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Social Studies Notes
Chapter 4: Lesson 2
Mesopotamian Empires
Learning Targets: I will be able to explain how civilization developed in Mesopotamia and why Babylon was considered an
important city in the ancient world. I will identify the contributions the Assyrians made to Southwest Asia.
Questions answered by notes
Notes
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How did Mesopotamia’s 1st
empires develop?
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How did the Assyrians influence
SW Asia?
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Empire= a group of many different lands under one
ruler
The kingdom of Akkad was ruled by Sargon
He formed the world’s 1st empire (Sumer/Akkad)
Empire lasted for more than 200 years
Hammurabi = Babylonian King
Created the Babylonia empire – stretched from the
Persian Gulf through the Tigris/Euphrates Valley to the
Mediterranean Sea
Hammurabi’s Code – was strict “an eye for an eye”
Purpose was to limit punishment, do away with blood
feuds, and protect the less powerful
1,000 years after Hammurabi the Assyrian Empire
arose
Large empire – present day countries of Turkey, Syria,
Iran, and Iraq
The Assyrians had a large and powerful army
Visual
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Why was Babylon an important
city in the ancient world?
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Tribute = forced payment
From the Hittites they learned iron production = better
weapons
Assyria stretched from the Persian Gulf to the Nile
Capital was Ninevah
They divided their empire into provinces = political
districts – this made it easy to rule such a large area
King Ashurbanipal built one of the world’s 1st libraries
in Ninevah
Because the Assyrians were harsh rulers, people often
rebelled
Conflict in 650 B.C. about who would be the next ruler
Chaldeans come in and seize power
627 B.C. revolt against the Assyrians
Medes joined the Chaldeans and together they
defeated the Assyrian army
Babylon became the capital of the Chaldean Empire
King Nebuchadnezzar rebuilt Babylon making it the
largest and richest city in the world
Hanging Gardens in the palace
One of the 7 Wonders of the Ancient World
Gardens built to please his wife
They worshiped the god Marduk
To pay for his projects and maintain army
Nebuchadnezzar had to collect very high taxes and
tributes
The major trade route between the Persian Gulf and
the Mediterranean Sea passed through Babylon
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Merchants came in traveling groups called caravans
Chaldean astronomers mapped the heavens
They invented the 1st sundial to tell time
1st to follow a 7 day week
After Nebuchadnezzar died the empire weakened
The Persians saw the opportunity and captured
Babylon
Questions answered by notes
Notes
Visual