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Life in Mesopotamia

Life in Mesopotamia. 8 September 2010. City-State of Ur. Located on the banks of the Euphrates River Thriving metropolis around 3,000 BCE Agricultural city-state with a sophisticated irrigation system. City Life. Living Quarters Average Citizen

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Life in Mesopotamia

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  1. Life in Mesopotamia 8 September 2010

  2. City-State of Ur • Located on the banks of the Euphrates River • Thriving metropolis around 3,000 BCE • Agricultural city-state with a sophisticated irrigation system

  3. City Life • Living Quarters • Average Citizen • Small, windowless, one-story, boxlike houses, tightly packed together

  4. City Life • Living Quarters • Wealthy Citizens • Two-story houses with inner-courtyards

  5. Thriving Trade • Took place at the bazaar or market • Money has not been invented • Use of bartering

  6. Center of City Life • Ziggurat (Mountain of God) • Tallest and most important building • Like a city within a city • Surrounded by a wall

  7. Center of Life (cont’d) • Ziggurat • Exterior • Flight of stairs leading to top • Peak • Rituals conducted to city god • Served as a storage area for goods

  8. City-States • City and Surrounding area functioning as independent political unit

  9. City-States • Common culture; but different • Each had its own government and rulers • Much like a country today • EX. Uruk, Kish, Lagash, Umma, Ur

  10. Power in the City-State • Early gov’t controlled by priests • Because of farmers beliefs • Managed irrigation systems

  11. Shift in Power • During times of war, priests turned power over to a “tough fighter” – leader of the army

  12. Shift in Power • Because of frequency, commanders given permanent control • Led to the establishment of dynasties

  13. Cultural Diffusion • Process of a new idea or product spreading from one culture to another • How do ideas spread in today’s society?

  14. Religion • Polytheistic (3000 gods) • Did many of the things human did • Animal sacrifices performed to please gods

  15. Religion (cont’d) • Afterlife • “Land of no return” • Dismal and gloomy • Located between earth’s crust and ancient sea • Dust is their fare and clay their food

  16. Society • Social Classes • Priests and Kings • Wealthy merchants • Common folk • Slaves

  17. Society (cont’d) • Women • Able to pursue most occupation • Own property • Join lower ranks of priesthood • Unable to attend schools where reading and writing were taught

  18. Technology • Wheel, sail, plow • First system of writing • First map • Developed a number system

  19. First Empires • Sargon of Akkad • 2350 BCE conquers Sumeria • United northern and southern Mesopotamia creating the first empire

  20. Empires (cont’d) • Hammurabi • Babylonian • Hammurabi’s Code • Single, uniform code • Engraved into stone and placed throughout the empire

  21. Empires (cont’d) • Hammurabi • Hammurabi’s Code (cont’d) • Reinforced the principle that the government had a responsibility for what occurred in society

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