was broken when King Sargon invaded Sumer to expand Akkadian territory • Sargon created the world’s first permanent army, and used it to conquer Sumer • In doing so, Sargon created the world’s first empire • The Akkadian Empire lasted about 150 years, until chaos and poor leadership weakened it • Sumerians took the opportunity to re-establish their civilization and were finally free of Akkadian control Mesopotamia Civ Flow Chart

10. Mesopotamia Civ Flow Chart The Sumerians The Akkadians (King Sargon) The Babylonians (King Hammurabi) The Assyrians The Chaldeans (King Nebuchadnezzar) The Phoenicians