City-States in Mesopotamia
• Fertile Crescent- arc of land between the Persian
Gulf and Mediterranean Sea; curved and fertile
(includes Mesopotamia or “land between the
rivers”)
• Mesopotamia is bordered by the Euphrates River
and the Tigris River
• Both rivers flooded annually which left a thick bed
of mud called silt. Planters used the moistness of
this soil to their advantage
Environmental Challenges
• 1200 years after people originally settle in
Mesopotamia (4500 BC), Sumerians arrive
(3300 BC)
• Disadvantages were: unpredictable flooding
combined with occasional drought; villages
were defenseless against invasion due to no
natural barriers; and natural resources
(building materials) were limited
Solutions through Organization
• To keep consistent water, Sumerians dug
irrigation from rivers to their fields
• For defense, they built city walls with mud
bricks
• The traded their grain, cloth, and tools with
neighboring villages in exchange for raw
materials (stone, wood, metal)
• *leaders emerged to plan and supervise
projects, ppl worked together on the irrigation
projects, laws and leaders emerged to settle
disputes of distribution of land and water
Sumerians create City-States
• Sumerians are first group to form civilization
• City-state- entity that functioned like an
independent country does today
• By 3000 BC, Sumerians created many citystates (Uruk, Kish, Lagash, Umma, and Ur).
• Like in Ur, all other city-states had ziggurats in
the center where priests and rulers appealed
to the gods for well-being of the city-state
Priests and Rulers Share Power
• Earliest governments were ruled by priests
(except in time of war) who blessed farmer’s
crops, and managed irrigation systems. In
return, priests demanded a portion of crop as
taxes.
• Originally, power returned to priests as soon
as conflict ended, but by 3000 BC conflict was
consistent enough that commanders (who
passed it to their son) are given leadership.
This created dynasties.
Spread of Cities
• Surpluses in food allowed Sumerians to trade for
what they needed.
• By 2500 BC, cities arose all over the Fertile
Crescent (current Turkey, Syria, and N. Iraq)
• They also shared culture, ideas, and products
(process is known as cultural diffusion)
Sumerian Culture
• Sumerians believe in polytheism (belief in
many gods)
• They believed their gods were immortal and
all-powerful, yet similar to humans
• They didn’t believe in an afterlife, but believed
that the gods could affect reality
• The Epic of Gilgamesh is a depiction of a
Mesopotamian myth (Utnapishtim and the
flood)
Life in Sumerian Society
• Social classes became prevalent
• Kings----landholders----priests, then wealthy
merchants, and then ordinary field
workers…Then slaves (not based on race, but
economic status and sometimes prisoners)
• Women could work as merchants, farmers, or
artisans
Sumerian Science and Technology
• Sumerians invented the wheel, the sail,
Bronze, and the plow. They also adapted:
1. Geometry and math- used for building the
cities, and keeping time.
2. Architectural innovation- new designs used
for the ziggurats
3. Cuneiform- system of writing that made up
the oldest written records of astronomy,
chemistry, and medicine
The First Empire Builders
• Cities of Sumer attacked each other from 3-2
thousand BC. Didn’t die out, but evolved.
• Sargon (Akkad)- ruler who defeats the city-states of
Sumer in 2350 BC. Created the first empire by
controlling N. and S. Mesopotamia. Lasted only
about 200 years due to internal conflicts.
• Babylonian Empire- approx. 2000 BC, Amorite
warriors invaded Mesopotamia and est. their
capitol in Babylon on the Euphrates. It reached its
height during the rule of Hammurabi (1792-1750
BC). He is known for his code of laws (“eye for an
eye”)
Hammurabi’s Code
• He saw the need for a uniform code of law to
unify diverse groups within his empire
• He molded different rules and judgments to
create his law, and posted it on stone around
the empire
• Consists of 282 laws (family, criminal,
property, etc.). Also protected women and
children, and set different punishments
according to social status.
