1
Ancient Mesopotamia

• The Cradle of Civilization
• Chapter 3, Section 1

2
Starter Question Activity

• Please take a Starter Question sheet as you enter
  the classroom and answer the following question
  in complete sentences
• Why do you think Mesopotamia is nicknamed the
  Fertile Crescent?

3
Tigris and Euphrates Graphic Organizer
Lesson Essential Question 2 How did the Sumerians control the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers? Lesson Essential Question 3 What uses did the Sumerians have for the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers?
What is a levee? A levee is a mound of soil used to hold back a river. A levee is one of the ways the Sumerians controlled the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers.   1. Built higher levees to hold back the rivers during floods.   2. Constructed an irrigation system to water crops in summer dry season.   3. Poked holes in levees to channel water through canals to irrigate farmland. Sumerians used the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers for   -Water for irrigating farmland -Drinking water and bathing uses -Transportation-boat travel -Fishing-food resource -Mud from the flooding rivers was used to make bricks for building and for growing crops-fertile soil                                    
4
Tigris and Euphrates Rivers Writing Activity

• On a separate sheet of lined paper, use the
  following vocab terms from chapter 3 to describe
  how the Sumerians controlled and used the Tigris
  and Euphrates Rivers
• You must include the listed vocabulary terms and
  write at least 2 paragraphs (4-5 sentences per
  paragraph
• Terms to use Irrigation, Mesopotamia, Levee,
  Tigris River, Euphrates River
• Due in class tomorrow!

5
Tigris and Euphrates Rivers Writing Activity

• 12 Point Assignment
• 1 point for each properly used vocabulary term (5
  total)
• 5 points for length
• 2 points for spelling and grammar

6
City-States

• Each Sumerian city was considered a state in
  itself, with its own god and government
• Made up of a city and the farmland around it
• City-states were divided into different classes

• Upper class priests and merchants
• Middle class government workers, shopkeepers,
  artisans
• Lower class Farmers, unskilled workers, and
  people who fished

7
Religious and Family Life

• In the center of the city was a ziggurat or
  temple
• Center of life in Sumer
• The top of the temple was home of a citys main
  god
• The bottom of the ziggurat housed farmers,
  artisans, and a market place
• Great events were all celebrated around the
  ziggurat

8
Closing Activity
9
Starter Question Activity

• Please take out your Starter Question Response
  Sheet as you enter the classroom and answer the
  following question in complete sentences
• What are some differences between modern cities
  and city-states?

10
Religion in Sumer

• The Sumerians believed that all forces of nature,
  were alive
• More than 3,000 Sumerian gods
• Polytheism Belief in many gods
• Sumerians believed they were on Earth only to
  serve and please the gods
• Believed that if gods were unhappy, crops would
  not grow and they would not live happy lives

• Priests were very powerful because they knew the
  will of the gods

11
Schools and Writing in Sumer

• Schools were only for wealthy boys
• Boys attended tablet houses schools that taught
  writing
• Cuneiform Sumerian wedged shaped picture writing
  used to keep records
• Worlds first written language
• A scribe is a person that used cuneiform

12
Family Life in Sumer

• Men were the head of the household
• Made choices for entire family
• Women had the right to buy and sell property and
  enslaved people, and run businesses
• Children supported and obeyed older family
  members
• All family members were to obey the gods and
  priests

13
Mesopotamia Carousel Activity

• Today in class we will be working in groups to
  discover aspects of cities, religion, writing,
  government, farming, and daily life in Sumer
• Directions
• Work with your group members as you read about
  the Sumerians at 6 different stations
• You will have 5 minutes to work at each station
• Stay with your group at all times today!
• Work must be in complete sentences!

14
Starter Question Activity

• Please take out your Starter Question Response
  Sheet as you enter the classroom and answer the
  following question in complete sentences
• Why did the Sumerians develop cuneiform?

15
Sumerian City-States vs. Modern-Day Cities

• Directions
• You will work in a small group to develop a
  Sumerian City-States vs. Modern-Day Cities chart
  on a piece of poster board
• Work together to list at least
• -Green Cards- 4 Similarities
• -Yellow Cards- 2 Religious Differences
• -White Cards- 4 Housing/Land/City Layout
  Differences
• -Pink Cards- 2 Family Life Differences and 2
  School Differences
• Use your textbook and group members to develop
  your chart

16
Unit 2 Mesopotamia

• Please record tonights homework assignment and
  take out your Mesopotamia Notes Packet
• Group Discussion Compare our modern-day
  government with that found in ancient
  Mesopotamia?

