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City-States in Mesopotamia. Chapter 2 Section 1. I Geography of the Fertile Crescent. Fertile Crescent= fertile area of land between the Persian Gulf & Mediterranean Sea in Southwest Asia. A. Fertile Plains. Land btwn Tigris & Euphrates river became known as Mesopotamia
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City-States in Mesopotamia Chapter 2 Section 1
I Geography of the Fertile Crescent • Fertile Crescent= fertile area of land between the Persian Gulf & Mediterranean Sea in Southwest Asia
A. Fertile Plains • Land btwn Tigris & Euphrates river became known as Mesopotamia • Mesopotamia= Greek word meaning “land btwn the rivers” • Rivers flooded at least 1 a yr. leaving behind silt • Silt= Thick, fertile, mud on which farmers could plant • Food surpluses allowed villages to grow
B. Enviornmental Challenges • Good soil attracted Sumerians whose language dominated the region Disadvantages • Flooding unpredictable • Verlnurable to attackbecause the lack of natural barriers • Limited natural resources (wood, stone, metal)
C. Creating Solutions • Irrigation= ditches that carried water to fields • Allowed food surplus • Built city walls out of brick & mud for defense • Traded grain for stone, wood, & metal that they needed
Large building projects required laborers and ppl to oversee the labor • Projects created a need for laws to settle disputes over land and water distribution • Laws marked the beginning of organized gov’t
II Sumerians Create City-States • Sumerians 1st group to create a civilzation • Shared same culture & developed govt’s each with its own ruler • City-State=city and surrounding land it conrolled
A. The Power of Priests • Sumer early gov’t controlled by priests • Priests collected part of farmers crop as tax
B. Monarchs Take Control • In time of war a man was chosen to lead the city & soldiers instead of priests • As war became frequent, ppl 7 priests gave commanders permanent control of armies • Eventually became full time rulers • Passed down power to their sons to forma dynasty • Dynasty= series of rulers from a single family • City states came under rule of dysnasties
C. Spread of Cities • Food surplus prosperous city • Able to exchange extra food for goods they needed • Trade spread of ideas • Cities arose in fertile crescent (now Syria, Iraq, Turkey) • Sumerians also learned from nearby cultures • Cultural Diffusion= the process of a new idea or product spreading from one culture to another
III Sumerian CultureA. A Religion of Many Gods • Sumerian culture & others in region practiced a polytheism • Polytheism= the belief in many gods • Sumerians described gods doing things humans did but believed they were immortal & all powerful • Built impressive ziggurats & offered sacrifices to keep them happy so they wouldn’t cause them harm
Epic of Gilgamesh offers a glimpse of their beliefs and concerns • One of the earliest works of literature in the world • Story of king Gilgamesh in his search for immortality • Influenced other ancient cultures like Hebrews & Greeks
B. Life in Sumerian Society • Civilization saw establishment of social classes
Slaves were POWs & sumerians who were sold into slavery to pay debts of their poor parents • Slaves could earn freedom through obedience & working all day • Women could pursue most occupations of city life • Could own property • Join lower ranks of priesthood • Could not attend upper class schools where boys learned to read and write • More rights than many other women in later civ.