Pyramids on the Nile
• Flooded annually due to rain & melting snow
from the mountains to the East, and left a
deposit of black mud called “silt”.
• Egypt is the “gift of the Nile” b/c of the
abundance of water
Environmental Challenges
• When floodwaters retreated, people starved. When
they rose houses, granaries, and seed were
destroyed.
• *did have protection from the deserts
Upper and Lower Egypt
• b/c its elevation is higher, river area in the
south is called Upper Egypt.
• The north near the delta is known as Lower
Egypt.
• Transportation- current carried boats north,
while wind (sails) carried boats south. This
easy travel helped unify Egypt.
Egypt Unites
• Upper and Lower Egypt unite under King
Narmer, who creates a unified capitol
(Memphis) and crown.
• Egyptians believed their kings (pharaohs)
were gods, not just reps. This style of gvmt is
known as a theocracy
• Pharaohs ruled after death (ka), so their
tombs (pyramids) were more extravagant
than their palaces
Egyptian Culture
• They were polytheistic, believing in over 2000 gods
• Unlike Meopotamians, Egyptians believed in an
afterlife
• Not just kings and queens were buried
• Mummification- process of preservation
What was life like in Egypt?
• Social structure- king/queen, royal family,
upper class (landowners, gvmt, priests, and
commanders), middle class (merchants and
artisans), lower class (largest class; farmers
and laborers), and eventually slaves (p.o.w’s)
• Social mobility (especially if you can
read/write)
• Women were treated similarly to men
Egyptian Writing
• Hieroglyphics- writing where picture stands for an
idea; later sounds and phonetics are introduced
• First written on stone like in Mesopotamia, but later
on papyrus reeds. (naturally glued)
Egyptian Science and Technology
• Developed a calendar to keep track of floods
by tracking the stars
• Developed system of numbers (taxes),
geometry (property boundaries)
• Egyptian doctors knew how to check heart
rate by checking pulse, they set broken bones,
and treated wounds/fevers
Invaders Control Egypt
• Power of pharaohs decline approx 2180 BC (end of
Old Kingdom). Returns during Middle Kingdom
(2040-1640 BC), and prosperity in Egypt returns. In
1640 BC the Hyskos move into Egypt and rule from
(1630-1523 BC). Egypt rises again later to create
the New Kingdom
• ……….Meanwhile, civilization is emerging in the
Indus River Valley
Planned Cities on the Indus
• Began around 2500 BC, and little is known about the Indus
RVC because its language has yet to be decoded
Geography
• India is isolated from the rest of Asia with the help of the
____________, the ____________, and the
____________Mtns.  “Indian Subcontinent”
• Mountains to the north and deserts to the east help
protect Indus RVC
• Along the _________ and ___________Rivers
• _____________affect Indus RVC’s climate by blowing dry
air across the country. Around six months later those
winds carry moisture back mainland and often cause
flooding
Environmental Challenges
• Unpredictable annual ___________
• Rivers changed course  how?
• _________________were unpredictable
Civilization Emerges on Indus
• Not exactly sure when first settlers arrive
• Began building cities around 2500 BC with more precise cut
mud bricks than in Mesopotamia
• Indus Valley civilization is often called ______________
civilization because of the numerous artifacts found in
Harappa
• Most remarkable achievement was _____________
remarkable grid system
• Created sophisticated __________and sewage
___________
Harappan Culture
• _____________language (carved into stone) has yet to be
deciphered
• Few weapons have been found, but toys and entertainment
seem to be bountiful ___________________
• Animals were valued, as seen in Harappan art
• Most likely ruled by _____________
• Traded precious metals and stones with Persia and the
Deccan Plateau
Indus Valley Culture Ends
• The quality of building deteriorated and the old cities
decayed around 1750 BC
• _________________________likely caused earthquakes
and floods which wiped out civilization
• __________________likely caused people to migrate as
well
• ___________________________ came around 1500 BC,
and this was the tipping point for Indus Valley culture
• ….meanwhile civilization is forming farther east.