17
Priests and Kings

• Priest-kings were in charge of the government and
  religion
• The most famous priest-king was Gilgamesh
• Tales of Gilgamesh have made him seem more like a
  god than a person
• One tale was written in 1700 B.C. and tells of a
  great flood similar to the Biblical story of Noah
  and the Ark

• The Epic of Gilgamesh is one of the earliest
  pieces of literature

18
Power of Priest-Kings

• Priest-kings took advice from an assembly made of
  free men
• Leadership was given to a military leader during
  times of war
• Military leaders were members of the assembly
• In time, kingship became hereditary, or passed
  down from father to son

19
Ancient Mesopotamia

• THE CRADLE OF CIVILIZATION
• CHAPTER 3, SECTION 2

20
Hammurabis Code

• Law Example
• If a man has borne false witness in a trial, or
  has not established the statement that he has
  made, if that case be a capital trial, that man
  shall be put to death.

21
Chapter 3, Section2

• Please record your homework and take out your
  Mesopotamia Notes Packet
• We will be learning about Hammurabi's Code of
  Laws today in class
• Hammurabis Code-Example Law
• If a man has stolen goods from a temple, or
  house, he shall be put to death and he that has
  received the stolen property from him shall be
  put to death.

22
Later Mesopotamian Empires

• About 2400 B.C., the power of Sumer started to
  fade
• New civilizations began to develop in Mesopotamia
  as conquerors moved in from nearby areas
• Sargon I of Akkad
• Hammurabi of Babylon

Hammurabi of Babylon
23
Sargon I of Akkad

• Sargon I was a ruler from an area in northern
  Mesopotamia known as Akkad
• Sargon I created the worlds first empire, or
  group of states under 1 ruler
• The official language of his empire became
  Akkadian.
• The Sumerian language was only used in religion
• Also used Sumerian cuneiform
• Sargon I ruled for 50 years.
• After his death, the empire fell

Sargon I of Akkad
24
Hammurabi of Babylon

• About 1800 B.C., Hammurabi conquered Akkad and
  Sumer creating a new empire
• Start of power for Babylon
• The people of Babylon used the culture of people
  they conquered
• Hammurabi was a great conqueror and extended his
  rule to the Mediterranean Sea
• Hammurabi made many reforms, or improvements
• Improved irrigation systems, religion, housing,
  and the tax system

25
Hammurabi's Code

• The reform for which Hammurabi became best known
  for was his Code of Law
• Set of laws for everyone in his empire to live
• Covered almost everything in daily life
• Royal judges made sure that his code was carried
  out fairly and justly
• A person was innocent until proven guilty
• Punishments ranged from fines to death

Code of Hammurabi
26
Golden Age of Babylon

• Babylon became an important trade center.
• Babylonians traded their surplus, or extra, for
  money and goods
• Hammurabi ruled for 40 years. His rule is known
  as the Golden age of Babylon

Hammurabis Babylonian Empire
27
Hammurabi's Code Activity

• Read Hammurabi's Code, An Eye for an Eye with
  your partner. Be sure to read each of the
  selected laws.
• Complete the Examining Hammurabis Laws
  worksheet. Include the following in each answer.
• Who is involved in the law.
• What are they told to do or not to do?
• What are the consequences of following or not
  following the law?
• Comparing Hammurabi to Today!
• Select 3 of Hammurabi's laws
• Re-write each law in your own words.
• Compare to a law or laws we have today.
• Complete with your partner. Use complete
  sentences on the lines.

28
Contributions of Mesopotamia

• From the beginnings of Sumer until the death of
  Hammurabi, the influence of Mesopotamia on other
  civilizations was felt in many ways
• The Sumerians developed the earliest known
  civilization in the world, which has been called
  the Cradle of Civilization
• The Sumerians also invented many things- such as
  the wheel, which have helped transportation

Metal tools once used in Mesopotamia
29
Contributions of Mesopotamia

• The plow, which made it possible to grow more
  food with less effort
• The people of Mesopotamia developed a 12 month
  calendar based on the cycles of the moon (lunar
  calendar)
• The sailboat, which replaced muscle power for
  wind power
• The first clock operated by controlled drops of
  water
• Development of the 60 minute hour, 60 second
  minute, and 360 degree circle

30
Partner Reading Assignment

• Choose a partner to read pages 63-64 in the
  textbook.
• You can choose to read the section in the
  following ways
• Partner read (taking turns after each paragraph).
• Choral read (both partners reading together).
• Be sure to monitor/clarify what you are reading.
  
• Monitor to keep track of your understanding
• Clarify to figure out something that doesnt
  make sense
• If something sounds confusing try rereading or
  reading ahead.
• Start working on the Mesopotamia
  Inventions/Contributions Graphic Organizer with
  your partner.