Ancient Middle Eastern
Civilizations
“THE CRADLE OF CIVILIZATION”
Middle East Map
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The Sumerians
 4,000 B.C. to 2,300 B.C.
 Known as the first civilization of Mesopotamia
 Highly regarded for it’s many ‘firsts’ and ancient
buildings
 Area is eventually conquered and divided
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Sumerian Culture is the foundation
 Babylonia in the south and Assyria in the north
Land And Geography
 Approximately 5500 years ago in what is today the
southern part of Iraq a civilization was founded
 The Tigris and Euphrates Rivers are the main
features of the fertile crescent or Mesopotamia
 Mesopotamia” in Greek means “the land between the
2 rivers”
 Waters flood down off the mountains in Turkey to
flood the land
Challenges of the land
 Unpredictable flooding
 Build dams and canals for irrigation
 Arid environment
 Valley is open to invaders
 History is riddled with conquering groups settling the area
Bell work
 Name one nickname for Mesopotamia.
 What does the word Mesopotamia mean?
 What was the name of the first civilization in the
region?
 What two rivers are vital to the region?
 Use your notes from Tuesday.
Section Reading
 In your rows, you will read one topic from chapter 2,
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section 3 pg. 30-34. Summarize the key information
in a short bullet point list. Make your own list and
than meet with your row. Put on the board when
finished.
Sumerian writing
Architecture and science
Government and Society
Farming and Trade
Education and religion
Sumerian Cities and Society
 Society is made up of
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Upper:
High
Priests,
Rulers
individual City-States
•Everybody lived in the city
•Populations: 10,00050,000+
•Walled enclosures
•Surrounded by suburban
villages
•Market center for region
•Ceremonial center
Middle: Lower
priests,
merchants,
traders, scribes
Lower: Farmers,
peasants,
Slaves
Ur- largest
Ancient city
Farming and trade are the basis
of the economy.
Religion and Government
Religion
Government
 “Polytheistic” meaning that they
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believed in many gods
 They also believed their gods
punished people who angered
them
 They made sure to take care of
their gods by feeding them daily
and cleaning them
 Main god was Anu-God of
Heaven, father of the Gods
•Simple and fatalistic
•Gods controlled all
•No free will
•Humans to please gods
Gods guard each city,
lower gods watch out for
people
 Government is control by
the priests and powerful
warlords
The Famous Ziggurats
Achievements
Writing System
Other achievements
 Develop the first system
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of writing known as
Cuneiform
 Used Pictographs on clay
tablets
 Record history,
transactions, religion, for
education
 Used personal cylinder
seals to sign documents
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Invent the first wheel, carts
Bronze weapons
Medicines
Domesticate many animals
Control flood waters, irrigation
Develop the arch- covered structure
over an opening
Lunar Calendar
Advanced math-360 degree circle,
number system based on 60,(60
minutes, 60 seconds)
Established trade to Asia
First Legal System
Wrote epic stories and poems
Pottery wheel
Musical instruments(lyre, drums, reed
pipes)
Assignment
 Page 34
 Use the pyramid in question 2 to structure an essay
similar to the one in question 4.
 Write an essay that persuaders readers the
Sumerians created an important and successful
civilization.
 Use your notes and the book Chapter 2, Section 3
pages 30-34 as a resource for writing your essay.
The Babylonians
 Around 2000 B.C. the Babylonians
conquered what was ancient Sumer
 Culture very similar to Sumerians, except
women have far more rights in Babylonian
society
 1792 B.C. a Babylonian ruler named
Hammurabi came to power
 Conquered by the Hittites around 1600 B.C.
The Code Of Hammurabi
 Created by Hammurabi
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himself to bring order and
justice to his empire
282 laws recorded on stones
tablets for all to read
Established the “rule of law”,
all people equal before the
law(punishments differ for
social class)
Presumption of Innocence
Both parties can provide
evidence
Jury trail
Punishments are “eye for an
eye”
 196. If a man put out the eye
of another man, his eye shall
be put out
 3. If any one bring an
accusation of any crime
before the elders, and does
not prove what he has
charged, he shall, if it be a
capital offense charged, be
put to death.
 If any one steal the property
of a temple or of the court, he
shall be put to death, and also
the one who receives the
stolen thing from him shall be
put to death.
Code of Hammurabi Assignment
 In a group of 3 or 4, you have been tasked to create a
set of laws and punishments for you civilizations
legal system.
 Create 10 laws and punishments in your society
 Have a list of behaviors or actions which are not
illegal
 Explain briefly, how does your justice system work?
Judges? Juries? Presumption of innocence?
Lawyers? Police?
Mesopotamian Civilizations
Civilization(people)
1. Sumerians
4000 BC-2300 BC
2. Babylonians
2000 BC-1600 BC
3. Hittites
1600BC-1200 BC
4. Assyrians
900 BC-650 BC
5. Chaldeans
625 BC-539 BC
6. Persian Empire
539 BC-331 BC
3 facts
1. Culture similar to Sumerian
2. Women had more rights(more jobs, property rights)
3. Code of Hammurabi-Harsh punishments
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Iron weapons-Warlike people
From Asia Minor (Modern Turkey)
Fines for small crimes
Ruled by Chief-Priests
Conquered Mesopotamia, Egypt, Palestine(Israel), Syria
Warlike, Effective Warriors- Standing army, Chariots, Calvary,
Brutal tactics-Kill and enslave populations, loot and destroy
3. Effective large government-Monarchy
Nineveh captial- 70 foot walls, 7.5 miles, massive library
The Epic of Gilgamesh
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Ruled by King Nebuchadnezzar-exiled the Jews
Rebuilt Babylon
Hanging Gardens- One of the 7 wonders
Skilled astronomers, mathematicians, tower of Babel
Bell work
 1. What traits make a great leader?
 2. How can one successful govern over a large area
and a diverse group of people?
Persian Empire Reading Questions
 Use both handouts the book (pg.39) to answer the
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following questions:
1. At it’s height, what area did the Persian empire cover?
2. List 3 reasons Cyrus was a great leader.
3. What were ‘The king’s eyes and ears’?
4. What two tools helped to keep the empire together?
5. Identify and explain the Persian religion.
6. What religion does the Persian’s influence?
7. How does the Persian empire fall?
8. What do the quotes about Cyrus tell you about how
others viewed him?
Persian Empire
 550 BC- 331 BC
 Largest the world had seen
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at its time
Led by Cyrus the Great
Connected empire through
roads(royal road) and trade
Allow conquered peoples to
keep religion and culture,
freed the Jews
Zoroastrianism
Video Summary/ Review Assignment
 List 5 things you learned about the Persian Empire.
 Review Chapter 2, section 4 with the worksheet.
(Due Friday)
Egyptian Poster Project
 Form a group of 4
 Before we make the poster we must first gather
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information
Use your book to complete the worksheet on the
Egyptians, take your notes on your assigned
topic(Chapter 2, section 1 and 2)
Review the Ancient Egypt power point on my website for
additional information
Once you have all of your information you can start on
your poster
50 point project- you will be graded on the content of
your material, quality of the final poster, use of time, and
group cooperation
Egyptian Poster Project
Architecture Pyramids
Government
- Leaders
History-3
KingdomsDecline
Egypt map
Geography
ReligionMummificatiton
Economy- Daily Life –
Social Class
Science-Math-Writing