Mesopotamian Civilizations Notes
I. First civilizations started in Mesopotamia “land between the rivers”
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a.k.a, Fertile Crescent, located between Tigris and Euphrates
II. Definition of Civilization Review
1- Cities (trade)
2- Writing
3- Advanced Technology (surplus)
4- Specialized workers
5- Complex Social Institutions
III. Sumerians - The World’s First Civilization
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Time Period 3000 BC to 2000 BC
Major Cities - 12 Cities, including Uruk (10,000), Lagash (20,000) and Umma (15,000) also Ur, Kish, Nippur
Leaders - no leader for entire civilization.
 Reason - during time period, they were city-states (same culture different government) at war with
each other.
Inventions
 Cuneiform - first form of writing - for trading, tracking debts.
 wedge shaped point of reed written in wet clay, then dried.
 Wheel - for trade.
 Plow - for food.
 Sailboat - for trade.
 Irrigation ditches, city walls, trading network.
Government - had laws with officials.
 Organized into city-states, led by church officials.
Religion - polytheists - many gods, to explain things. Ziggurats
Education - schools to teach writing, for rich only.
Classes - priests, merchants, workers, slaves
 Women had many rights.
IV. Amorites (Babylonian Empire-p. 33-34)
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Time Period 2000 BC (conquered Sumerians) to 1500 BC
Cities: Babylon was capital.
Leaders: Hammurabi (1792 BC to 1750 BC)
Hammurabi’s Code - world’s first written set of laws.
 made to protect trade.
 written on 7 foot column in middle of city for all to see.
 282 specific laws.
 “Eye for an eye, tooth for a tooth”
 But many double standards - rich could kill poor.
 Idea - if you cause problem you will pay.
Technology – trade in precious metals, ships with oars.
 Phases of the Moon
V. Phoenicians (p. 73-76)
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Time Period: 1100 BC to 650 BC
Cities: Tyre, Phoenicia, Babylos, Carthage
Leaders: no major leaders
Facts about:
 Excellent sailors, ruled Mediterranean Sea & shipbuilders
 Established trade colonies all around Mediterranean
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Very wealthy, much from purple snail dye (King’s color)
Built colonies along African coast (30 miles apart-distance ship could travel in one day)
First alphabet
Blown glass
VI. Assyrians (p. 95-97)
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Time Period: 650 BC to 612 BC (fell to Chaldeans)
Cities: Ninevah
Leaders: Assurbanipal
Inventions: Disciplined army, conquered and killed many people.
 Ruled through fright. People scared of leaders.
 World’s first library - 25,000 clay tablets (p. 96)
Story of the Assassins
Ashur - Ashurism
VII. Chaldeans (p. 97-98)
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Time Period: 600 BC to 550 BC
Cities: Babylon - Hanging Gardens (one of 7 wonders of the world)
Leaders: Nebuchadnezzar - rebuilt Babylon
 Babylon became huge trading city.
Inventions: Zodiac, 4 phases of moon. Sundial.
Captured Jerusalem in 586 BC, took Jews as slaves.
One principal god “Marta” – beginnings of monotheism.
VIII. Persians (99-103)
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Time Period: 550 BC
Cities: Persepolis, Susa
Leaders: Cyrus, Darius
Facts about:
 conquered all from Nile River to Black Sea, to India
 Let Jews return to Jerusalem in 538 BC (parts of Bible first written)
 Darius built capital at Persepolis
 Advanced government - system of governors. Charged taxes.
 Had spies to ensure loyalty of his royal governors.
 Built Royal Road of brick 1700 miles long for trade.
 Metal coins
 “Eyes and ears” of the King – spies to control people.
*Assignment
-Pick any of the Mesopotamian civilizations after the Sumerians and create a 6 slide powerpoint presentation.
-Slides 1-5 will be one slide each about the definitions of a civilization. Slide 1 will be listing, explaining and showing a
picture of the advanced cities, slide 2 will describe the specialized workers, etc. through Slide 6. At the top of Slide 1 will
be your name, the name of the civilization.
-Slide 6 will be a primary source quote and your explanation on the importance and/or significance of the quote
-For each slide include a picture that relates to the characteristic for that slide.
-Use bullet points, statements and vocabulary words, not sentences or paragraphs
-Use the notes, textbook and internet research to develop each slide
-Print as handouts 6 per page
-Due Monday, September 17