Ancient Mesopotamia
Cornell Note Taking
Cornell Note Taking
Gilgamesh The King
Supreme over other kings, lordly in appearance, he
is the hero. He walks out in front, the leader, and
walks at the rear, trusted by his companions.
Mighty net, protector of his people, raging flood
wave who destroys even walls of stone! Two thirds
of him is god, one third of him is human.
Gilgamesh befriends a wild man, Enkidu, and goes
on a journey seeking eternal life.
Aspects of a Civilization
1. Stable Food Supply
 Farming is required
 More food supports larger
populations
 Invention: The Plow
 Modern Examples:
Farms
Stores
2. Social Structure
 Different jobs and
social levels
 Your status affects
your quality of life
 Slavery appears in the
lowest classes
Modern Examples:
Upper Class
Family Roles
3. Government
 Makes life orderly
 Protects and guides
the people
 Creates and enforces
laws
Modern Examples:
Democracy
King/Queen
4. Religion/Philosophy
 A set of beliefs
 A common way of life
 Values
Modern Examples:
Buddhism
Human Rights
5. Developed Culture
 Art forms such as music,
art, architecture, &
literature
 Proof of advanced thinking
strategies
Modern Examples:
Picasso
Beatles
6. Technology
 Practical tools and
inventions
 Creations to make
life easier
 Wheel created in
3500 B.C.E.
Modern Examples:
Internet
Car
7. Writing
 Created from a more
basic form: Pictographs
 Detailed written language
 Used to record
information about society
Modern Examples:
Phonetic Alphabet
Character Writing
Mesopotamia
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Modern day Iraq
Meso (Greek) = middle
Potamos (Greek) = river
“The land between the
rivers”
Fertile Crescent
• Green Strip of Land
• From Persian Gulf to
Mediterranean Sea
• Rich soil good for
farming
• First cities appear here
Akkadian Empire
 Years: 2300 B.C.E. – 2100 B.C.E.
 Main Ruler: Sargon
 First ever empire
(multiple people groups
ruled by one person)
 Strong army
 Broke down city walls
 Replaced leaders with loyal
followers
 Required payment (tribute)
Babylonian Empire
 Years: 1800 B.C.E. – 1500 B.C.E.
 Main Ruler: Hammurabi
 The Code of Hammurabi - one
set of laws for everyone
 United under the god Marduk
 The Empire was well maintained
Assyrian Empire
Years: 911 B.C.E. – 612 B.C.E.
Main Leader: Tiglath Pileser III
The King obeyed the gods
Treated conquered people harshly
Aqueducts brought water to the
city
 Large Empire from Egypt to the
Persian Gulf
 The army was stretched out too
thinly and was defeated
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Neo-Babylonian Empire
Years: 605 B.C.E. – 562 B.C.E.
Main Leader: Nebuchadnezzar II
Capital: Babylon
Built 2 walls (an outer and inner
wall)
 Created the sundial
 Built the hanging gardens of
Babylon
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