The Akkadians and The Babylonians

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The Akkadians and The Babylonians

• In this lesson, students will examine
  civilizations that developed in Mesopotamia.
• Students will be able to define the following
  terms
• The Akkadians
• The Babylonians
• The Code of Hammurabi

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Mesopotamia is a Greek term. It means between
rivers. It is the land between Tigris and
Euphrates rivers.
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The Sumerians

• The Sumerians developed an early civilization in
  Mesopotamia.
• The Sumerians lived in independent city-states.
• The Sumerian city-states never united.

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The Sumerians built ziggurats or temples To their
gods.
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Sargon I

• Eventually, Sargon I united the city-states of
  Mesopotamia.
• Sargon I ruled a kingdom north of Sumer called
  Akkad.
• The Akkadians ruled the city-states of
  Mesopotamia.

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Sargon I was a powerful Akkadian ruler. He built
the first empire when he conquered the
city-states of Mesopotamia.
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The Akkadians had their own language but used
Sumerian cuneiform to keep records.
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The Babylonians

• Around 1800 B.C., a new city-state arose in
  Mesopotamia.
• It was called Babylon.
• Hammurabi was an important king of Babylon. He
  conquered the Akkadians and the Sumerians.

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The Code of Hammurabi

• Hammurabi was an important king.
• He created the first written law code.
• The Code of Hammurabi provided harsh punishments.
  It also treated people differently based on
  social class.

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If a seignior (noble) has knocked out the tooth
of a seignior of his own rank, they shall knock
out his tooth. But if he has knocked out a
commoners tooth, he shall pay one-third mina of
silver. -Code
of Hammurabi
This passage from the Code of Hammurabi shows
that divisions existed between the social
classes.
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Lets Review!

• Define Mesopotamia.
• Why did civilization develop in Mesopotamia?
• Who were the Sumerians?

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Why did early civilizations develop in river
valleys?
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Questions for Reflection

• Why was Sargon I a significant ruler?
• Provide an example of cultural diffusion from the
  Akkadian conquest of the Sumerian city-states.
• Who was Hammurabi?
• What did Hammurabi create?
• Why is it said that divisions existed between
  the social classes in the Code of Hammurabi?